From Paperbacks to Power Plays: How Two Women Are Rewriting the Sports Narrative

Interview by Emily Kulyk | December 11, 2025

Stories can play out in very different ways. It could be the pages of a newly released novel. Or it could be the storyline of a high-profile player signing a large contract extension. Both stories can be highlighted. Take the idea of two women discussing those stories, along with tales from the sports world in which they work. They have found an in-between. Shelved between colorful paperbacks is something that feels special to those who know about it. It also serves as an invitation for newcomers. There is insight and range within these stories. It’s approachable for those who have never picked up a piece of equipment or watched a game. Breanna Ebisch and Mackenzie Connick are the women behind the sports podcast and media site, Read Between Sports.

Both of their influences began in similar ways, from their families. Connick’s grandfather had played hockey and baseball for Yale University. Her road to sports had been created without her even knowing it at the time. The ice rink became a welcoming place for her. She recalls memories of watching a National Championship. Those memories and family ties to hockey shaped her as a fan. She recalls specific memories of attending Yale hockey games. Both of her parents are also sports fans, which ensured it would be something that could be built upon for Connick. Even if it’s allowing for connection and friendship to be built.

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY READ BETWEEN

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY READ BETWEEN

Ebisch’s story started with being in a football and National Football League fan family that kept her interest until high school. But she got a taste of New York hockey several years earlier when attending a New York Rangers game. She knew of one player, and the impression of the game was a lasting one. Even if the impression didn’t stick the first time. When football got a little tiresome for Ebisch, with the New York Giants continuously disappointing fans she turned to hockey. Now knowing much of the National Hockey League, while also knowing this was the time the game was going to stick around for her. The love would develop into interning in hockey and landing her a job where she currently works with the NHL Network, and in addition to that covers the New York Sirens.

Their friendship began under the premise of loving sports. It had cemented their friendship while watching the Mets at Citifield. With big ideas to take on the new and developing Professional Women’s Hockey League, they continued to build on their ideas. Deciding that writing articles would be something they could have fun doing, while dipping their toes into a bigger idea. Though the friendship started fast, it could be measured against how quickly a game could move. A quick thought-out play may just be what helps them win. Fast is what has been proven to work for Read Between in the sense that their business plans had been created maybe as quickly as their friendship.

A working relationship unfolded and the friendship now includes being coworkers too. But the responsibilities can be fun and the return on investment can produce a ripple effect for anyone who likes a post, learns a new rule or listens to an episode. The production team is the two of them. They run socials, curate a community and produce a podcast. This would lead both Connick and Ebisch to create their own sports media site. The umbrella of Read Between Sports, also houses their podcast, Read Between the Blue Lines. The podcast primarily focuses on hockey but leaves bits of room when it is necessary to bring in other topics. Their focus is to welcome fans into this space. There are no boxes to check or prerequisites to fill when it comes to being a fan. “Everyone deserves to be a sports fan, no matter how you got into sports and why you’re there,” Connick says.

With new fans, the space also creates room to answer questions. The work they put out allows others to feel seen in spaces. This allows for the growth of a game. Growth can be the thing that moves the needle, the difference maker. Maybe it’s a fan attending their first game, or simply finding the confidence to speak about sports with a passion that hadn’t been recognized before. Within their platforms, whether it is an Instagram post or a podcast episode they help to break down elements around why a new contract makes sense for a player, maybe the nuanced rules that can confuse any fan. Ebisch leans into something she is familiar with from her day job and which is the knowledge around facts and statistics. With the knowledge from the NHL Network, she’s careful to keep everyone on the same page on topics that are new to fans. “I’m conscious of that, but I also think that’s something that we make sure we aren’t breezing through a conversation without making sure everybody can be on the same page, no matter what your knowledge of the sport or how you got into it,” Ebisch replies.

Keeping an open mind, and well not judging a book by its cover are as foundational as it gets. But it’s the offerings from both Connick and Ebisch on how branching the communities could work. A better understanding from both sides could allow for experiences that are special. They also support the idea that being passionate is cool according to them. It doesn’t have to be one or the other when it comes to reading or liking sports. 

They both acknowledge the backlash women get for reading romance novels, especially the ones that take place in sports. While there are a couple of bad apples that can be found, it's a space that should be respectful of not only each other but the ones they are watching. Connick and Ebisch also stand behind the idea that if books are what had you walk into this space and allowed you to become a fan, then that’s fine. It is sharing what they love with others who have a similar passion that keeps them going.   

Reading is something both Ebisch and Connick enjoy, but it’s the sports community and the reading community having an opportunity to bridge a gap that means the most to them. Both sides could have their reasons for keeping the other one out. But having an open mind while ignoring stereotypes could be an answer to a large problem. Ebisch offers a touch of insight and says, “Both communities being open to expanding their horizons and the book-themed nights that are popping up across professional leagues are a great start to joining the communities together to eliminate that separation.”