This episode of Can You Hear Us Now, focuses on pay equity in women’s sports, with an emphasis on soccer and track and field. It explores the ongoing gender pay gap, why it still exists, and how the media plays a role in shaping the conversation. The episode focuses on key moments, advocates, and disparities that show how female athletes continue to be undervalued compared to their male counterparts. This episode features Professor Livis Freeman, Coco Boyden, and Evie Culbreath, who bring different perspectives from both professional and student athlete backgrounds. Professor Freeman offers insight from his background in sports marketing and communications, and Boyden and Culbreath share their experiences as female athletes navigating the current sports world. Together, they all bring an important perspective on how pay equity impacts athletes at different levels. Overall, the episode highlights the importance of fairness and recognition in women’s sports and encourages listeners to recognize all athletes, their value, and how they are represented in the industry.
Guests:
Livis Freeman is from Clinton, North Carolina. He graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1999 with a degree in psychology and later earned a Master of Arts in Integrated Marketing Communications from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. He is currently an associate professor at the UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media and serves as the Distinguished Professor for Sports Communication. Freeman is the founder of 4ourFans, a sports marketing and public relations company, and has worked with athletes across the NBA, NFL, PGA, and boxing.
Colette (Coco) Boyden is a second-year Honors student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, originally from Corte Madera, California. She is pursuing a double major in Business Administration at the Kenan-Flagler Business School and Advertising and Public Relations in the Hussman School of Journalism and Media. At UNC, Boyden is also a member of the club soccer team, where she continues her passion for athletics while balancing a rigorous academic schedule. Her experience as a student-athlete fuels her interest in sports business, along with tech marketing and consulting. She is driven to create meaningful impact through both business and media and is actively involved in her community.
Evie Culbreath is a junior on the University of North Carolina women’s track and field team, competing in jumps and combined events. She is originally from Chattanooga, Tennessee and attended Baylor School, where she was a standout multi-sport track athlete and a multiple-time state champion. At UNC, Culbreath has competed in indoor and outdoor ACC competitions, earning personal bests across several events and debuting in both the pentathlon and heptathlon. Her experience as a college athlete shows how resources, attention, and fairness work in women’s track and field.