Billie Jean King: Empowering Women's Sports Through Business Strategy

Billie Jean King emphasizes that athletes must learn the business side to thrive and ensure women's sports grow sustainably.

### Empowering Women's Sports: The Journey of Billie Jean King and Ilana Kloss
* 🎾 Billie Jean King emphasizes the importance of **understanding the business side of sports**, urging athletes to **learn beyond just their sport** to **secure their future**.
* 👩 Ilana Kloss, CEO of Billie Jean King Enterprises, shares her passion for **promoting women's sports** and how their collaboration **drives initiatives forward**.
* 🏆 Billie Jean reflects on her history in tennis, sharing how her journey began and her determination to **change the sport from amateur to professional**.
* 📈 The conversation highlights the significance of **equal prize money**, with Billie recalling her efforts to **secure it for female athletes** in the early '70s.
* 💰 They discuss the evolving landscape of women's sports, noting how **increased investment from billionaires** is shifting perceptions and creating **sustainable growth**.
* 🤝 Billie and Ilana reveal their commitment to helping other women's sports, such as hockey, by **guiding players to form associations and secure better opportunities**.
* 📊 Billie shares her excitement about the rising media ratings for women's sports, which have **increased from 4% to 15%** in recent years, showcasing a **growing audience**.
* 🌟 Ultimately, they stress the **importance of collaboration among athletes** and the need for **sustained investment to ensure the future success of women's sports**.

### Building a Sustainable Future for Women's Sports: Insights from Industry Leaders
* 🏒 The conversation highlights the challenges and opportunities in establishing a professional women's hockey league, emphasizing the **importance of sustained investment and commitment from ownership**.
* 🤝 Mark and Kimbra Walter's involvement provided the necessary funding and support, allowing for a **single entity ownership model** that promotes **parity among teams**.
* 🎟 The league's success is evident, with **over 21,000 tickets sold out** in Montreal, showcasing a **significant demand for women's hockey**.
* 💰 To ensure sustainability, it was noted that the initial years may require **substantial financial backing**, with estimates in "**tens of millions**" to maintain operations.
* 🌍 The league's visibility was enhanced by streaming all games on YouTube TV, making **women's hockey accessible to a global audience**, despite the costs involved.
* 🏆 The interview also touched on the broader context of women's sports, highlighting the **recent valuation of Angel City as the largest for any women's team**, signaling **growing interest and investment** in the sector.
* 📈 The discussion underscored the need for **collaboration across sports organizations**, particularly in tennis, to leverage the **combined strength of men's and women's sports** for **greater impact and profitability**.
* 🎶 Finally, the leaders reflected on their personal journeys in sports and business, emphasizing the **importance of asking for what you want** and the **value of strong partnerships in achieving success**.

Tennis Legend Billie Jean King Is Still Fighting for Women in Sports | The Deal

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The Impact of Billie Jean King and Ilana Kloss

Ilana Kloss is the CEO of Billie Jean King Enterprises, managing initiatives for women's sports.

Billie Jean King emphasizes the importance of history in shaping the future and has been a driving force for change in women's tennis.

The duo's complementary skills and shared passion for empowering future generations are key to their successful partnership.

The Journey to Equal Prize Money in Tennis

The speaker reflects on the challenges of achieving equal prize money for men and women in tennis, highlighting their own experiences and efforts in the 1970s.

They played a key role in securing equal prize money for the US Open, with the help of sponsors and tournament directors.

The speaker emphasizes the importance of understanding the business side of sports and building long-term relationships for success.

The Evolution of Sports and Business for Athletes

Ilana's success in sales is influenced by her father's commission-based career, contrasting with the isolated and competitive nature of professional athletes.

The dynamics of athlete collaboration and media influence have shifted over the years, with modern athletes having more money and support but less interaction with each other.

The increasing investment from billionaires in women's sports is a significant change, driving growth and opportunity in the sector.

The Impact of Investment in Women's Professional Sports

Mark Walter, the Dodgers' owner, has been instrumental in starting a women's professional hockey league, with significant investments from individuals with wealth and business knowledge.

The shift in investment focus from charity to profit is providing the necessary resources for women's sports to grow and sustain themselves.

The formation of a union and the involvement of top players have been crucial in establishing a professional league, with a clear business plan and sustained investment being key to its success.

Building a Women's Hockey League: A Success Story

The league's formation involved hiring players for promotional work, leading to the establishment of a union and a collective bargaining agreement.

With single entity ownership by Mark and Kimbra Walter, the league aimed for parity and sustainable growth.

The long-term investment has paid off, with high ticket sales and increasing interest in team ownership, ultimately providing girls with the opportunity to pursue their dream of playing professional hockey.

The Success Factors of Professional Sports Teams

Several professional sports teams are expected to surpass the $1 billion revenue mark, with a significant increase in ticket sales.

The success of these teams is attributed to brilliant leadership, long-term investment strategies, and a highly experienced management team.

The expansion of women's sports teams, like Angel City, is also making a significant impact, with the largest valuation for any women's team ever, challenging the status quo and driving up expectations in the industry.

The Growth of Women's Sports and the Push for Collaboration

Women's sports have seen a surge in team valuations, with expansion teams in the WNBA now exceeding $100 million.

The Angel City team took three years to launch, focusing on diverse sponsorships and community reinvestment.

In tennis, the potential for collaboration between the ATP and WTA is being driven by shared investment interests, but the sport's fragmented organizational structure poses challenges.

Instincts and gut feelings play a crucial role in decision-making, but actual data is also important.

Closing a deal is the most challenging part, but building relationships and telling a story can help.

Billie considers Mark Walter as the ideal deal-making partner, and he emphasizes the importance of friendship and positive relationships in business.