Investment in women’s sports is growing like never before with new opportunities appearing daily. Sportico will be at the center of it all with the return of RISE: Women’s Sports, a one-day event dedicated to driving innovation, investment, and progress in the rapidly growing women’s sports marketplace. Set to take place on Tuesday, September 16 at the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) headquarters in New York City, the day will connect leaders across finance, media, marketing, and sports charting the next chapter for women’s athletics.
As women’s sports leagues, teams, and athletes command unprecedented attention and investment, RISE will showcase key voices who are spearheading this shift—from commissioners to owners to executives building the foundation for equity and opportunity.
“The growth of women’s sports isn’t a trend—it’s a business story with real staying power,” Scott Soshnick, Editor-in-Chief of Sportico, said. “RISE is where key players from across the industry come together to talk about what’s working and what’s next.”
Building on the success of last year’s RISE event—which also took place at NBPA Headquarters and featured an incredible lineup of speakers including WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman, and New York Liberty CEO Keia Clarke—RISE 2025 will once again spotlight the executives, owners, and changemakers at the WNBA, NWSL, AUSL, and beyond who are defining the business of women’s sports. Register Here!
Highlights from the event’s programming include:
· The Women Behind the Game: As the business of sports evolves, women are increasingly leading from the front office — shaping team strategy, driving revenue, building global brands, and transforming fan engagement. This panel brings together influential women across key roles in sports organizations to discuss their paths to leadership, the impact they’re making across departments, and how they’re changing the game from the inside out. Panelists include Yael Averbuch, General Manager and Head of Soccer Operations at Gotham FC; Christine Monjer, President of the Los Angeles Sparks; Kim Ng, Senior Advisor and Commissioner of Athletes Unlimited Softball League; and Jennifer Rizzotti, President of the Connecticut Sun.
· A Keynote Conversation with Terri Jackson: In this powerful conversation with Terri Jackson, Executive Director of the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA), she will discuss the evolution of player-led movements, the ongoing fight for equity and respect in sports, and how collective action is transforming the business of women’s athletics. As one of the most influential voices in athlete advocacy and labor rights, Jackson will talk about how the WNBPA has reshaped the landscape of professional women’s basketball—securing historic gains in pay equity, maternity protections, and player empowerment.
· A Keynote Conversation with Lauren Leichtman: Hear from private equity’s first female billionaire in an address on value and maximizing opportunity. Lauren Leichtman co-founded Levine Leichtman Capital Partners with her husband Arthur Levine in 1984 and today the company manages more than $11 billion in assets. LLCP maintains a focus on acquiring and managing middle market companies across sectors including business services, franchising and education and training.
· Agents & Athletes in Conversation: Every great athlete has a powerhouse behind the scenes. Join leading sports agents and their clients as they discuss what it takes to thrive in today’s competitive sports world. This candid conversation explores trust, strategy, career milestones, and the unfiltered reality of navigating fame, pressure, and performance together.
· Where Hoops Meets Hype: Unrivaled Season 2: We’ll unpack the bold evolution from Season 1 to Season 2—highlighting format changes, storytelling innovations, and how the league continues to blend elite basketball talent with entertainment and fan engagement. Get insights into athlete recruitment, content strategy, production challenges, and how Unrivaled is shaping the future of sports media. Panelists include Alex Bazzell, Co-Founder & President, Unrivaled; Micky Lawler, Commissioner, Unrivaled.
Additional programming and speakers will be announced leading up to the event.
Presented in partnership with industry leaders WNBPA, GalwayPlus, Scoreplay, Genius Sports, Next League and Sidley Austin LLP, RISE: Women’s Sports will also feature networking opportunities and exclusive insights into the tools and platforms transforming the women’s sports industry. Sportico is also proud to announce Rhone as the official merchandise partner for its upcoming conferences, providing premium performance apparel to today’s sports industry leaders.
