One investor among the many billionaires who've recently invested in women's sports is particularly noteworthy. While not involved with the highly observed WNBA, and with some ventures located internationally, her identity may not be as widely recognized as other proprietors. However, Michele Kang has just taken an action that is poised to solidify the influence her financial backing will exert on her chosen field, soccer, and other areas.
TL;DR
- Michele Kang is investing heavily in women's soccer and sports science research.
- She founded the Kang Women’s Institute with a $55 million allocation.
- The institute aims to address the under-representation of women in sports science studies.
- Initiatives focus on female athlete health, youth development, and coaching.
Kang possesses the Washington Spirit, the London City Lionesses, and OL Lyonnes in France. She also made a significant impact with her $4 million donation to USA women’s rugby. More subtly, she's been dedicating resources to comprehending the requirements of female athletes, encompassing extensive research on women's health, backing a brand designing footwear (or cleats, in football) tailored for female athletes, and implementing initiatives for young players and coaches.
This year, she moved this initiative beyond her own company, Kynisca, and joined forces with U.S. Soccer. (She mentioned to me that using the U.S. Soccer brand name simplifies recruiting researchers and individuals for studies.) A sum of $55 million is allocated for these projects, encompassing the recently established Kang Women’s Institute, which she unveiled yesterday.
Only 6% of sports science studies women. It’s caught at an unfortunate intersection—the lack of historical investment in women’s sports and the under-investment in overall women’s health research. “It’s an overall bias in society,” Kang says. But it could be what moves the needle for women’s sports—on the field or court, and as a business.
Emma Hayes, the esteemed manager of the U.S. Women’s National Team and a consultant for this initiative, shared with me her realization of our limited understanding regarding the training of female athletes. This insight came when three of her players at Chelsea, where she led the club to seven championships as manager, sustained ACL injuries. Physical therapists anticipated recoveries of six to seven months, which is standard for male athletes. However, women tend to recuperate at a slower pace due to diminished testosterone levels and less rapid muscle development. During a significant tournament, the FA Cup, multiple Chelsea players experienced menstruation simultaneously. This impacted their response times, prompting Hayes to seek knowledge on how to adapt training to these physiological factors. Furthermore, there is forthcoming work concerning pregnancy—specifically, how to provide support to athletes during their pregnancies and how to plan their reintegration into competition, considering variations such as vaginal delivery versus Cesarean section.
Much of the most transformative work, however, will happen at the youth level. Girls often drop out of sports around age 12; it’s a perfect storm of discomfort during puberty, self-doubt, and body confidence issues. Kang has committed to a program that will address how youth sports work in the U.S.—and how coaches motivate girls. “It’s not as simple as just going to the field with an extra tampon and a sanitary towel, though that would be helpful,” Hayes says she’s observed. “Everything from ensuring we don’t wear white shorts to what are the best ways for having challenging conversations in what is a really tricky period for young girls?”
These are critical business issues as women’s sports grow. For professional soccer, U.S. Leagues can struggle to compete for talent with Europe, where star players can earn much more money (Trinity Rodman, on Kang’s Washington Spirit, is the top example of this challenge right now). The youth pipeline will only become more important.
For any athletic endeavor, achieving victory on the playing surface directly contributes to commercial prosperity; any executive in the sports industry will confirm that regardless of the business plans implemented, triumph remains essential.
Read my full story, which broke the news of the Kang Institute yesterday, in Coins2Day here.
Emma Hinchliffe
emma.Hinchliffe@coins2day.com
The Most Powerful Women Daily newsletter is Coins2Day’s daily briefing for and about the women leading the business world. Subscribe here.
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PARTING WORDS
This year has been a significant learning experience for me.... It truly demonstrated the resilience I possess to overcome difficult situations. Furthermore, it illuminated the steps necessary to prevent relapsing into them.
— Tennis star Emma Raducanu on the impact having a stalker had on her, and learning to move past it
