Cathy Rasenberger
Cathy Rasenberger Free Live Sports

Cable pioneer Cathy Rasenberger has lived through the full arc of modern television. In the early 1980s, she was among the pioneering executives at ESPN, convincing skeptical advertisers that live sports could make cable viable. Today, as Co-Founder and Co-President of FLS (Free Live Sports), she finds herself at another inflection point, this time ushering in the era of FAST (Free Ad-Supported Streaming Television).

"I started at ESPN in the early days of cable," Rasenberger reflected. "I witnessed what live sports did to drive the success of cable television. And now, I'm watching that same disruption happen all over again with FAST."

Her company, FLS, offers more than 100 sports channels across 75 countries, all free to viewers and supported by advertising. There are no logins, no subscription fees, just instant access to live events, niche competitions, and thousands of hours of sports films and programming. "We want to connect fans to the sports and athletes they love anytime, anywhere," she said.

The service's growth is being propelled by shifting consumer habits, especially among Gen Z viewers who have grown up streaming everything. "Young people today don't want six or seven subscriptions, and many simply won't pay for them," Rasenberger explained. "FAST meets them where they are, giving them access to sports without a financial barrier."

Rasenberger likens the current moment to her days selling ad slots at ESPN. At first, advertisers were reluctant to put money into cable, but once they saw the engagement, budgets shifted quickly. "There's a similar hesitancy with FAST right now," she said. "But the arrival of more live sports is changing that. Just as sports drove ad dollars into cable, it will do the same for FAST."

Major leagues now use FAST not only to deliver off-season content but also to keep fans engaged year-round. "FAST gives leagues a front porch," Rasenberger said. "It's a way to reach new audiences and then invite them deeper into subscription ecosystems."

For advertisers, FAST offers something cable never could: precise targeting. If data shows that pickleball fans engage for longer periods, brands can place ads directly in front of that devoted audience. "The promise of FAST is the ability to match advertisers with exactly the right fans," Rasenberger noted. "That's a powerful opportunity."

Still, she believes the biggest growth driver will always be live sports. "When we air live content, whether it's billiards, poker, or tennis, viewership spikes, sometimes thirty times higher," she said. "Live is what advertisers want, and it's what fans crave." FLS is already expanding its live offerings, including launching its own owned-and-operated channel, "Best of Free Live Sports," in September, which aggregates some of the top-tier events into one stream.

Beyond business, Rasenberger has made it a mission to amplify women's sports on the platform. "There's extraordinary talent out there that hasn't been given the exposure it deserves," she said. "As a woman in this industry, I want to help raise the profiles of female athletes and showcase the incredible competitions happening every day."

Her perspective on gender in sports media is pragmatic. At ESPN, she was one of only a few women executives in the 1980s, yet she never let it become a barrier. "My philosophy has always been: act smarter, perform better, and the rest won't matter," she said. "Television has changed so much since then, and today it's a level playing field with tremendous opportunities for women."

For Rasenberger, sports are more than just entertainment; they represent the values she believes matter most in life. "Sports are the greatest community builder," she said. "They bring people together across backgrounds and reflect humanity, fair play, perseverance, resilience, and competition balanced with respect. Those lessons apply everywhere, not just on the field."

Though she has launched numerous cable and streaming networks over her career, Rasenberger admits that this moment feels different. "It's like watching television come full circle," she said. "Cable won't disappear, but it won't dominate anymore. FAST is the next chapter, and live sports will be the heartbeat of it."

As for her own tastes, Rasenberger is both participant and fan. She runs and swims regularly, and while she enjoys tennis and skiing, her true passion is simply watching excellence. "Anytime I see an athlete performing at the highest level, regardless of the sport, I'm inspired," she said.

That mindset, an appreciation for both the tradition and evolution of sports, has guided her from cable's dawn to streaming's frontier. And as FLS grows globally, Cathy Rasenberger is ensuring that the next generation of fans can experience that same excellence, free and accessible to all.