Most Powerful Women in Sports Are Shattering Glass Ceilings

After two years of pandemic delays, cancellations and general upheaval, sports—and its rabid fan bases—are finally seeing a return to normal as we close out 2022. With sky-high ratings across all networks, expanding women’s sports leagues and the explosion of sports betting, this has been a game-changing year in the space—with Adweek’s 2022 Most Powerful Women in Sports leading the way. From 95-year-old Maybelle Blair working to build the International Women’s Baseball Center to 11-year-old broadcaster and reporter Pepper Persley breaking down barriers to Dany Garcia relaunching the XFL, these women are redefining the sports landscape and elevating themselves, their teams, leagues, brands and clients. We couldn’t be prouder to honor this year’s group, which includes our cover stars Sue Bird and Sylvia Fowles, who helped shape the WNBA while changing the world along the way. —Mollie Cahillane

Sue Bird and Sylvia Fowles

WNBA all-time leaders

Maybelle Blair

Former All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player

Andrea Brimmer

CMO, Ally Financial

Arielle Chambers

Founder, HighlightHER

Keia Clarke

CEO, New York Liberty

Cindy Parlow Cone

President, United States Soccer Federation (USSF)

Marissa Dishaw

Head of baseball marketing and client management, Creative Artists Agency (CAA) Sports

Natalia Dorantes

Coordinator of football programs, Washington Commanders

Dany Garcia

Chairwoman, co-owner, XFL; chairwoman, founder and CEO, The Garcia Companies; co-founder, Seven Bucks Productions

Eileen Gu

Olympic gold medalist, freestyle skiing

Andrea Hopelain

Svp, brand, EA Sports and Racing, Electronic Arts

Amy Howe

CEO, FanDuel Group

Kate Johnson

Director, global sports and entertainment marketing, Google

Hilary Knight

Olympic and world champion

Jenna Kurath

Vp of startup partnerships and head of Comcast, NBCUniversal SportsTech

Sunisa ‘Suni’ Lee

Three-time Olympic medalist and entrepreneur

Cassidy Lichtman

Volleyball player executive committee chairwoman, Athletes Unlimited

Sandra Douglass Morgan

President, Las Vegas Raiders

Heidi Noland

Svp of global brand and creative, UFC

Pepper Persley

Reporter and broadcaster

Melissa Proctor

Evp and CMO, Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena

Megan Rapinoe

Soccer world champion, activist and author

Nuria Tarré

Chief marketing officer, City Football Group

Mallory Weggemann

Five-time Paralympic medalist, author, co-founder and co-CEO, TFA Group

Venus and Serena Williams

Tennis players, entrepreneurs