bSMART Guide

As an attorney in a top law firm in New York City, Jane Wu Brower was both thrilled and terrified when her client, Major League Baseball, invited her to a game to talk sports.  After looking for a quick rundown of the latest stories in sports, Jane realized that while there were hundreds of outlets for avid sports fan, no publication provided a simple daily summary for a sports novices.  Having no idea how to talk about the latest news in sports, she kept quiet hoping to not be found out.  With a determination to even the playing field for sports chatter with co-workers and clients, Jane conceived of Goalposte.  Named ‘The Skimm for Sports,’ Goalposte is a simple, daily newsletter aimed at cultivating a genuine appreciation and understanding of sports.  Find out how can you can learn the latest news in sports, impact the future of female athletes, and what it takes to create a career in sports writing in digital media. 

Sign up for Goalposte to receive all the sports you need in your inbox!

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I wanted to help young women who work in male-dominated industries 'get into the game.'

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Female Fan

How is Goalposte unique from other sports apps and news outlets?

Goalposte is a daily email newsletter that summarizes the major sporting events of the day in a fun and accessible way for busy sports fans and novices alike.  I noticed there were a lot of sports news sources and newsletters in the marketplace for avid fans, including all manner of obscure stories and sports minutia ranging from injuries to minor players to opinion pieces about hypothetical trades.  Goalposte cuts through the noise and provides you with short summaries of the biggest stories of the day.  It provides you just enough information and context to keep you up-to-date and in the know when talking to  your co-workers, significant others, friends, or whomever else.

What’s included in Today’s Rundown?

The daily newsletter summarizes the major stories people will be talking about across all major sports.  For example, recently the focus has been the NBA and NHL Stanley Cup playoffs, but we’ve also covered the Olympics, boxing, tennis, horse racing—you name it!

Each newsletter covers the winners and losers of the major sporting events from the previous day.  Then, it provides summaries of the other big stories that people will be talking about, including major trades, coaching changes, drug abuse scandals, etc.  Occasionally, we’ll run longer, in-depth ‘Spotlights’ on issues or players that have been dominating the news, so that you’re armed for a detailed sports conversation.  Lastly, we include sports-related pop culture and upcoming events you need to know about.

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I saw a need for a product that could make sports fun and accessible for anyone who wanted to learn more.

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What is your favorite story in sports right now?

Throughout the year, we’ve featured a number of compelling sports stories.  One of my favorites was a Spotlight on the Leicester City soccer team.  They had an amazing Cinderella story starting at  the bottom of the English Premier League last season to winning it all this year.  Leicester had no big stars, but they played incredibly well as a team, which was what made them so inspirational.  At the beginning of the season, they were such a long shot that English betting houses had them at 5,000-to-1 odds to win it all.  For perspective, other 5,000-to-1 odd bets you can make are that Elvis will be found alive or that Big Foot is real.  After they won the title, there were stories of soccer fans that had made $3 bets as a joke at the beginning of the season that cashed out at $15,000.

I also try to write timely pieces that will be helpful to my readers such as a Super Bowl primer, March Madness bracket picking tips, and an NHL Stanley Cup Survival Guide.  Now that it’s the summer, I’ve written an MLB recap to let readers know the major storylines to watch out for this season.  One of the most exciting stories in baseball this year is the Chicago Cubs.  They started out the season as the favorites to win the World Series and they have been living up to the hype so far.  If they win, it will be their first title in 108 years!

I also like to write features about compelling players.  Recently, I wrote a Spotlight on Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green.  I explained not only what he’s known for on the court (he’s a defensive powerhouse and a great all-around player), but also little-known tidbits about his life: he’s frugal and known for being the best trash-talker in the league—a skill he gets from his Mom.  

Of course, I’ve also covered big controversies and important issues in sports, like the NFL’s improper influence over recent concussion studies, Baylor Football team’s sexual assault scandal, and Peyton Manning’s HGH allegations.  

In what ways do you hope Goalposte empowers females in sports?

The idea for Goalposte came to me during my time working as an attorney in New York City for a big law firm.  I was staffed on a case representing Major League Baseball, which was exciting but also terrifying because I had no idea what was happening in baseball.  As I got more entrenched in the case, I was invited to events and business development dinners with high-profile sports clients and law firm partners.  All the while, I was on pins and needles that they would discover my big secret, so I would sit quietly while they talked sports.  During that time, I felt like I was missing out on significant networking and relationship-building opportunities.

From this experience, I thought there was a need for a product that could make sports fun and accessible for anyone who wanted to learn more. In particular, I really wanted to help young professional women who work in male-dominated industries ‘get into the game’ so to speak.

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I was on pins and needles that they would discover my big secret, so I sat quietly while they talked sports.

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How do you see Goalposte changing the future of sports?

Many of Goalposte’s readers are not avid sports fans, and 70% of my readers are women, so it’s really exciting to be attracting a new audience and demographic to sports.  It’s been rewarding to bring a new pastime and interest to so many people.  

Nowadays, people have very divergent tastes and sources of media programming, including platforms like Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu, but sports are one of the few remaining programs that are ubiquitous and still watched live.  Through Goalposte, I hope to continue to open the door for people to get interested in sports and expand their reach as a societal unifier.

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Starting Goalposte has been a terrifying leap, but also the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done.

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Winning Woman

What has been your biggest challenge creating a career in sports writing?

The biggest challenge was getting started.  It was really daunting to take the leap from a stable income and respectable career as a management consultant to becoming an entrepreneur.  It’s been simultaneously terrifying and thrilling to put my skin in the game and work on something I feel passionately about.

In what ways is a digital newsletter different from other business ventures?

Running a digital newsletter has its advantages.  Because it has relatively little upfront investment, I was able to get started using my savings alone.  The challenge is to continue to retain traffic and attract new subscribers when there’s so much content already on the Internet.

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Develop a strong network that will support you when things become difficult, as they inevitably will.

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How do you balance personal hobbies with your entrepreneurship goals?

I’ve found that it’s really helpful to have a schedule and routine so that I can compartmentalize and maintain work-life balance.  I make time to work out and see family and friends because they’re very important to me.

How can other women break into male-dominated fields such as sports?

There are always going to be people who are skeptical or critical of women working in male-dominated industries.  My best advice is to develop a strong network that will support you when things become difficult, as they inevitably will.  In particular, it’s important to have a champion.  To me a champion is someone beyond a mentor—it’s a person who will invest time and energy into your development and advocate for your success.

How can we be smart as empowered female business owners?

Don’t be afraid to take risks.  I’ve always been risk-averse because my parents are first-generation immigrants.  I followed the path they wanted for me—I went to a good college, a good law school, and got a Big Law job, but I didn’t feel fulfilled.  Starting Goalposte has been a terrifying leap, but it’s also been the most rewarding thing that I’ve ever done.

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A champion is someone beyond a mentor—it’s a person who will invest time and energy into your development and advocate for your success.

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Meet Jane Wu Brower

Neighborhood: Penn Quarter, Washington, D.C.

Occupation: Founder & CEO, Goalposte

Go-to Outfit: Give me a romper/jumpsuit any day.

Must-have Shoes: Nude pumps

Favorite Nail Polish: Essie ‘Happy wife, happy life’

Signature Scent: Hermes, Jardin sur le Toit

Beauty Essential: Eyeliner

Travel Destination: Next up: Ireland

De-Stress Technique: A spin class or long run

University: Washington University in St. Louis (BSBA), Michigan University (J.D.)

Sorority: Pi Beta Phi

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Comments (3)

  1. Rose Panda

Signing up now!

 
  1. Meagan Hooper

LOVE the work Jane is doing to make sports news quickly accessible!

 
  1. bSMART Guide    Meagan Hooper

A great newsletter! You should definitely subscribe if you haven't already!

 
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