Sports

Women Changing the Game in Pro Sports

May 6, 2021  • Aspen Ideas to Go

The professional sports industry in the United States has historically been a man’s game. Men have held leadership roles, designed competition formats, chosen which sports stories get elevated, and set the tone for how athletes are treated. What if pro sports were owned, designed, and run by women? It’s already happening, in part, because fans are demanding it. But in the midst of this change, pro sports faces financial challenges from the pandemic and waning interest from younger generations. Angela Ruggiero, co-founder of the Sports Innovation Lab, Aleshia Ocasio, professional softball player, and Julie Foudy, co-owner of Angel City FC, talk with the Aspen Institute’s Jon Solomon about how women are changing the game.

This discussion was held by the Sports and Society Program at the Aspen Institute. View videos from Sports and Society’s Future of Sports series. Learn more about The Fan Project from the Sports Innovation Lab.

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