While Kerri Walsh Jennings was in the process of winning four Olympic medals, there was no single moment when she decided to become as much of a leader off the court as on it. 

When she played, there was no professional beach league for her to compete in between Olympics. There was no players’ union for her to join either. “When things got hard and when I felt our sport and the athletes were being underserved, it was just a natural time for me to say, ‘Hey, this isn’t good enough,’” Walsh Jennings said Thursday on stage during Sportico’s annual women’s sports-focused RISE event. She’s now an owner in Major League Volleyball, one of many speakers harnessing the industry’s momentum to build more for today’s stars.

At 28 years old, Sabrina Ionescu is part of a generation of athletes who played college sports just before NIL changed the game. Before her time at the University of Oregon, she had to push to create a women’s basketball team at her middle school. She’s now advising current UO players and watching newcomers shake up the WNBA. “You’re able to see, especially in our sport, athletes that are coming in from college and they bring… new eyes to the game,” she said. “Then the sports fan who was a fan of one person becomes a fan of 150.”

Ionescu stumped for the W to play more games in foreign markets, having visited China and the Philippines with Nike. “That was really eye-opening,” she said. “It was so fun to see how big basketball is in those areas. … That’s the next generation of athletes that are going to be playing in our league.” Ionescu has also begun her career as a pro sports investor, having claimed a piece of the NWSL’s Bay FC last year to go with her equity in 3-on-3 women’s basketball league Unrivaled. 

NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman highlighted areas for continued development across a league that has seen team values grow 77% over the last two years. The league is about to enter a new media rights negotiation cycle while looking to expand its clubs’ local lines of business and encouraging investment in infrastructure such as practice facilities.

In North Carolina, Courage investor Marc Lasry said the team is looking into building a new stadium in Raleigh to expand beyond the opportunities available at its current home in Cary. Meanwhile, Gotham FC is in the process of moving into a new venue in Queens. Team ownership is investing to allow executives to prioritize both entertaining the team’s current fanbase while building new roots, club president Mark Zarthar said.

Zarthar said fandom in men’s team sports was often inherited, but that Gotham and the NWSL face different challenges as a newer product. “We have to work a bit harder on building our fanbases,” he said.

WNBPA executive director Terri Carmichael Jackson broke down the team she built going into the latest round of bargaining talks with the league and explained why a guaranteed percentage of revenue for players was critical as the W continues to grow. Now, Just Women’s Sports founder Haley Rosen said, “We’re entering a phase in women’s sports where female athletes can just be athletes” rather than needing to supplement their athletic pursuits with other work. 

TMRW Sports VP of team marketing and business operations Kara Baker discussed the creation of the WTGL, set to debut in November. With equal facilities and tech as the existing men’s competitors, WTGL players will have a new opportunity to show their skills and their personalities, Baker said. 

For boxer Alycia Baumgardner, expansion looked like adding a minute, going from the two-minute rounds women typically fought during to the three-minute sessions more typical in men’s boxing. She’s now preparing to move up a weight class to compete against lightweight champion Elif Nur Turhan on ESPN in November.

“What you’ll see is a strong, hungry woman who’s ready to set the stage and continue setting the stage for the years to come for the younger generation, and using that influence to the highest regard,” Baumgardner said.

Next, Most Valuable Promotions co-founder Nakisa Bidarian has his eyes on the relative lack of corporate sponsors for female fighters. “I think it’s a massive mistake,” he said. “I hope brand partners start to understand the value of these athletes.”

At SWISH Partners, a growth capital fund focused on women’s golf, tennis, basketball and soccer around the world, co-founder Betsy Morgan is looking for expanded media coverage to drive growth too. 

Sitting next to her, Kansas City Current co-owner Angie Long explained the team’s investment in its own production facility to improve fans’ viewing experience and help train the next generation of women’s sports TV staffers. The Current previously led the way with its purpose-built training center and stadium.

Next summer’s Women’s World Cup has the potential to create a new generation of women’s soccer followers—and players. “You’re just going to see phenomenal watch parties all over the country,” Morgan said.

LA28 is paying unprecedented attention to athletes, with the appointment of the movement’s first chief athlete officer, Janet Evans. Evans spoke to the athlete concerns she’s working on, from managing the number of towels for women’s water polo players to ensuring the Olympic experience is as fulfilling as possible, even for those who go home without medals. 

Evans highlighted the role Olympians have as their own voices and advocates, pointing to how Ilona Maher has raised the profile for the entire sport of women’s rugby. In 2028, flag football, squash and cricket athletes will have their first chance to grab the rings’ spotlight. The playbook for how they can best leverage that attention once they have it is actively being written.

Sportico’s event was sponsored by the WNBPA, Next League, Genius Sports Cocolab, Teleties, Swoon and GoWipe. Find upcoming Sportico events near you.