Imagine this dream team: Serena Williams, the former world number one tennis player and winner of 23 Grand Slam singles titles, joined forces with WNBA sensation Caitlin Clark to promote the significance of women`s sports to the National Football League, one of the world`s most profitable sports leagues.
Williams and Clark recently participated in a panel discussion in Palm Beach, Florida, alongside two-time Super Bowl champion Eli Manning. The panel, titled `The Changing Face of Sports and Its Impact on the NFL,` provided a platform for Williams to directly address NFL owners. She emphasized that the talent and skill of female athletes have always been exceptional and that women`s sports are now finally receiving the acknowledgment they deserve.
`For a long time, there have been incredible female athletes, but it seems like now you are just taking notice, and that’s the reality,` Williams stated to the NFL team owners. She also pointed out that during her career, she and her sister Venus Williams often attracted larger television audiences than men`s tennis events.
`The men are just now realizing that women have been performing at an amazing level for decades,` she added.
Since retiring from professional tennis, Williams has focused on investment opportunities through her venture capital firm, Serena Ventures. However, her passion for sports remains a significant part of her portfolio. Since 2020, she, along with her husband Alexis Ohanian, and their daughter Olympia, have been part of the ownership group of Angel City FC in the National Women`s Soccer League. Furthermore, in March, she was announced as a new member of the ownership group for the Toronto Tempo, a WNBA team set to debut in 2026.
Williams also acknowledged the current generation of athletes, like Clark, for further expanding the reach of women`s sports. She playfully suggested that Clark, the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year, would excel as a flag football player. Flag football, a non-contact version of American football, is set to be included in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles and, according to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, is generating considerable interest among both women and men.
`It`s about investing in us,` Williams continued. `Recognizing the potential and impact of investing in women reveals significant opportunities for growth.`
Goodell, referring to Williams as `the GOAT` (Greatest Of All Time), commented that she `not only understands women`s sports but also possesses a deep understanding of business and sports in general, and society as a whole.`
