Washington Spilts owner Michelle Kang won’t be fit to play in Saturday’s National Women’s Soccer League championship game, but the team is still in good shape as the league’s 12th season comes to a close. There is no doubt that he contributed to the score.
Kang is the founder and CEO of healthcare technology company Cognosante and an active philanthropist. She won the Washington Spirit team in 2021, the year the D.C.-based team won the NWSL Championship for the first time.
Kang’s timing was good. The Washington Spirit is well-positioned for significant growth as the team and the NWSL capitalize on the wave of interest in women’s sports that gathered around last spring’s NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament. Spirit star Trinity Rodman was a big star for Team USA at the Paris Summer Olympics. The WNBA, NWSL, and other sports leagues are seeing increased ticket sales, sponsorship deals, and general media interest, leading to hopes that this will drive women’s leagues to become more visible within the overall sports landscape.
On the eve of the championship game between the Orlando Pride and Spirit at Kansas City’s CPKC Stadium on Saturday, Kang spoke about what the 2024 momentum means in the long term, and how to bring women-led sports to parity with America. He expressed his thoughts on what is needed to do so. men’s match.
How is the momentum in women’s sports reflected in Washington Spirit’s business?
2024 has exceeded even my own expectations. Audi Field welcomed a record 150,000 fans, with three sold-out performances. Ten of the 13 regular season games had the highest attendance in club history. We are responding to inquiries from potential corporate partners more than ever before. And the most important thing is that you can feel the changes when you participate in the match. This team has a growing contagious power and aura, and companies are starting to get on board.
What are the biggest hurdles to bringing women’s soccer closer to parity with men’s soccer? Has the increased focus on women’s sports helped inform conversations with media partners and sponsors?
The biggest challenge to achieving parity between women’s and men’s football lies in building a strong and sustainable foundation that takes into account the unique nature of women’s football. Women’s soccer differs from men’s soccer in that it has its own history, development path, and future. Elevating the women’s game to a level comparable to men’s football, basketball, and hockey will require targeted, long-term investments in fundamental areas such as youth development, coaching, officiating, and specially designed gear. We need innovations such as: female athlete. These investments are essential to developing our talent and fundamentally strengthening our ecosystem. The increased focus on women’s sport is generating meaningful conversations with media partners and sponsors, but achieving true parity will require a deeper, collective effort to develop women’s sport on its own terms. Efforts are needed.
What do you think are the media opportunities outside of games for Washington Spirit stars and coaches?
The Spirit are fortunate to have players like Head Coach Jonah Giraldes who are at the top of the football world of success and recognition like Trinity Rodman. Trinity is beginning to move beyond sports and into mainstream media, especially after her impressive performance at the Summer Olympics. Spirit and the NWSL as a whole have become part of the cultural zeitgeist like never before. This momentum is exciting and we must continue to build on it by forging deeper relationships across film, television and social media.
What did the NWSL do right and what else needs to be done to capitalize on the post-NCAA March Madness interest in women’s sports?
Interest in women’s soccer has been growing for decades. Remember the 1999 World Cup, when the U.S. women’s national team captivated the world? What’s different now is the continued momentum behind this movement and increased investment across the ecosystem.
The NWSL is the most competitive and dynamic women’s soccer league in the world, featuring the best players and unparalleled talent. To build on this momentum, we must amplify the stories of our great athletes, improve the fan experience both in-stadium and digitally, and continue to make our league more competitive and entertaining as a product. Our players have powerful, inspiring stories that deserve a global platform, and we need our media partners to invest in sharing these stories. At the same time, creating an unforgettable fan experience and pushing the boundaries of competition will solidify the NWSL as the premier destination for women’s soccer.
The NWSL Championship Game will air Saturday at 8pm ET/5pm PT on CBS and Paramount+.