In Sports, Women Will Continue to Lead the Way

Findings Shared From SheIS Panel on How Leagues Persevered During Pandemic

May 18, 2021 – Some of the most powerful and empowering executives in professional sports recently met as part of the SheIS Collective to exchange ideas, inform and celebrate how women’s sports persevered during the pandemic and will continue to thrive as we begin on the path to the complete return of fans to venues.

The panel discussion was produced by SheIS – the pioneering organization behind the #WomenWorthWatching campaign to drive viewership and attendance – and featured the following executives:

Liz Dalton: Managing Director of Operations and Player Affairs, NWSL

Bethany Donaphin: Head of League Operations, WNBA

Ricki Lasky: Chief Tournament Business Officer, LPGA

Laura Petrucelli: Vice President of Brand, WWE

Stacey Allaster: Chief Executive, USTA (moderator)

Brenda Andress: SheIS President and Founder

Allaster kicked off the discussion by saying of women’s sports, “I know we should be further along than where we are in 2021, but with organizations like SheIS, I am optimistic that the future is infinite.” Here are just some of the highlights of the multi-layered discussion:

THE BIG PICTURE

Petrucelli (WWE): “In sports, women will continue to lead the way. During the pandemic, the momentum around women’s sports has been incredible, and I know it will continue.”

Donaphin (WNBA): “This is a moment where all of us are together because we are energized by what is happening in our respective leagues and sports. There is a storm brewing in terms of where our leagues can go, and it is exciting to be part of it.”

Lasky (LPGA): “I look at this group of accomplished women and what they’ve done in their areas of expertise, and I know we’ve just begun. My ten-year-old daughter Grayson watches Carli Lloyd and Sue Bird and Lexi Thompson compete at the highest levels and she believes if they can do it, she can do it, too.”

Dalton (NWSL): “We’ve come so far, but we cannot relax. We still have so much that we need to accomplish.”

LESSONS LEARNED

Donaphin (WNBA): “One of the things that was remarkable about the WNBA bubble was how safe the players felt in the environment we established for them. That was a resounding piece of feedback we received. And there was something, particularly in the moment we were in, about being able to have our entire league in one place, and particularly from a social justice standpoint, and the priorities the players had around that, in conjunction with actually executing a season.” 

Dalton (NWSL) on the 2020 Challenge Cup in Utah: “We were the first American team sports league back in action during COVID. There was a great weight that we carried, but afterwards we felt a lot of pride in pulling it off. So much of it was the professionalism of our players. They took it seriously. There was pressure. We all felt it. Our medical task force was a tremendous outlet. The other women’s leagues represented on this panel were also a great resource.”

BEST PRACTICES

Lasky (LPGA): “In March of 2019, we launched our new brand positioning, Drive On. As we went from March 2020 into the COVID world and those months we were not playing, it really amplified our ability to tell the stories of our athletes. We were able to provide for the fans who are hungry for content. We produced vignettes of 23 different players on our tour and really poignant, meaningful stories of their journey. That has really taken off for us. We also had Women's Leadership Days. We built that into the packages for our partners because it was very meaningful for them from a D&I perspective. We did the events virtually and were able to share the content with our fans as well. So we took what we usually held in a ballroom for 200-300 people and shared it with many more folks around the world.”

Donaphin (WNBA): “One of the coolest things we did from a fan engagement standpoint was an initiative called Tap to Cheer. It allowed fans to engage with the games and support their favorite teams and we ended up with 140 million taps over the course of the 2020 season. It actually led to an 85 percent year-over-year increase in downloads of our app. We're continuing to think through how we can innovate and create more player fan engagement during games. There are incredible opportunities, particularly once we advanced in our wearables exploration. We want to think about how you can overlay broadcast enhancements using wearables. That's the next frontier.”

Dalton (NWSL): “Twitch is one of our broadcast partners and they handle our international content. This has brought a whole new fan base to us. The interaction on Twitch…we've had a lot of fun with it. It led us to host our draft this year on Twitch. We also use Google Meet for our matches. Being first out of the box with Challenge Cup, who knew that a playground on the corner of the field, or a coffee truck, would have taken off the way they did. We made the most of it and it's been fun and light and we're going to continue to really focus in that area.”

PACKAGING & MARKETING 

Petrucelli (WWE): “It’s an advantage for us to highlight the best athletes, regardless of gender. They are all superstars, right? So who are the best athletes? And what are the best stories we want to tell? We're very data driven, so what our fans want, that's what we want to give them. We've seen such an increase of male fans, but also young boys, as supporters of our female superstars. When you see a little boy wearing a Charlotte Flair shirt, that is so awesome because it's not the way it was ten years ago. Our male roster is incredibly supportive of our women and vice versa. That's also been incredibly helpful as our business has grown.”

Donaphin (WNBA): “When we unveiled our new brand and identity two years ago, part of the exercise was saying, ‘We're over 20 years in now – if we were to start from scratch, what would we do?’ Where we landed was, we need to carve out a really strong identity, and part of our mission was to be a progressive league that boldly stands for the power of women. Being really clear in that identity has helped us as we've tried to drive a business model transformation. In 2020, our entire season – except for one week – overlapped with the NBA season. We still got viewership. We still had attention. We had a 350 percent increase in merchandise sales driven in large part by the success of the orange hoodie. That first week, because all of the NBA players were together in their bubble – an hour and a half away from Bradenton where we were having our season – it really showed solidarity. And it propelled the orange hoodie into this iconic thing people thought was cool.”

CLOSING COMMENTS

Allaster (USTA): “The one thing about sport is that during challenging times, we all came together and shared. I could call up any commissioner in the U.S. or abroad and everybody wanted to help. It has built confidence amongst players and partners. So with that, this was a moment of just sharing and getting together and being inspired. I'm certainly inspired by the work of Liz and Ricki and Laura and Bethany. So, rock on. History is our future, and our future is infinite.” 

Andress (SheIS): “I could not be prouder than this moment, with all of the top leagues and the USTA being on this call. We're just beginning to build. Sharing this information is essential for everyone. To every one of the panel members: thank you so much for being on this with us. We're so moved by it. SheIS was built on positivity. It was built to bring people together. Women's sports are taking off. There are indicators showing there's a change. The women were successful. The viewership was outstanding. I cannot thank you as our collective members for the Women Worth Watching campaigns we've done together. Also, for your 2020 leadership as you put women's sports on the map during COVID, and persevering and making it happen. I'm so happy that in 2020, women led the way.” 

About SheIS

Founded in 2017 and launched to the public on May 1, 2018, SheIS was established with a vision to use the power of sports to create a future of, by, and for strong women. Its mission is to connect with and mobilize fans to grow women’s sports. This is achieved through driving attendance and viewership of women’s sports at all levels, connecting through storytelling to inspire fans to take action, and centralizing resources to create sustainable growth of women’s sports. The SheIS Collective includes leaders from every major sport, and represents the first time in history that all of these sports leagues and organizations have stood together in support of one cause. To learn more, visit www.sheissport.com or follow the team on social media @teamsheis. 

SHEIS WELCOMES NEW ADDITIONS TO THE SHEIS COLLECTIVE

Jackie Heinricher, the Heinricher Racing team, and WNBA Dallas Wings Player Imani McGee-Stafford join SheIS to help further drive fan engagement with professional women in sport

New York, NY (May 28, 2020) || SheIS announced today Imani McGee-Stafford, a 2016 tenth overall pick in the WNBA Draft and Dallas Wings player, and accomplished racer and entrepreneur Jackie Heinricher and her Heinricher racing team will join an illustrious group of business leaders and athletes as part of its SheIS Collective.

SheIS, which launched to the public in May 2018, made history by becoming the first organization to bring together leagues, organizations, athletes, and business leaders from across the men’s and women’s sports world in support of one mission - to connect with and mobilize fans to grow women’s sports. The SheIS Collective includes organizations such as the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), WWE, US Tennis Association, Canadian Football League, and National Women’s Soccer League, as well as more than 150 athletes and business leaders.

With the addition of these two incredible women, SheIS expands its work into the sport of racing while also extending its work with athletes of existing SheIS Collective members, the WNBA and WNBPA. Heinricher joins as a SheIS Leader on the SheIS Collective Advisory Committee and McGee-Stafford joins as a SheIS Ambassador. 

Heinricher Racing was founded in 2013 by Jackie Heinricher, a race driver, successful entrepreneur and businesswoman. A native of Seattle, Washington, Heinricher served as a medic in the U.S. Air Force for four years and earned her MS from Tennessee Tech University. After a decade working in fishery science and management, she returned to the Pacific Northwest to launch Booshoot Technology in her garage. Today, this successful biotechnology firm is developing unique, patent-pending technologies to shift how bamboo is grown and harvested worldwide. Heinricher began racing in 2010 and has participated in multiple competitions across the globe. In 2019, she and her partners brought the first full-season all-female team of drivers to the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

Before being drafted into the WNBA in 2016, Imani McGee-Stafford played for the University of Texas Longhorns where she was a standout player and multi-award recipient, including the Big 12 Female Sportsperson of the Year (2015), Honda Inspiration Award (2015), and Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year (2016). After four seasons with the WNBA and the Dallas Wings, McGee-Stafford was accepted into Southwestern Law School’s accelerated J.D. program, where she will start classes this fall. A long-time and outspoken advocate for survivors of sexual abuse, McGee-Stafford hopes to use this education and her platform in the WNBA to help other survivors of abuse. 

SheIS Founder and President, Brenda Andress said, "We are thrilled to welcome Jackie and Imani to our SheIS Collective. Each bring unique and valuable perspectives and insights to our diverse community of those committed to growing women’s sport. Jackie’s push for diversity in the sport of motor racing and her wealth of knowledge as an entrepreneur is an exciting addition to our Advisory Committee, and Imani’s incredible background as a professional athlete and now future lawyer brings a wonderful new layer to our Ambassador group that we know fans in our SheIS Nation will be eager to connect with.”

About SheIS: 

Founded in 2017 and launched to the public on May 1, 2018, SheIS was established with a vision to use the power of sports to create a future of, by, and for strong women. It’s mission is to connect with and mobilize fans to grow women’s sports. This is achieved through driving attendance and viewership of women’s sports at all levels, connecting through storytelling to inspire fans to take action, and centralizing resources to create sustainable growth of women’s sports. The SheIS Collective includes leaders from every major sport, and represents the first time in history that all of these sports leagues and organizations have stood together in support of one cause. To learn more, visit www.sheissport.com or follow the team on social media @teamsheis. 

SHEIS ANNOUNCES NEW BRAND PARTNERSHIP WITH CURE HYDRATION

THE ADDITION OF CURE HYDRATION WILL SUPPORT SHEIS EFFORTS TOWARDS GENDER EQUALITY IN SPORTS  

New York, NY ( February 3rd, 2020) || Cure Hydration, a wellness brand that sells organic functional beverages announced today their new partnership with SheIS, a non-profit that connects and mobilizes fans to grow women’s sports. Starting today, Cure will donate 1% of their sales to SheIS to use the power of sports to create a future of, by, and for strong women. 

Lauren Picasso had the idea for Cure while training for a triathlon. “Sports have always had an incredibly positive impact on me. As an endurance athlete for over 20 years, I’ve found that achieving my fitness goals has translated to other aspects of my life, giving me confidence to challenge myself personally and professionally.“

Founded in 2017 and launched to the public on May 1, 2018, SheIS was established with a vision to elevate women in sports.

Co-Founder of SheIS, Caiti Donovan, explains that “we treat women’s sports as a business rather than a cause. Female athletes are worth watching not for charity but because there is true athleticism, entertainment value, and an opportunity to give young girls role models.”  

Today women make up less than 1% of sports sponsorships but influence 70-80% of consumer purchases, and own 40% of America’s privately owned businesses. Donovan explains that “it’s up to us - fans, business leaders, and athletes alike - to show the world that yes, there is an appetite for women’s sports! If you say you are interested in supporting women in sports, then prove it.” 

Outside of donations, Cure will support the SheIS evergreen call-to-action to watch and attend women’s sports. The campaign #WomenWorthWatching was launched as a 6-week campaign around the US Open in 2019 with a hero video that included footage from a variety of major moments in women’s sports and a voiceover from Billie Jean King. Based on the incredible success of the campaign, the decision was made to turn the campaign into an evergreen call-to-action for SheIS which Cure will now also promote. 

---

About Cure Hydration

Cure Hydration is an organic electrolyte mix based on the standards for Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) - each pack contains 4x the electrolytes of leading sports drinks, but no added sugar or other junk. Made with organic coconut water and pink Himalayan salt, Cure gives you everything you need to recover from a tough workout, late night, or long flight. The company was founded by Lauren Picasso, an endurance athlete and marketing expert who has worked for several high-growth startups including Rent the Runway and Jet.com. Cure’s investors include Litani Holdings, Emagen Entertainment, and Andy Roddick, among others. For more information about Cure, visit curehydration.com or follow @curehydration on social media.

SHEIS WELCOMES LPGA AND USGA TO THE SHEIS COLLECTIVE

Addition of Golf Bodies Strengthens Collective Partnerships with Two Legacy Sports Organizations

New York, NY ( January 13, 2019) || SheIS announced today that the Ladies Professional Golf Association and the United States Golf Association will join its SheIS Collective of sports organizations. This marks the first formal addition of major golf organizations to the SheIS Collective.

SheIS, which launched to the public in May 2018, made history by becoming the first organization to bring together leagues, organizations, athletes, and business leaders from across the men’s and women’s sports world in support of one mission - to connect with and mobilize fans to grow women’s sports. The SheIS Collective includes organizations such as the Women’s National Basketball Association, WWE, US Tennis Association, Canadian Football League, and National Women’s Soccer League, as well as more than 150 athletes and business leaders.

With the addition of these two significant golf entities, SheIS expands its work into a sport that has a long history of providing female athletes a dedicated place to compete and build a career. The partnerships with both the LPGA and USGA will focus on digital marketing and experiential efforts, including activity around tournaments and major championships such as the 75th U.S. Women’s Open in June 2020.

The LPGA began working with SheIS earlier in the year in an unofficial capacity, participating in campaigns like #WomenWorthWatching around the US Tennis Open and in the STEM Meets Sports content series that SheIS launched in partnership with the Lyda Hill Foundation in October. Through the formal partnership, joint efforts will help to amplify the existing #DriveOn work from the LPGA and storytelling efforts around LPGA athletes.

Roberta Bowman, Chief Brand and Communications Officer said, “The LPGA is one of the longest-running women’s professional sports organizations in the world. Over our 70-year history, this feels like the most exciting, opportunity-rich time for all organizations committed to women and their dreams to be professional athletes. The SheIS Collective fills an important role in bringing together leaders of women’s pro sports to collaborate on our shared goals. By working together, we amplify the messages and efforts of our respective organizations and increase fan engagement and sponsorship.”

The USGA joins the SheIS Collective at an exciting time in its growth with a focus on increasing attention around its women’s championships, specifically the U.S. Women’s Open which is entering its milestone 75th year, as well as the U.S. Women’s Amateur, which in 1895 marked the beginning of competitive female golf in the United States. In joining the SheIS Collective, USGA executives and the SheIS Collective leaders will create new opportunities to engage golf fans around tentpole events throughout the year while collaborating with other league and organization leaders to centralize learnings and resources.

“The USGA is excited to join a diverse and powerful group of leaders who share a dedication to increasing visibility for female athletes and more broadly, women in sport. The USGA has a long history of working to grow the game for women, from competitive opportunities through championships to accessibility and governance support for recreational players,” said Craig Annis, Managing Director, Marketing & Communications.

In addition to their support of professional and amateur athletes, the LPGA and USGA also partner on LPGA*USGA Girls Golf, a national junior golf program that specializes in providing girl-friendly environments for juniors to learn the game. The program boasts more than 500 sites, and 80,000 participants, throughout the country.

SheIS Founder and President, Brenda Andress said, “We are thrilled to welcome these two incredible organizations to our SheIS Collective. For decades, the sport of golf has been a leader in giving women a place to play and earn a living in sports. The long histories of both organizations will bring a wealth of knowledge into our Collective group and we are excited for what this collaboration will mean for the overall growth of SheIS and how we are able to connect with and mobilize more fans.”

About SheIS: 

Founded in 2017 and launched to the public on May 1, 2018, SheIS was established with a vision to use the power of sports to create a future of, by, and for strong women. It’s mission is to connect with and mobilize fans to grow women’s sports. This is achieved through driving attendance and viewership of women’s sports at all levels, connecting through storytelling to inspire fans to take action, and centralizing resources to create sustainable growth of women’s sports. The SheIS Collective includes leaders from every major sport, and represents the first time in history that all of these sports leagues and organizations have stood together in support of one cause. To learn more, visit www.sheissport.com or follow the team on social media @teamsheis. 

About LPGA:

The LPGA is the world’s leading professional golf organization for women. Founded in 1950 and headquartered in Daytona Beach, Fla., the association celebrates a diverse and storied membership with more than 2,300 members representing more than 30 countries. With a vision to inspire, empower, educate and entertain by showcasing the very best of women’s golf, LPGA Tour Professionals compete across the globe, while the Symetra Tour, the official development and qualifying tour of the LPGA, consistently produces a pipeline of talent ready for the world stage. Additionally, LPGA Professionals directly impact the game through teaching, coaching and management.

The LPGA demonstrates its dedication to the development of the game through The LPGA Foundation. Since 1991, this charitable organization has been committed to empowering and supporting girls and women through developmental, humanitarian and golf community initiatives, including LPGA*USGA Girls Golf, the LPGA Women’s Network and the LPGA Amateur Golf Association.

Follow the LPGA on its television home, Golf Channel, and on the web via www.LPGA.com. Join the social conversation at www.facebook.com/lpga, www.twitter.com/lpga and www.youtube.com/lpgavideo, and on Instagram at @lpga_tour.

About USGA:

The USGA is a nonprofit organization that celebrates, serves and advances the game of golf. Founded in 1894, we conduct many of golf’s premier professional and amateur championships, including the U.S. Open and U.S. Women’s Open. With The R&A, we govern the sport via a global set of playing, equipment, handicapping and amateur status rules. The USGA campus in Liberty Corner, New Jersey, is home to the Association’s Research and Test Center, where science and innovation are fueling a healthy and sustainable game for the future. The campus is also home to the USGA Golf Museum, where we honor the game by curating the world’s most comprehensive archive of golf artifacts. To learn more, visit usga.org.

USTA Partners with SheIS

SheIS and the USTA Partner to Support Women in Sports

In 1973, the US Open became the first of the Grand Slams to offer women equal prize money with their male counterparts, the only one of the four majors to do so in the 20th century.

Continuing its commitment to gender equality, the US Open has now asked some of the biggest names in women's tennis to come together in support of “SheIS,” a new initiative which aims to increase awareness of women in sports, defined by a daring mission statement: “She Is. We Are. Embrace All.”

The USTA is banding together with women’s sports leagues, including the WNBA, National Pro Fastpitch and Canadian Women's Hockey, to harness the power of women’s sport to create a future of, by, and for strong women. The USTA "Embrace All" campaign is defined by the statement: "The only thing that separates us from each other is the net."

“We are extremely excited to partner with the USTA as we embrace all in the growth of women’s sports," said Brenda Andress, founder of SheIS and commissioner of the Canadian Women's Hockey League (CWHL). "Growth opportunities within sports for girls and women everywhere lie within ourselves. Our amazing group of leagues, organizations, athletes and business leaders that are part of the SheIS collective are demonstrating firsthand how much we can accomplish when we stand together.”

Throughout the two weeks of the US Open, a slew of stars will stand united as one voice on the importance of female athletes supporting each other. A social media-centric campaign will see a total of six videos released across the US Open channels, featuring current and former tennis stars, including Serena Williams, Sloane Stephens, Angelique Kerber, Maria Sharapova, Garbiñe Muguruza, Jelena Ostapenko, Madison Keys, CoCo Vandeweghe, Caroline Wozniacki, Karolina Pliskova, Bethanie Mattek-Sands, Lindsay Davenport, Mary Carillo and Tracy Austin.

View the #SheISUSTEmbraceAll athlete video

Andy Murray will also join the conversation on sports equality, representing fathers with daughters.

“Billie Jean King's courage and the empowering voices of Chris Evert, Steffi Graf and Martina Navratilova have created a pathway to inspire many US Open players to achieve their dreams on and off the court,” said Stacey Allaster, USTA Chief Executive of Professional Tennis. “I’m pleased that the USTA, alongside SheIS, is leading the conversation on the importance of women in sports, supporting each other in a collaborative and meaningful way.”

The joint campaign seeks to demonstrate that we all deserve to experience the incredible and lifelong benefits of playing sports. SheIS x USTA represents a progressive step in showing the sports world and its fans that women’s sports are worth watching and supporting.

"When we stand together – across different sports, male and female, at all levels – we have the ability to instill change and make sports a more aspirational and viable career for women. Little girls need to see role models that look like them, regardless of whether or not they become elite athletes," added Caiti Donovan, Executive Director of SheIS.

"Hashtags like the #FutureIsFemale, #WomenInBusiness and #GirlBoss have been defining a cultural conversation in 2018," said Qianna Smith-Bruneteau, Director of Social Media and Strategy at the USTA. "These short but empowering tags have a combined Instagram usage of over 30 million posts and served as creative inspiration for the campaign."

Be part of the dialogue using hashtag #SheISUSTAEmbraceAll and tagging @usta, @usopen & @teamsheis.

Four Additional Leagues Join SheIS

SheIS Welcomes Four New Organizations To Its Leadership Group

Global Initiative to Raise Awareness for the Positive Power of Women Sports Strengthens Its Collective Partnerships

New York, NY ( JULY 26, 2018) |||  SheIS announces today that the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), the World Boxing Council, the World Surf League, and the Western Women’s Canadian Football League will join its Collective of sports organizations.

It also announces a number of new additions to it’s list of Athlete Ambassadors. The women’s sports initiative, which launched in May, made history by being the first organization to bring together leagues, organizations, athletes, and business leaders from across the men’s and women’s sports world in support of one cause - to grow the awareness and support of women sports.

In a time when every industry is taking a hard look at how women are being treated in the workplace, SheIS and the Collective was formed to create new opportunities for increasing the viewership and attendance of women’s sports at all levels.

The new additions to this group join an already strong base of North American sports organizations and individuals, including the WNBA, US Tennis Association, WWE, Canada Basketball, National Women’s Pro Fastpitch League, National Women’s Hockey League, Women’s Pro Lacrosse League, the Canadian Women’s Hockey League, Canada Rugby, and Canada Baseball. All of the supporters are pledging to empower all female athletes, professional and amateur, and encourage growth in fan attendance and viewership.

SheIS Founder, Brenda Andress said, “We are extremely excited to welcome our newest leaders to sit among the SheIS Collective, further cross-pollinating our efforts and embracing the power within our leagues and with their amazing athletes. By strengthening this group, we are showing the sports world that we are ready to up our game and showing everyone that we can have a positive impact on women’s sports.”

Founded in 2017, SheIS fills a noticeable gap in the sports industry, where female athletes may feel marginalized and underrepresented, with a powerful vision to use positivity, respect and support to empower women who choose a career in sports. With the goal of increasing viewership and attendance of women's sports in North America, as well as participation at the amatuer level, SheIS encourages a cross-pollination of women’s sports, while challenging fans to attend games and use social media to champion women in sports.

“We are pleased to partner with the members of SheIS and look forward to working alongside these organizations to elevate the support and visibility for all women’s sports,” said NWSL Managing Director Amanda Duffy. “Led by our world-class athletes, NWSL strives to inspire current and future generations to be active in sports, and leaders in life. By participating in this initiative, we join the strength of these indomitable leaders working in women’s professional sports to amplify awareness of opportunities at all levels.”

Along with welcoming the new leagues into the organization, SheIS also welcomes a number of new Athlete Ambassadors, including the NWSL athletes such as Alex Morgan, Kailen Sheridan, and Michelle Betos, and the World Boxing Council Champions Christy Martin, Heather Hardy and Jelena Mrdjenovich, amongst many others. The full list can be found on the SheIS website.

WSL CEO Sophie Goldschmidt said, “WSL is honored to support SheIS as we all look to celebrate all women in sport. Surfing is incredibly lucky to have many iconic, value-led athletes drawn from across the world, from Stephanie Gilmore, chasing an incredible 7th World title, to 16 year old rookie Caroline Marks, Big Wave Surfer Paige Alms to Bethany Hamilton, and many more. Just this May at our inaugural Founder’s Cup, we saw co-ed teams, often led by women, compete and win in front of sellout crowds. Our women surfers are an inspiration to many.”

The initiative garnered national and international coverage at launch, and continues to gain momentum with the announcement of these new partnerships. Together, they will support the growth of the SheIS Challenge in 2018, which encourages the general public to join league leadership, athletes, and prominent business leaders in and outside of the sports industry, in watching or attending women’s sporting events across North America. By posting to social media channels using #SheISChallenge, and challenging friends, family, and colleagues to go watch or attend women’s sporting events throughout the year, the Collective hopes to build awareness and resources for women’s sports. The sports leagues will also begin hosting SheIS events and running co-branded promotions to help facilitate further opportunities for people to engage with women’s sports.

In addition to the SheIS Challenge, the initiative continues to focus on driving funding into amateur sports participation through the SheIS Fund. This fund aims to help build the talent pipeline of future professional athletes includes a partnership with Fast & Female, an established North American nonprofit organization founded by Olympic Gold Medalist, Chandra Crawford.

About SheIS

Founded in 2017 and launched to the public on May 1, 2018, SheIS was established with a mission to use the power of women’s sports to create a future of, by, and for strong women. It focuses on the positive attributes of sport to acknowledge and elevate women, and celebrates those who are collective powerhouses and unwavering cheerleaders for their fellow athletes at all skill levels.

The SheIS Collective includes leaders from every major sport, and represents the first time in history that all of these sports leagues and organizations have stood together in support of one cause.

To learn more, visit www.sheissport.com or follow the team on social media @teamsheis.