Nadia Rawlinson believes in investing in women’s sports.
Rawlinson carries executive experience with tenure at companies that include Live Nation Entertainment, Slack, and American Express. It’s her collective experience that has emboldened her involvement with the WNBA’s Chicago Sky along with her deep appreciation for the city of Chicago, IL.
“It’s having a level of understanding of how things can be done in an elite way,” she explained to Market Watch. “You have players, you have 22-year-old rookies who are moving to a new city to have their first job out of college. I care a lot about Chicago. I was here during the Bulls years when Jordan was here, which was epic. How can I recreate that here with the Sky? We are the future of Chicago and Chicago sports.”
Rawlinson’s commitment to the team is exhibited in her decision to purchase equity in it. She now serves as co-owner and operating chairman of the Chicago Sky.
“I’m also operating chairman, but I lead and manage our board of advisors and take on a lot of the strategic opportunities and decision-making that we probably didn’t have the capacity to do before,” she explained to the outlet. “I manage how we think about growth. How do we think about the fan experience differently, how do we think about a capital raise, which we have never had in the history of our franchise until last year?”
Six months following Rawlinson joining the team in 2023, it was announced 10% of the team’s stake had been sold to a group of eight investors, which included Laura Ricketts, co-owner of MLB’s Chicago Cubs, and Mary Dillon, CEO of Foot Locker, per Sportico.
Additionally, Rawlinson and Chicago Sky minority owner John Rogers also invested an undisclosed amount.
At the time, the team was valued at about $85 million, which was the second-highest after the Seattle Storm, noted the WNBA. That valuation has reportedly increased to $95 million today, according to data released by Sportico.
With the support of new investors in 2023, it allowed the team to plan for improvements surrounding the player experience, marketing and staffing, and enhancing the team’s practice facility.
“This is a long-term investment and play that we’re making, and these people believe in the future we’re trying to get to,” Rawlinson said of the additional owners at the time. “Everyone believes their contribution, not just financially but their own expertise and advice as well, will increase the overall value of the franchise.”
Rawlinson also spoke to Market Watch about the influx of attention being brought to the WNBA. With rising stars such as the Chicago Sky’s Angel Reese and Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark joining the WNBA, seasoned players including Aja Wilson, the all-time leading scorer for the Las Vegas Aces, and promising college talents like LSU Tigers’ Flau’jae Johnson potentially entering the pro leagues, the excitement for the present and future is clearly reflected in the numbers.
According to data shared by the WNBA on June 10, 2024, attendance during opening month was reportedly the highest in 26 years, and viewership experienced a 60% spike among people of color, especially Hispanic and Black fans. The league’s merchandise sales also increased by 236%, with Clark, Reese, and the Los Angeles Sparks’ Cameron Brink featured in the top five for jersey sales. Additionally, the WNBA App’s monthly active users experienced an uptick of 613%, and League Pass subscriptions tripled in just the first two weeks.
“It’s been extraordinary. We are excited, shocked and overwhelmed and ready for it all,” Rawlinson commented to Market Watch. “I don’t think anybody could have predicted the hockey stick growth in not just interest, but also in attendance and sales. We’ve hoped for this moment for a long time, and it’s been better than anybody could have expected. We are happy to ride the wave and make sure we are doing everything we can to make sure this is sustained over time.”
