The ESPNW Women and Sports Summit will convene in Ojai, California, Oct. 14–16, bringing together athletes, executives, media figures and creators for three days of panels, keynotes and screenings focused on the business and culture of women’s sports.
Star-studded lineup and cross-disciplinary programming
Headliners for the 17th annual event include comedian and host Chelsea Handler, musician and performer Chlöe Bailey and tennis legend Billie Jean King. The summit will also feature a number of prominent athletes and sports leaders, among them soccer great Abby Wambach, Olympic hockey player Hilary Knight and other elite competitors.
Programming spans keynote interviews, industry panels and an advance screening of the 30 for 30 documentary Give Me the Ball!, directed by Liz Garbus and Elizabeth Wolff, which profiles King. The screening is set to follow a live taping and conversation featuring King and the podcast Welcome to the Party, co-hosted by Wambach and Julie Foudy.
Topics and panels
The schedule will address a mix of on-field performance, business strategy and cultural issues, with sessions such as “World-Class Athlete,” “Women at the Helm” and “Elite Comeback: Motherhood & Performance.” Participants include a cross-section of athletes and executives:
- World-Class Athlete panel: Hilary Knight, Chloe Humphrey (UNC and U.S. women’s lacrosse) and Diana Flores (captain, Mexico’s Women’s National Flag Football team).
- Women at the Helm panel: Johanna Faries (Blizzard president), Natalia Premovic (Mattel chief consumer products and experiences officer) and Stephanie Sherman (DraftKings chief marketing officer).
- Elite Comeback: Motherhood & Performance: Skylar Diggins (WNBA, Chicago Sky), Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (Olympic gold medalist) and Becky Lynch (WWE).
In addition to these sessions, the summit will host conversations led by sports medicine and research experts, such as Dr. Vonda Wright, and perspectives from league leadership, including National Women’s Soccer League Commissioner Jessica Berman.
Hosts, moderators and the summit’s mission
The event will be anchored by ESPN personalities. Jess Sims, an ESPN college sports reporter, will host, while panels will be moderated by familiar ESPN voices — including Hannah Storm, Monica McNutt, Christine Williamson and Andraya Carter — as well as journalist Sarah Spain and analyst Chiney Ogwumike.
"The summit gives us an opportunity to bring together the people shaping the women’s sports ecosystem and setting the path for where the business is headed next — game-changing athletes, risk-taking leaders and those pushing progress forward," said Susie Piotrkowski, vice president of women’s sports programming at espnW.
The organizers frame the summit as a forum for both storytelling and strategy, aiming to connect those who compete and those who run organizations and shape media coverage. The mix of entertainment figures, athletes and senior executives is intended to reflect the diverse stakeholders driving growth in women’s sports.
Event highlights and takeaways
Attendees can expect a blend of high-profile interviews, practical discussions about business models and policy, and cultural programming that includes music and documentary film. The summit’s programming underscores ongoing industry priorities: expanding commercial opportunities, improving athlete support systems and elevating media narratives around women’s sports.
| Feature | Notable participants |
|---|---|
| Keynote conversations | Chelsea Handler, Chlöe Bailey |
| Documentary screening | Give Me the Ball! (King documentary by Liz Garbus & Elizabeth Wolff) |
| Panels | Abby Wambach, Hilary Knight, Johanna Faries, Skylar Diggins, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone |
With its roster of athletes, executives and cultural figures, this year’s ESPNW Summit seeks to advance conversations about the commercial and social momentum behind women’s sports, while offering a networking and professional-development venue for people across the industry.
