Chronicle of Philanthropy: “New Era in Women’s Sports Fueled by Decades of Women Donors”

Sept. 3, 2024 — Since Title IX’s enactment in 1972, female athletes, activists, and donors have steadily fueled a slow-burning revolution in women’s sports, culminating in today’s record-breaking participation, writes Sara Herschander in today’s issue of the Chronicle of Philanthropy. She explains that even as the field celebrates its historic milestones, a new generation of athletes and their supporters are stepping up to tackle the remaining obstacles to equality.

Research shows that 94 percent of women executives in C-suite positions played sports, many having benefited from the passage of Title IX, the 1972 law mandating gender equality in federally funded education programs, including athletics. “When girls play, they lead, and leadership is critical for our women to be able to succeed on and off the court — on the field and in the boardroom,” said Danette Leighton, CEO of the Women’s Sports Foundation, founded by tennis legend Billie Jean King in 1974. “The more we develop that for both men and women, the better we all are.”