Washington Spirit owner Michele Kang sees momentum in women’s sports

Washington Spirt owner Michele Kang won’t be eligible to play in Saturday’s National Women’s Soccer League championship match, but she certainly helped her team score some goals as the league’s 12th season comes to a close.

Kang is the founder and CEO of healthcare technology company Cognosante and an active philanthropist. She acquired 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 major growth as the team and the NWSL capitalize on the wave of interest in women’s sports that emerged around the NCAA women’s basketball tournament last spring. Spirit star Trinity Rodman was a huge star for Team USA at the Summer Olympics in Paris. The WNBA, NWSL and other sports leagues have seen an increase in ticket sales, sponsorship deals and overall media interest, raising hopes that this will be the fuel to make women’s leagues more prominent in the overall sports landscape.

On the eve of Saturday’s championship game between the Orlando Pride and Spirit at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City, Kang offered her thoughts on what the 2024 momentum will mean in the long term and what it will take for female-led sports to emerge to bring it into line with the men’s game.

How has the momentum for women’s sports translated into Washington Spirit’s activities?

2024 even exceeded my own expectations. We welcomed a record 150,000 fans to Audi Field, with three sellout crowds. Ten of the thirteen regular season games generated the highest attendances in the club’s history. We are receiving more calls from potential business partners than ever before. And most importantly, you can feel the change when you attend a match. This team has a growing electricity and charisma that is infectious, and companies are catching on.

What are the biggest obstacles to bringing women’s football closer to men’s football? Does the increased focus on women’s sports help conversations with media partners and sponsors?

The biggest challenges in achieving parity between women’s and men’s football lie in building strong, sustainable foundations that take into account the unique nature of women’s football. Women’s football is different from men’s football: it has its own history, development path and future. For the women’s game to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with men’s American football, basketball and hockey, we need targeted, long-term investments in fundamental areas such as youth development, coaching and refereeing, as well as innovations such as equipment designed specifically for female athletes. These investments are essential to stimulate talent and strengthen the ecosystem from the ground up. The growing focus on women’s sports has led to meaningful conversations with media partners and sponsors, but achieving true equality will require a deeper, collective commitment to advancing the women’s game on its own terms.

What do you see as media opportunities outside of games for Washington Spirit stars and coaches?

At the Spirit, we are fortunate to have players like Trinity Rodman and a head coach in Jona Giraldez who are in the upper echelons of success and name recognition in football. Trinity, especially after her stellar performance at the Summer Olympics, is starting to transcend the sport and break into the mainstream media. The Spirit and the NWSL as a whole are part of the cultural zeitgeist in a way they never have been before. The momentum is exciting and something we must continue to build on by forging deeper relationships through film, television and social media.

What has the NWSL done right to capitalize on the post-NCAA March Madness interest in women’s sports? What else needs to be done?

Interest in women’s soccer has been growing for decades – think back to 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 the growing investments across the ecosystem.

The NWSL is the most competitive and dynamic women’s soccer league in the world, home to the best players and unparalleled talent. To build on this momentum, we must amplify the stories of our incredible athletes, improve the fan experience both in-stadium and digitally, and make the league as a product more competitive and fun. Our players have powerful, inspiring stories that deserve a global platform, and we need media partners who are invested in sharing these stories. At the same time, creating unforgettable fan experiences and pushing the boundaries of the league will cement the NWSL as the premier destination for women’s soccer.

The NWSL Championship Game airs Saturday at 8:00 PM ET/5:00 PM PT on CBS and Paramount+.