How Investment, Visibility, and Fandom Are Reshaping Women’s Sports

When Hightower welcomed Mollie Marcoux Samaan, CEO of U.S. Squash and former LPGA Commissioner and Princeton Athletic Director, for a recent conversation, one theme emerged: the conversation around women’s sports has fundamentally changed.

For much of her 35-year career in sports, women’s athletics were viewed as something worth supporting, but not necessarily investing in. Today, that mindset is shifting rapidly. What was once considered a niche market is increasingly being recognized as a high-growth business opportunity driven by passionate fans, elite athletes, and rising commercial demand.

The Turning Point: From Participation to Commercialization

Mollie pointed to the years following Title IX as a period of tremendous growth in participation among girls and women. But while participation expanded, the business side of women’s sports lagged.

The real acceleration, she noted, has happened over the last five years. A combination of increased visibility, stronger media coverage, athlete advocacy, and growing fan support has helped shift perceptions. Moments like NCAA basketball player Sedona Prince’s viral spotlight on inequities in the women’s tournament, coupled with the rise of superstar athletes like Caitlin Clark, helped expose a simple reality: when women’s sports receive investment and exposure, fans respond.

As Mollie put it, the conversation has moved from “Can women’s sports survive?” to “How much can they scale?”

Investment Changes Everything

One of the most compelling themes of the discussion was the role intentional investment plays in growth. Mollie highlighted the dramatic rise of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), where expansion franchises that sold for just a few million dollars a handful of years ago are now valued at hundreds of millions. The organizations seeing the greatest success are often the ones that recognized the opportunity early and invested accordingly.

A standout example is the Kansas City Current. Rather than treating women’s soccer as a smaller version of the men’s game, ownership built a purpose-designed stadium, state-of-the-art training facilities, and a fan experience tailored specifically to the community they hoped to serve. The result has been remarkable growth both on and off the field.

The lesson extends far beyond sports: successful organizations understand the unique needs of their audience and invest in experiences built specifically for them.

Media Exposure Is More Than Revenue

Media rights often dominate headlines, but Mollie emphasized that the value of media partnerships goes well beyond dollars. Visibility creates familiarity. Familiarity creates fandom. When athletes’ stories are consistently told, when broadcasts are produced at a high level, and when leagues receive meaningful editorial coverage, audiences become emotionally invested. Fans begin to follow athletes, engage with teams, and ultimately support the sport financially.

Simply put, people care about what they know. Growing women’s sports requires not only broadcasting games but also elevating the stories behind them.

Progress on Pay Equity, With More Ground to Cover

The conversation also touched on athlete compensation, an area where meaningful progress is emerging. In women’s professional basketball and soccer, recent collective bargaining agreements and league investments have led to significant increases in player salaries. Golf and tennis have also continued to make strides, particularly through larger purses and enhanced sponsorship opportunities. Still, the gap between men’s and women’s professional sports remains significant.

For Mollie, however, the encouraging sign is not simply where compensation stands today, but the rate at which it is improving. As revenues, sponsorships, media deals, and team valuations continue to grow, athlete earnings are increasingly following suit.

Why U.S. Squash Is Positioned for a Breakthrough Moment

As CEO of U.S. Squash, Mollie is leading the organization through what could be a transformative period.

With squash set to make its Olympic debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Games, the sport is preparing for unprecedented visibility. While many Americans have never watched a professional squash match, Mollie believes the product will speak for itself once people see it.

Her focus is ensuring the infrastructure exists to capture that future interest. That means investing in participation, digital engagement, fan experiences, and pathways that help newcomers discover and access the sport after being introduced to it on the Olympic stage.

What makes squash particularly unique is its community. While smaller than some mainstream sports, it benefits from an exceptionally passionate and engaged participant base that values relationships, mentorship, and long-term connection.

A Model for Equity

Another reason squash stood out during the discussion is its commitment to equal pay at the professional level. Through the Professional Squash Association (PSA), men and women compete for equal prize money, placing squash among a very small group of professional sports that have achieved this milestone.

The sport has also developed a strong philanthropic culture, with significant investments made to expand access and create opportunities for young people who may not otherwise have exposure to the game.  

Looking Ahead

Perhaps the most optimistic takeaway came when Mollie shared a story about a young sports fan who assumed Caitlin Clark earned tens of millions of dollars because, in his mind, she was every bit as important and visible as the biggest stars in sports. When he learned otherwise, he was shocked. That perspective may be the clearest sign of how much has changed.

For younger generations, women’s sports are increasingly viewed not as an alternative product, but simply as sports. Elite athletes are admired for their talent, competition, and achievements regardless of gender. And that shift in perception may be the most valuable investment of all.

As Mollie reminded us, progress doesn’t require grand gestures. Attend a game. Watch a match. Follow an athlete. Support organizations that are investing in women’s sports.

Because the future of women’s sports isn’t a question of potential anymore. It’s a question of scale.

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