For years, Amanda Gunville built her career inside the world of professional football and sports business. Throughout different chapters of her career, she worked alongside legendary agent Leigh Steinberg, the real life inspiration behind Jerry Maguire, while also building experience across athlete representation, sports events, broadcasting, and business development. Football was not just part of her professional world, it shaped the way she understood competition, relationships, and culture.
Then, life forced a total reset. A two and a half year battle with cancer, involving intensive chemotherapy, took her away from the screen and the sidelines entirely. When she finally returned to watch a game, she experienced something jarring. Even with her background around football, she was surprised by how disconnected she felt from the modern game. The pace felt faster, the rules had evolved, and the language suddenly felt like a barrier.
“If I spent two decades at the highest level of football and felt overwhelmed after a break, what must millions of women feel who were never invited into the conversation in the first place?” Amanda asks. That moment of personal disconnect became the spark for Champera and its flagship program, the Football Fluency Method.
The Gap the Industry Overlooked
Amanda recognized a massive opportunity that most of the sports world had ignored. Nearly half of the 180 million Americans who watch football are women, yet the majority were never taught the strategy or psychology behind the game in a way that builds confidence.
“I have a close friend—one of the smartest, most successful entrepreneurs I know, who built a multi-million dollar athletic apparel company,” Amanda shares. “She’s incredibly athletic and savvy, yet she told me, ‘I don’t understand football at all. It just looks like a bunch of guys running around.’ She watches every Sunday with her son, but she was missing the story. That’s when I realized the problem wasn’t intelligence; it was an invitation.”
Your Smartest Friend on the Couch
Amanda’s approach to teaching isn’t corporate or academic. Think of her as your smartest, funniest friend sitting next to you on the couch, explaining the game in real-time. She’s the one who takes the intimidation out of the room.
This unique style is an extension of her own survival. During her recovery, Amanda authored Finding Hope & Joy in Cancer and launched a nonprofit to support others in that fight.
“Whether I’m helping someone navigate a scary diagnosis or a complex blitz package, my goal is the same: use humor, empathy, and relatable stories to make intimidating things feel manageable,” she explains. This emotional throughline makes Champera a category-defining platform rather than just a sports education company.
Depth Beyond the Sidelines
While her years with Leigh Steinberg gave her a masterclass in elite sports culture, Amanda’s depth goes much further back. Her career started in Montana with a bold question to a FOX Sports cameraman: “Who hires you?” Before she was an industry staple, she co-founded her own agency, managed hospitality for the Super Bowl and Formula 1, and worked as a stage manager for FOX Sports and ESPN. She knows how the stadium runs because she’s been on the floor when the lights are brightest.
Confidence as the Transformation
With the Football Fluency Method, Amanda is teaching women to “See Players, Not Just Jerseys” and “Think Like a Coach.” By making the first module completely free, she’s stripping away the gatekeeping that has kept women on the sidelines.
“This isn’t about trivia,” Amanda notes. “It’s about belonging. I’ve spoken with mothers who attended every high school game but simply ‘stood when everyone else stood’ because they didn’t want to feel left out. When women understand the momentum and strategy of the game, they don’t just watch differently—they show up in their social and professional lives with more confidence.”
Building a Movement
As Amanda prepares for her launch, she is focused on aspirational growth—building partnerships and media expansion that redefine fan engagement. She’s creating a world where sports fluency is a superpower for connection.
Her message to the millions of women who have always wanted to understand the game? “You are not behind. You were just never taught this way before.” Through Champera, Amanda is finally ensuring that the most exciting conversations in sports have room for everyone at the table.
This article was published on Harcourt Health