Global revenue in women's sports is projected to reach $3 billion in 2026, and media coverage has climbed to 15% of all sports coverage from roughly 3%–5.5% in just a few years. And the value of sport reaches well beyond the field—in a 2023 Deloitte survey, 85% of women who played sports said the skills they built there were important to their career success, a figure that rises to 91% among women in leadership roles.
Yet the infrastructure has not kept pace, and leadership potential—and economic value—is still being left on the sidelines. According to research by the Women's Sports Foundation, girls drop out of sport at nearly twice the rate of boys, with close to half stepping away during adolescence, around ages 13 to 14; and while 90% of all women's teams were coached by women in 1972, only about 41% are today. Each drop-out can narrow the pipeline of women who go on to lead.
Deloitte brings together people and opportunities that can help women's sports grow future leaders. Billie Jean King has spent her career opening doors and building opportunities for those who come after her. Together, they intend to turn this moment into meaningful growth for the leaders of tomorrow and advance the commercial future of women's sports.
"Sport is one of the most powerful leadership accelerators, and the evidence is clear—the skills built in competition are the same ones that make exceptional leaders. At the very moment women's sports is breaking records, too much of that potential is being left on the field. Developing leaders and building the infrastructure that enables organizations to grow is what Deloitte does. Together, we can help keep the pipeline of future leaders full—from the youth level all the way to the boardroom."
— Lara Abrash, chair, Deloitte US
The work with Billie Jean King will advance across three areas of women's sports where Deloitte is well positioned: growing strong leaders through sport, powering the business of tomorrow, and connecting key players across the marketplace. These ambitions will take shape as a set of initiatives rolling out over the coming year—helping athletes translate their strengths into business leadership, developing more qualified coaches, transforming the infrastructures that shape the business of tomorrow, and turning fragmented sports science into performance insights for female athletes—a field where only about 6% of research has focused on women.
Deloitte is not new to this space. The organization authored some of the industry's most-cited research on the sector, including "Game Changers: Unlocking the potential of women's sports" and "Beyond the billion-dollar barrier: Charting the next phase of growth." Deloitte maintains a deep bench of sports-related relationships and sponsorships including: U.S. Soccer and presenting sponsor of the SheBelieves Summit; the WNBA; Team USA, the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee; the United States Tennis Association and the US Open Tennis Championships; and the USGA.
"My generation's job is to support those who follow in our footsteps. Deloitte brings the leadership development and business-building capabilities this moment needs, and I'm excited to be building what comes next in women's sports with them."
— Billie Jean King
For Billie Jean King Enterprises, the collaboration is about acting on a long-held belief. "Billie Jean has always said you have to see it to be it," said Ilana Kloss, CEO of Billie Jean King Enterprises. "Our work with Deloitte is about building what sits behind that belief and carrying the business of women's sports into its next era."
King and Abrash will appear together across a series of moments over time as the work unfolds, from new research and gathering athletes' perspectives to youth leadership programming, qualified coach development, and exploring innovative opportunities across the women's sports ecosystem—efforts King and Deloitte intend to build alongside others who share the goal. Additional details will be shared as each moment launches.
About Deloitte
Deloitte provides industry-leading audit, consulting, tax and advisory services to many of the world's most admired brands, including nearly 90% of the Fortune 500® and more than 9,000 U.S.-based private companies. At Deloitte, we strive to live our purpose of making an impact that matters for our people, clients, and communities. We bring together distinct talents, technologies, disciplines, and an ecosystem of alliances to help tackle today's most complex business challenges and drive long-term progress. Deloitte is proud to be part of the largest global professional services network serving our clients in the markets that are most important to them. Bringing more than 180 years of service, our network of member firms spans more than 150 countries and territories. Learn how Deloitte's approximately 470,000 people worldwide connect for impact at www.deloitte.com.
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SOURCE Deloitte
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