The Curiosity Shop with Brené Brown and Adam Grant

Why Sports Matter Even When the Game Doesn't ft. Roger Bennett | The Curiosity Shop

Why do sports make us cry, unite strangers, and create memories that last a lifetime? In this episode, Men in Blazers founder and CEO Roger Bennett joins Brené Brown and Adam Grant fresh off a 39-day World Cup marathon to explore what the tournament revealed about identity, belonging, and the power of collective effervescence. Together, they unpack the difference between hero players and hero teams, what it means to be a true fan, the political complexities surrounding the World Cup, and how sports create shared experiences that shape our lives. Along the way, Roger shares stories from the road, reflects on the strange grief of “World Cup withdrawal,” and revisits some of the tournament’s most memorable stories, including Erling Haaland’s taxidermy shop detour, the Cape Verde goalkeeper who became a global icon overnight, the controversial red card reversal, and more. #BrenéBrown #AdamGrant #TheCuriosityShop #worldcup #sports Don't miss a video! Subscribe NOW: https://www.youtube.com/@TheCuriosityShop About The Curiosity Shop: Research professor Brené Brown and organizational psychologist Adam Grant are partnering on a new weekly podcast grounded in an unflinching commitment to learning and unlearning. At a time when public discourse rewards certainty over inquiry, The Curiosity Shop features two of the world's most sought-after experts on connection, change, and leadership making the case for slowing down, asking better questions, and embracing informed complexity over easy answers. Bringing together their left and right brain sensibilities — she’s a qualitative researcher; he’s a quantitative researcher — they explore some of the defining questions of our time, unpack the research reshaping how we live, lead, and love, and dive deep into the ideas, evidence, and cultural moments intriguing them the most. New episodes drop every Thursday. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Connect with The Curiosity Shop: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecuriosityshop/ Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1730985049 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3oEPsPKDhPVoNNL7pH5db6?si=e2483abb4eed4b03 Connect with Brené Brown: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brenebrown/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brenebrown/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brenebrown/ Connect with Adam Grant: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adamgrant/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adammgrant/ X: https://x.com/adammgrant/ ============================= Chapters: 0:00 Welcome to The Curiosity Shop 1:04 Meet Roger Bennett 5:02 Hero Players vs. Hero Teams 9:31 Why Soccer Is the Ultimate Team Sport 13:59 Running Men in Blazers During the World Cup 20:47 Why We Care So Deeply About Sports 25:39 Sports, Family & Collective Effervescence 31:48 Football's Intersection with Politics and History 37:44 Identity, Belonging, and the Rise of Lamine Yamal 44:35 How the World Cup Changed America and Global Football 52:03 Rapid Fire Questions 1:05:30 Takeaways from Roger Bennett's Interview Show Notes: http://thecuriosityshop.com/podcast/why-sports-matter-even-when-the-game-doesnt-ft-roger-bennett Why Sports Matter Even When the Game Doesn't ft. Roger Bennett | The Curiosity Shop https://www.youtube.com/@TheCuriosityShop

Brené BrownhostAdam GranthostRoger Bennettguest

Jul 30, 20261h 14mWatch on YouTube ↗

EPISODE INFO

Released: July 30, 2026
Duration: 1h 14m
Channel: The Curiosity Shop with Brené Brown and Adam Grant
Watch on YouTube: ▶ Open ↗

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

Why do sports make us cry, unite strangers, and create memories that last a lifetime? In this episode, Men in Blazers founder and CEO Roger Bennett joins Brené Brown and Adam Grant fresh off a 39-day World Cup marathon to explore what the tournament revealed about identity, belonging, and the power of collective effervescence. Together, they unpack the difference between hero players and hero teams, what it means to be a true fan, the political complexities surrounding the World Cup, and how sports create shared experiences that shape our lives. Along the way, Roger shares stories from the road, reflects on the strange grief of “World Cup withdrawal,” and revisits some of the tournament’s most memorable stories, including Erling Haaland’s taxidermy shop detour, the Cape Verde goalkeeper who became a global icon overnight, the controversial red card reversal, and more. #BrenéBrown #AdamGrant #TheCuriosityShop #worldcup #sports Don't miss a video! Subscribe NOW: https://www.youtube.com/@TheCuriosityShop About The Curiosity Shop: Research professor Brené Brown and organizational psychologist Adam Grant are partnering on a new weekly podcast grounded in an unflinching commitment to learning and unlearning. At a time when public discourse rewards certainty over inquiry, The Curiosity Shop features two of the world's most sought-after experts on connection, change, and leadership making the case for slowing down, asking better questions, and embracing informed complexity over easy answers. Bringing together their left and right brain sensibilities — she’s a qualitative researcher; he’s a quantitative researcher — they explore some of the defining questions of our time, unpack the research reshaping how we live, lead, and love, and dive deep into the ideas, evidence, and cultural moments intriguing them the most. New episodes drop every Thursday. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Connect with The Curiosity Shop: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecuriosityshop/ Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1730985049 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3oEPsPKDhPVoNNL7pH5db6?si=e2483abb4eed4b03 Connect with Brené Brown: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brenebrown/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brenebrown/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brenebrown/ Connect with Adam Grant: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adamgrant/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adammgrant/ X: https://x.com/adammgrant/ ============================= Chapters: 0:00 Welcome to The Curiosity Shop 1:04 Meet Roger Bennett 5:02 Hero Players vs. Hero Teams 9:31 Why Soccer Is the Ultimate Team Sport 13:59 Running Men in Blazers During the World Cup 20:47 Why We Care So Deeply About Sports 25:39 Sports, Family & Collective Effervescence 31:48 Football's Intersection with Politics and History 37:44 Identity, Belonging, and the Rise of Lamine Yamal 44:35 How the World Cup Changed America and Global Football 52:03 Rapid Fire Questions 1:05:30 Takeaways from Roger Bennett's Interview Show Notes: http://thecuriosityshop.com/podcast/why-sports-matter-even-when-the-game-doesnt-ft-roger-bennett Why Sports Matter Even When the Game Doesn't ft. Roger Bennett | The Curiosity Shop https://www.youtube.com/@TheCuriosityShop

SPEAKERS

Brené Brown
host
Research professor and bestselling author known for work on vulnerability, courage, and leadership.
Adam Grant
host
Organizational psychologist and bestselling author who co-hosts The Curiosity Shop.
Roger Bennett
guest
Founder and CEO of the Men in Blazers Media Network and soccer/football broadcaster and writer.

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of The Curiosity Shop with Brené Brown and Adam Grant, featuring Brené Brown and Adam Grant, Why Sports Matter Even When the Game Doesn't ft. Roger Bennett | The Curiosity Shop explores sports create safe collective emotion, identity, and meaning beyond outcomes Bennett argues sports are “the safest expression of your core essence,” letting people feel intense joy, grief, and hope with low real-world stakes.

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