Four Years of Sports Gossip
Since Bravo and ESPN had a baby.
If Bravo and ESPN had a baby, it would be Impersonal Foul. This newsletter is free, but consider becoming a paying subscriber for $6/month to support the work that I’m doing.
For partnership inquiries or to just say hello, email madeline@impersonalfoul.com.
Four years ago today, I wrote my first newsletter about Real Housewives of Miami star Larsa Pippen dating NBA player Malik Beasley on this new platform called Substack.
The post got zero likes, and maybe 20 people read it at the time?
Not only did Pippen move on from Beasley to date Michael Jordan’s son, but I also moved on to cover things like Jim Harbaugh’s daughter going viral, how ArtButMakeItSports perfectly pairs art and iconic moments in sports, and what it’s like dating the Pommel Horse King from the 2024 Summer Olympics.
In the middle of all that, Taylor Swift started dating Kansas City Chiefs star tight end Travis Kelce and that really changed my life (both personally as a Swiftie and professionally as the curator of sports gossip).
And how could I forget the fun College Football Playoff preview I did with Split Zone Duo, ArtButMakeItSports, and MatchQuarters?
Over the past four years, I’ve received more emails, DMs, texts, and tweets (RIP old Twitter) than I can count. Readers have shared off-the-record nonsense I wish I could publish here, expressed how much this newsletter spoke to their hyper-specific interests, or just wanted to say hi.
Impersonal Foul became a featured publication on this platform, and I expanded my coverage to twice a week when I launched paid subscriptions.
Was that too ambitious??? I don’t know! You tell me…
I also recently launched The Sports Gossip Show with the incredible sports expert Charlotte Wilder. We’ve loved diving deeper into some of these off-the-field topics I didn’t think I had anyone to ramble on with until I met Charlotte.
If podcasts are your thing, you can listen or watch all episodes here.
I wrote this newsletter from the UK while completing my master’s at Oxford.
I edited a paragraph while in the makeup chair on my wedding day. Is me including this just an excuse to share the stunning vintage YSL gown I wore??? Not NO…
And I *even* published more than one newsletter from my phone!
Deep down, I really believe that what happens off the field in sports is a direct reflection of what happens on the field in sports and helps us understand what’s going on in fashion, music—and even politics.
So, what’s next for Impersonal Foul?
As 2024 comes to a close, I’m excited to start exploring larger partnership opportunities in the new year, and I am *manifesting* a brand letting me come to the Super Bowl to cover off-the-field nonsense. It! Would! Be! So! Fun!
If that’s you (I see who subscribes to this), shoot me a note at madeline@impersonalfoul.com.
I’ll continue writing this twice a week and please keep sharing it with your friends and family. It really does mean the world.
Last week, Substack asked me to share my prediction for sports media in 2025. Of course, my answer focused on an increased coverage of stories that happen off the field, whether that be another meh sports documentary or an athlete becoming the face of an LVMH brand.
I stand by this prediction and am so curious to see what actually comes true…
To everyone who has made it this far, thank you so much for coming on this sports gossip journey for the past 1,461 days (and counting).
Here’s to many more days/weeks/months/years of off-the-field nonsense to come…
See you all in 2025.
If Bravo and ESPN had a baby, it would be Impersonal Foul. This newsletter is free, but consider becoming a paying subscriber for $6/month to support the work that I’m doing.
You can follow me on Instagram here, Twitter here and TikTok here. Enjoy the endless void of content!
Happy 4 years! 🎉
Oh wow. I forget how I was introduced to this a few years ago, but always enjoy reading this, and loving the pod w/Charlotte!