Expansion. Explosion. Maybe a little exhaustion. 2024 has been an unprecedented year for women’s sports—and there are still two months left.
This year, everyone is watching women’s sports. Viewership and attendance records have been shattered across soccer, basketball, football, golf and Olympic sports. Superstars have emerged, rivalries have formed, and investors have pushed leagues to new heights.
Now, players and executives are talking behind closed doors about what comes next. Can the momentum be sustained? Can it be accelerated even further?
On Wednesday, many of those leaders will speak publicly for the first time about the biggest issues and opportunities in the industry at Sportico’s RISE Women’s Sports Event in Manhattan.
Just days after the conclusion of the WNBA Finals, and the announcement that the WNBPA is opting out of its collective bargaining agreement with the league, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert and WNBPA executive director Terri Carmichael Jackson will each sit down for one-on-one chats about the W’s ongoing transformation.
The players and owners now have one year to sort out how athletes should be compensated for their ongoing role in the league’s growth. In July, the W announced agreements with Disney, NBC and Amazon on a new round of TV deals that will represent a six-fold increase compared to the previous tie-up, and more partners could still be added to the mix. This postseason, ESPN aired its two most-watched WNBA playoff games, including the thrilling conclusion to the Finals on Sunday. Three new franchises—in San Francisco, Portland and Toronto—will also join the league in the next two years.
Three NWSL team owners and NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman will also convene for a group conversation about America’s continued hold on women’s soccer supremacy. The NWSL is less than 15 years old but has seen massive investment in the form of nine-figure franchise acquisitions and $240 million in media rights deals signed with CBS Sports, ESPN, Prime Video and Scripps.
The league just announced three of its four first-round playoff matches will air on broadcast TV. The NWSL has also undergone negotiations between players and owners this year, coming out with a revolutionary CBA that grants U.S. pro players unprecedented rights while setting the league up for further growth.
New leagues are growing, too. Athletes Unlimited, the Women’s National Football Conference and Unrivaled have all crafted innovative league structures to empower players and break through a crowded media landscape. Leaders from each—including two-time gold medalist and Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier—will discuss the changes they’re implementing.
The WNBA champion New York Liberty will also be represented, as CEO Keia Clarke joins other organizational leaders to share their insights on scaling companies to meet the moment they’ve created.
In total, more than 45 experts and leaders across media, agencies, investment outfits and tech firms will speak, joined by scores of insiders in the room.
Elle Duncan will emcee RISE, having emerged as a must-listen-to sports voice this year, most particularly during ESPN’s record-setting March Madness coverage.
Sportico’s event is sponsored by the WNBPA, which is hosting the gathering, Genius Sports, Horizon Sports & Experiences, Monarch Collective, Sidley Austin LLP, Angel City Football Club, Next League, Premier Rugby Sevens, the WNBA, Elevate, Populous, the NBPA and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and affiliates.
