The Athlete & the NARP

Retiring at 30 years old sounds like a dream come true, but for many professional athletes it’s their unwelcome yet inevitable reality. Athletes typically maximize their career earnings towards the beginning of their career, meaning they have to plan for retirement and support their lifestyle on an increasingly dwindling income. Grappling with the sudden transition to the regular working world can be difficult without the proper financial, psychological and social resources. Even though sports federations and former athletes have done more in recent years to help current athletes plan for the future while their best playing days are still ahead of them, it is not uncommon for retired athletes to go broke or bankrupt within a decade. Athletes dedicate endless energy to the here and now, but taking time to think about retirement is what will ultimately set them up for success.Plus, on this week’s Fun Friday, Claire and Jenna play “Start, Bench, Cut” with popular athlete retirement paths.Transition track credits:Downtown Walk by | e s c p | https://escp-music.bandcamp.comMusic promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.comCreative Commons / Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Tune into Claire and Jenna's Top Story Tuesday from the week leading up to November 11, 2025.Surreal by Unwritten Stories | https://soundcloud.com/unwritten-storiesMusic promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.comCreative Commons / Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en_US

Tune into Claire and Jenna's Top Story Tuesday from the week leading up to November 4, 2025.Surreal by Unwritten Stories | https://soundcloud.com/unwritten-storiesMusic promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.comCreative Commons / Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en_US

Warm July air, a hot dog wrapped in tinfoil, a cold beer in hand and nine innings of baseball: sounds like a summer evening well-spent. Baseball has always been a sport best enjoyed from the stands, where fans can experience a team camaraderie that feels homegrown even at the professional level. Amidst declining viewership within the past decade, MLB is striving to incentivize audiences to buy into its 162-game season and learn to find joy in baseball’s deliberate, calculated pace. From implementing rule changes to investing in youth baseball initiatives, MLB is doing all it can to shed its reputation as being the perfect sport for background noise and remind fans why it has earned the title of “America’s Pastime.”Plus, on this week’s Fun Friday, Claire and Jenna determine whether athletes’ superstitions are “red-flag” or “green-flag” behavior.Transition track credits:Downtown Walk by | e s c p | https://escp-music.bandcamp.comMusic promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.comCreative Commons / Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Tune into Claire and Jenna's Top Story Tuesday from the week leading up to October 28, 2025.Surreal by Unwritten Stories | https://soundcloud.com/unwritten-storiesMusic promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.comCreative Commons / Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en_US

Tune into Claire and Jenna’s Top Story Tuesday from the week leading up to October 21, 2025.Surreal by Unwritten Stories | https://soundcloud.com/unwritten-storiesMusic promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.comCreative Commons / Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en_US

The life of a professional NFL cheerleader is not all glitz and glamor. The select group of women that can demonstrate they have the dancing skills, bubbly personality, bombshell looks and the “it” factor required to make a squad put hours each week into preparing for game days. NFL teams love to use these women as extensions of their brand, marketing their sex appeal to a football audience that is traditionally, and sometimes aggressively, masculine. Sure, they get to perform on the biggest stages in American sports, but at what cost? Between the unrelenting nitpicking of their physical appearance and settling for a semi-livable wage, professional cheerleading is largely a thankless job. Their value, however, is becoming more and more undeniable. Plus, on this week’s Fun Friday, Claire and Jenna draw from a hat to choose the NBA team they will be rooting for this upcoming season. Transition track credits:Downtown Walk by | e s c p | https://escp-music.bandcamp.comMusic promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.comCreative Commons / Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Tune into Claire and Jenna's Top Story Tuesday from the week leading up to October 14, 2025.Surreal by Unwritten Stories | https://soundcloud.com/unwritten-storiesMusic promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.comCreative Commons / Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-SA 3.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en_US

The WNBA has seen enormous growth since its inception in 1996, but the emergence of Caitlin Clark as its new superstar has put a spotlight on the league that is brighter — and harsher — than ever. The increased popularity means more revenue flowing in, and the players want a greater piece of it than the 10% currently allocated to them. The owners are pushing back, asking that in return the players prioritize the W over external offseason opportunities to earn some extra cash. With the Oct. 31 expiration date for the current collective bargaining agreement on the horizon, the timeline for reaching an agreement is quickly approaching. Understanding the importance of these negotiations requires a deep dive into all things the W, from salary structure to draft rules to the league’s unshakeable relationship with the NBA.Plus, on this week’s Fun Friday, Claire and Jenna each pitch a new WNBA expansion team.Transition track credits:Downtown Walk by | e s c p | https://escp-music.bandcamp.comMusic promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.comCreative Commons / Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

College athletes that elect to use their allotted eligibility to the fullest, so-called “fifth-year seniors”, have always been part of the NCAA system. The COVID-19 pandemic and the opening of the NIL floodgates have made it possible for teams to have sixth, seventh and even eighth-year seniors on their rosters, their ages testing the boundaries of how old a typical college athlete should be. A handful of recent lawsuits from current college athletes have prompted the NCAA to seriously consider implementing a “five-in-five” rule that would give athletes five years to participate in five seasons of their sport(s), no exceptions. The waters are getting murkier between amateur athletics and a semi-professional league, and it’s becoming clear that it’s in the NCAA’s best interest to keep that discussion out of court.Plus, on this week’s Fun Friday, Claire and Jenna assemble their dream Super Bowl halftime show performance, including the headliner, side acts and the setlist.Transition track credits:Downtown Walk by | e s c p | https://escp-music.bandcamp.comMusic promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.comCreative Commons / Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/