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Time Magazine
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Time Magazine
Billie Jean King
How much impact can you have with a $5,000 donation? If you're tennis legend Billie Jean King, quite a lot. That's how much King gifted in seed money to launch the Women's Sports Foundation (WSF) in 1974—an organization that has since channeled over $100 million into creating opportunities for women in sports through research and grants to individual athletes and nonprofits. That initial gift reflected King's trademark fusion of activism and savvy institution-building, honed during a pivotal year in 1973 when she co-founded the Women's Tennis Association, successfully lobbied the U.S. Open to become the first major tournament to offer equal prize money, and beat Bobby Riggs in the historic 'Battle of the Sexes' match. In the ensuing five decades, she's remained dedicated to advocacy for equality in sports and to philanthropy that supports the power of sports to transform lives and foster social change. Her Billie Jean King Foundation provides grants to the WSF, where she is honorary chair, as well as awards for young sports leaders. Celebrating WSF's 50th anniversary last October, King said, 'We must all remain committed to protecting the progress made, while working toward a future where the playing field is truly level.'
New York Times
11-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Billie Jean King on investing in women's sports, player security and what's next
LOS ANGELES — Billie Jean King can work a room like few others in women's sports. It is no different at the SheBelieves Summit in Los Angeles, as she headlines the U.S. Soccer event intended to empower women across sports and business. There's an immediate standing ovation from the crowd when she takes the stage, sporting a blue Adidas tracksuit with matching shoes, a string of pearls and the contrasting pop of red between her glasses and lipstick. Advertisement Only the 81-year-old, who won 12 Grand Slam singles, helped found the WTA Tour and spearheaded equal prize money in tennis, could get away with an all-Adidas look at a Nike-sponsored event. 'The more you know about history, the more you know about yourself,' she tells the sea of mostly young women staring in rapt attention, many taking notes in their brand new co-branded notebooks handed out in the day's swag bag. 'Most importantly, it helps you shape the future. That's the reason I want you to know about history.' There are few better ambassadors than King for both the history of women's sports and the future she continues to build alongside her wife Ilana Kloss. And she's not slowing down. In addition to her eponymous foundation and the Women's Sports Foundation, and her investment portfolio across various sports including the Los Angeles Sparks, Angel City FC and the entirety of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL), King is also trying to finish a college degree that she never actually completed at California State University. In the cavernous room at an event space in downtown Los Angeles, branded heavily by U.S. Soccer but still resembling its true roots as a half-rustic half-industrial wedding venue, King hits the big stories she wants, maybe needs, to hit. She quizzes the crowd on the language of Title IX and its impact. Former U.S. women's national team champion Julie Foudy sits alongside King on stage for the headlining panel and points to her own history with King. The stories are centered around conflict with the U.S. Soccer Federation over contracts and pay. Even a few years ago, to talk openly about this sort of conflict with the federation at their own, very expensive event, would have felt unimaginable. 'She is literally the thread that runs through women's sports history,' Foudy says. 'Learn the business you're in,' King says to the crowd. She feels passionately about that, and it's clear she doesn't think enough current athletes are really digging into that work. Backstage, there's a gravitational pull around King when she steps behind the curtains. The aura is real. The walk between the backstage and the green room is maybe 50 steps; King is stopped multiple times. There are many photographs. She is handed things, she takes them. Finally, in the relative quiet of the green room, King lists all the things she could have talked about — the things she should have talked about. There could have been more about Angel City, about Michele Kang and how her buying the Washington Spirit increased the value of every single other NWSL team. She's seen that impact firsthand, as her and Kloss's investment grew with Angel City's recent sale for $250 million. Advertisement King has been thinking about the relationship between money and women's sports for decades now, even if her approach isn't always the most popular one. Her mood on stage had been upbeat. Here, even pausing 20 minutes for an interview, she has a sense of urgency, still prodding to find every single seam she can to break through. Maybe that's why she admires Kang so much — how one transaction had jolted an entire league forward. 'Everybody understands money,' King says. That's never changed. Money is why she wanted to pull in a $100,000 paycheck because people would understand that nice big number. 'They'll start watching the tour, and I can talk about the other players,' King recalled. 'I can talk about our dreams, I can talk about the future generations and all that.' Money has changed the world of women's sports in a lot of ways, but the rapid influx of investment and viewers over the past few years means the feel of a decade ago is fading, maybe gone already — players staying after games until every fan gets an autograph or a selfie, for instance. The accessibility of players isn't what it used to be, for anyone. It can't be. This strikes a nerve with King. It bothers her, she says. She tells players they have to be available for the media, for reporters to tell their story. The players will say they have social media now. 'I don't care,' she says, throwing her hand in the air. 'You need everything.' Her argument could come off as a lecture, but it goes back to what King said in her panel. Athletes have to understand every part of the business — how they work together and how the money flows through the sport and into their pockets. 'These (reporters) are trying to make a living, and they're covering our lives, our sport,' she says. 'I'm so thankful to the media because we didn't have anything then, except them, and they told our story. But we killed ourselves to be available. We didn't leave the arena until we signed every autograph. I was doing interviews at two o'clock in the morning for magazines. I'm big on that this is part of our job, to give people time and effort.' Advertisement There is a dark side to women's sports and accessibility, though. Tennis player Emma Raducanu's life changed after an experience with a spectator with 'fixated behavior' in Dubai, opening up about how vulnerable she felt and how she's rarely alone to provide some additional safety and support. It's not just a tennis problem. Last year, a 40-year-old man pled guilty to stalking UConn's Paige Bueckers after he was arrested walking on a Connecticut highway from the airport to the university. Caitlin Clark has been a target as well. 'Security is another aspect,' King says. 'There's another job, or two jobs, or four or six.' She has her own story on this front about Monica Seles, working directly with her to make her feel safe at a Fed Cup (now the Billie Jean King Cup) following her return from a stabbing attack in 1993. That's still the specter that lingers in the back of everyone's mind on this issue. 'If we have the money, we have to pay for security. We have to take care of that, and that's part of the deal,' King says. There are risks everywhere; this is not one that King wants to allow to shape women's sports. This cannot stop the larger project. 'We're so in our infancy, but we have to just keep busting our backsides to get it out there, to get the women's names out there and to talk about them,' King says. 'We just have to keep doing what we're doing because we need media. Once we get media, we get attention. Once we get attention, people know who we are.' This is where it's fair to expect some sort of victory. Instead, King says, 'Well. It's difficult.' This is why she wants everyone to know the history. She's been first in a lot of things, like being awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. But where she asks, are the same honors for those that came before her, that were her heroes, like Althea Gibson? The national tennis center and grounds of the U.S. Open in Queens were named after King; Arthur Ashe had a stadium named after him, and a statue installed on the grounds. Advertisement 'Took 30 years,' King says, 'we finally got (Gibson) something at the Open.' A granite statue honoring Gibson was installed in 2019. 'These are the challenges, the 24/7 things, that go in my head all the time. And I just would like to have it change somehow.' King's car is waiting to take her to the next stop on her day. Just like the long walk from backstage to the green room, it takes a while for her to actually make it to the door. Even here, people are waiting for her, for a word, a hug, a check-in of what's next. There's always something up next, after all.
NBC News
08-04-2025
- Entertainment
- NBC News
Iconic sportswoman and activist Billie Jean King honored with Hollywood star
Iconic tennis player and former world number one Billie Jean King received the 2,807th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Monday. King famously competed against male tennis player Bobby Riggs in the 1973 "Battle of the Sexes" in order to promote equal pay between male and female sports stars. She ended up defeating Riggs. Former basketball player Magic Johnson was a special guest at the ceremony. 'She's an amazing person, and what I love about Billie Jean is that she used her platform to bring about change. When we talk about that 'Battle of the Sexes', it was more than just you beating Bobby Riggs. You were fighting for equal pay for women and all these young ladies that are making all these millions and millions of dollars today should be thanking you for what you did for all of them," Johnson said. King was the first female athlete to receive both the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal. She is the founder of both the Women's Sports Foundation and the Women's Tennis Association. King came out as a lesbian in 1981, and has advocated for LGBTQ rights. King's wife, former tennis player Ilana Kloss, also attended the ceremony. Actor Jamie Lee Curtis said, 'There is not a woman in any professional sport or any LGBTQ+ human being whose life has not been shaped and helped and supported by this extraordinary woman's great talents and her even greater contributions to improving the lives of other people on a daily basis.'
Forbes
08-04-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
Billie Jean King Gets Walk Of Fame Star, Continues Fight For Equality
Billie Jean King gets a star on the Walk of Fame. (Photo by) Today, trailblazing athlete and equality advocate Billie Jean King became the first female athlete to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame specifically for her contributions to sports—marking yet another milestone in a career defined by firsts. While her tennis career may have ended, King has remained at the forefront of the fight for equity, championing women in sports and corporate leadership. King received the star in the new 'sports entertainment' category, and she quickly reminded everyone in attendance that sports is indeed a form of entertainment. The honor adds to a long list of accolades in her extraordinary career. She was the first female athlete awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the first individual woman athlete to receive the Congressional Gold Medal and was named one of the most influential people of the 20th century by Life Magazine. She founded the Women's Sports Foundation, the Women's Tennis Association, and the Billie Jean King Foundation—each instrumental in advancing equity in sports. And, of course, she was a tennis superstar. King ended six seasons as the world's number-one player and captured 39 Grand Slam titles, including a record 20 at Wimbledon. However, King is likely most known for her push for equal pay, which marked a turning point for tennis and all of women's athletics. Her leadership was instrumental in securing equal prize money at the U.S. Open in 1973, making it the first major tournament to do so. Also in 1973, King defeated former male professional tennis star Bobby Riggs in the highly publicized 'Battle of the Sexes,' a match watched by an estimated 90 million viewers. The event changed the conversation about women's place in professional athletics. Even now, King knows the fight isn't over. One of the biggest hurdles female athletes still face is building consistent viewership—and long-term sustainability for women's leagues. When I asked her about this, she pointed out that men's sports also struggled in their early years. 'Look how long it's taken the men. Everyone forgets the history of men's sports, how long it's taken, how many failures they had along the way,' she said, noting, 'The NBA almost went under in 1979.' For professional female athletes who want to close the gender pay gap, she emphasizes the need to understand the business side of sports. 'Learn the business you're in,' she advises. 'I ask players, do you even know who ran the tournament you were in this week?'—typically, they don't. 'You need to ask them how they did,' she continues, explaining that some events may have actually lost money. She breaks down how tournaments secure sponsors, strike media deals and rely on capable organizers. As part of her work to achieve equal pay in tennis, King and her former husband got involved in the business, ran their own tournaments and brought in their own sponsors. King and her wife, former professional tennis player Ilana Kloss, recently applied this business acumen to help the new women's professional hockey league (PWHL) get off the ground. 'We helped get it started. We went and found the money. It's always about money,' she says. These days, King also channels her energy into advocating for women in the boardroom. In partnership with e.l.f. Beauty, she's spotlighting the persistent lack of female representation on corporate boards. Despite decades of slow progress, women still hold just 30% of board seats in U.S. publicly traded companies. King believes the numbers need to change—not just for fairness, but because companies make better decisions with diverse input. She points to research showing that when three or more women serve on a board, their influence on strategic decisions significantly increases. King is also a firm believer in the power of sports to shape confident, capable leaders—especially in business. She points to research showing that 94% of women in the C-suite played sports, with more than half competing at the university level. She told me that sports make you more resilient and teach you how to be a leader. In her autobiography All In, she reflects, 'I've always said that it helps women in business to know sports because men have created both cultures and having that knowledge helps you navigate your path and pick up vital cues and subtleties. Sports teach you how to assert yourself and create sustained bonds even in competitive environments; you learn how to weather setbacks and conflict, handle pressure, and push through to get the outcome you want, whether it's with teammates or by yourself. Those are vital skills in business.' King's experiences have also provided insights she's eager to share with other women. Her most significant message for those just starting out? 'Don't let others define you. You define yourself.' She explains that girls and young women are told not to ask for what they want or need. Instead, King advises, 'You decide what you want and seek out what's important to you.' Women have come a long way from when King first started playing tennis. In 1967, 'I swept the singles, doubles, and mixed-doubles titles at Wimbledon, the pinnacle. My compensation at Wimbledon for all that was a £45 gift voucher,' King wrote in her autobiography. After winning the women's singles title in 1972, she received $10,000—while the men's champion, Ilie Nastase, earned $25,000. King's relentless advocacy and refusal to accept the status quo made the U.S. Open the first major tournament to offer equal prize money in 1973. When I asked King what message it sends to have a female athlete receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, her answer was clear and characteristically forward-looking. 'It's a beginning. That's what it is,' she said. 'And the process has started now, and I hope we'll really start concentrating on which women athletes deserve a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.' Once again, she's blazing the trail for the next generation to follow. Her star is located at 6284 Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles.
Forbes
26-03-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
Grand Opening Of Title 9 Sports Grill Celebrates Women Athletes
Title 9 Sports Grill partners cut the Grand Opening ribbon launching Phoenix's first restaurant/bar ... More dedicated to women in sports. Opening a restaurant is supposed to be a nerve-wracking, stress-inducing experience that causes anxious sleep deprivation. But Audrey Corley and married couple Kat and Brad Moore seemingly didn't get the memo. Instead, just a few days before the March grand opening of their new venture, the Title 9 Sports Grill, the partners were strangely cheerful and lighthearted. Maybe their combined decades of restaurant, bar and culinary experience had something to do with their untroubled demeanors. This is definitely not their first rodeo, but it is a historic one. Walking into Title 9 Sports Grill, it's obvious this is not a typical cookie-cutter bar, even though there are some common sports bar amenities like a pool table, games and huge bank of televisions. That's where the similarities end. Title 9 is a joyful celebration of women in sports. There's a trophy wall, medals hanging from the ceiling, and walls covered with photos of noted female amateur and professional athletes. Some photos even have QR codes linking to bios of the pictured athletes. An entire hallway is dedicated to influential women in Arizona athletics, and a poster invites patrons to bring in their old trophies for display. Supporting the theme is a grand, pink glowing sign in cursive that reads 'Play Like a Girl!' The neon sign is a focal point at Title 9 Sports Grill. Audrey, Kat and Brad, all award-winning veterans of the Phoenix scene, joined forces in December to create this unique concept restaurant/bar that specifically focuses on the past, present and future of women in sports. As the name implies, it is based on the historic implementation of landmark civil rights legislation that resulted in Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972. Athletics is one of the 10 areas addressed by the watershed law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in any educational institution that receives federal funds. It mandates equal access to participation and equitable treatment, evening the playing field by offering women the same competitive opportunities as men. At the collegiate level, for example, that meant establishment of athletic scholarships for females proportionate to the percentage of athletes of each sex. According to the extensive 2022 Women's Sports Foundation report, Title IX at 50, the legislation has had a far-reaching impact on the upward trend of girls and women participating in athletics. Female participation has grown from 29,977 in 1972, to 226,212 competing in NCAA institutions in 2021-22. a whopping 618% increase. Today, women make up 44% of NCAA athletes. A trophy wall greets customers as they walk into Title 9 Sports Grill from the patio. Both Audrey (basketball) and Kat (soccer) experienced the physical, mental and emotional benefits of playing sports, one reason Title 9 was such an attractive concept for their venture. 'I always say that being on the Phoenix College women's basketball team saved my life, because I knew I was on the right track and going the right direction,' said Audrey (Coach A), who played on the boy's YMCA team as a youngster. Hearing Eye of the Tiger still gives the former coach goosebumps because it resonates with persistence, heart and passion, qualities developed in her athletic career that continue to motivate her today. A poster invites women to drop off their trophies for display. Audrey has been in the hospitality/bar industry since she was 18, and has owned the popular Boycott Bar, Arizona's only lesbian nightclub, for nine years. She is also an owner of Dahlia Tapas, Tequila and Wine. The popular Boycott made USA Today's 2024 list of 27 'Best Bars in America,' and was recognized for offering a 'safe, inclusive experience for the community.' Kat and Brad Moore cut their culinary teeth on creating gourmet hotdogs and brioche donuts, establishing local favorite Short Leash Hotdogs + TAPROOM 15 years ago. They operated several kiosks, plus the bricks and mortar location in Phoenix's happening Melrose District just down the street from Boycott Bar. When they sold their brand and retained the location, delicious serendipity happened. Audrey was looking to expand, the Moore's wanted to start a new themed venture, the parties met, the timing was right and a collaboration made in restauranteur heaven was born. The business neighbors became business partners. Each brings individual skills and expertise to Title 9, but they are bound primarily by a strong commitment to the community and a shared sense of fun and adventure. They have easily fallen into their roles – gregarious Audrey is definitely the 'front of house' person; Kat, the chef; and Brad, the administrator. 'He'll be the serious one,' laughed Kat. 'But,' she added, 'We all have mutual respect for each other and I think if you have that, you're always going to find a way to make it work, right?' Jsut a few of the many photos of accomplished female athletes. Some have QR codes linking to ... More biographical information. Chef Kat has been cooking all her life and oversees the food menu that features elevated sports bar food in a comfortable restaurant setting. She highly recommends the Chocolate Cherry or Thai Peanut Sliders, and the famous fried pickles, a carryover from Short Leash. 'My mom was amazing and I just grew up with her in the kitchen all the time. I mean, she would make Beef Wellington for fun,' she recalled. Audrey, on the other hand, considers herself 'a chef of drinks,' and a foodie. 'Most people, you know, eat to live. I live to eat. I'm not gonna lie, I love food,' she joked. Title 9 offers a full alcohol and non-alcohol drinks menu with signature cocktails named after legendary female athletes. Try the Pat Summit Sour, Ledecky Lit, Taurasi Goat-Tail or Maher Mule. Even the proprietors get their own drinks – the Kickin' Kat Collins and the Coach A. Title 9 Sports Grill has ll the amenities of a usual sports bar, but goes beyond in concept, food ... More and drinks. The number of bars in the United States dedicated to showing women's sports is expected to quadruple this year, from six at the start of 2025 to about two dozen by the end of the year. Title 9 Sports Grill, however, stands alone in its inventive focus on food, family fun and inclusivity. Don't call it a 'women's bar.' It is, instead, a place where women athletes are celebrated and men, women, friends and families are all welcome. Women's and men's collegiate and professional sports are aired, with a weekly television schedule posted on the website. It's a distinction that Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes noted at the Grand Opening. Fontes, who attended with his wife and kids, expressed appreciation for Title 9's inclusive nature. 'You don't have to be a woman to come,' said the father of three girls. 'I'm here with my family today. We're having a great time. You know, the environment is lively, the food's good, the drinks are delicious. And there's no reason why everybody shouldn't feel welcome in a place that celebrates women.' He added, 'This is a celebration of some of our society. You know, you don't shy away from a Mexican food joint if you're not Mexican, right? Why would you shy away from a woman's bar if you're not a woman?' Those are points that Kat and Audrey had in mind when creating Title 9. Said Kat, 'I just want people to come in with excitement and hope for the future, right? That little girls or boys can come in here and feel like they have a chance to be something great and do great things.' Audrey agreed, adding, 'I want them to be like, 'this is pretty cool.' I don't want it to feel like a regular sports bar. I want it to feel different. I want it to feel like Title 9 includes everybody, and that it's a place where everyone's welcome.' (L-R) Kat Moore and Audrey Corley are the happy proprietors of Title 9 Sports Grill. Behind them is ... More a poster explaining the history and importance of Title IX legislation. Title 9 Sports Grill is launching at an interesting time. It is impossible to celebrate the Grand Opening without also addressing assaults on the official Title IX legislation. Executive Order 14168 issued in January 2025 – Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government – narrowed the scope of Title IX, rescinding 2024 regulations regarding gender identity and sexual orientation that protected transgender students. The Order is based on the Administration's insistence on biological, binary sex identity recognizing only male and female, at birth and essentially eradicates protections for claims based on gender orientation/identity. And should the Department of Education, which enforces, investigates and processes Title IX claims be eliminated, the future of the milestone law is murky. While not wanting the venture into political waters, the owners couldn't help but address the issue. Said Audrey, 'It's very frustrating because we've come so far, to just get pushed back. It's frustrating on all levels, especially as women right now, we're still trying to thrive just to get slapped in the face and to get sent back.' Added Kat, 'I think we have to come together as women, and the more we start uniting, the better we'll be. And I feel like in this day and age, the fact that we care about people's sex or who they love or who they sleep with or who they marry or whatever is just absurd. It's so ridiculous.' Secretary Fontes was even more forceful in his response regarding the issue, saying, 'Civil rights is not pie. You don't serve it out in pieces, with somebody else getting more and you getting less. That zero-sum game mentality comes from a place of insecurity and privilege and it just betrays this ridiculous attitude.' He added, 'I'm not a fan of the politics of grievance. I'm a fan of the politics of hope. And so folks who want to take us backward, they're grieving the fact that other people are rising to be in a place where they can achieve, where their efforts can pay off just like everybody else.' The beginnings of a "medal ceiling" at Title 9 Sports Grill. It's undeniable that Title IX has had a positive impact on girls and women for the past 53 years. And while many who benefit from its protections are not even aware of the law's existence, Sister Lynn Winsor has been there from the beginning and can attest to the ways it changed the athletic landscape for girls. The 81-year old Sister is recognized on the Title 9 Sports Grill Arizona wall as a transformative leader who was instrumental in creating the athletic powerhouse that is Xavier College Preparatory today. As the athletic director of the private girls' Catholic high school, the 81-year old dynamo has been a fierce proponent of women in sports and athletics administration for over 50 years. Under her leadership, Xavier has amassed 158 state championships, including a record 39 state golf titles. Sister Lynn Winsor among some of the hundreds of trophies won by Xavier College Prep athletes. She recalled that when Title IX became law, nobody really paid attention or envisioned its potential. As one of the founders of the Arizona Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (AIAAA), and the executive board Girls Equity and Sports Committee, she evaluated schools for parity following the enactment of Title IX. One of her earliest memories was of a school that provided baseball with big dugouts and scoreboards, while girls' softball had no dugouts, no scoreboards, and just a broken-down wooden bench. 'That changed because we said if your school doesn't fix this, it will be a Title IX violation,' she said. 'Sometimes litigation is the way you have to go. Now the girls will go after them and there's no fear. In the old days, there was. But now it's perfectly fine. And the girls should do it. And their parents should, too. We've been promised equity,' she stated emphatically. Because of Title IX and advocates like Sister Lynn and others, more girls than ever are participating in sports at a young age. While girls comprised just 7% of high school athletes participating on varsity teams in 1972, that number grew to 42% in 2021. And the number of girls playing high school sports increased to a record-high 3.42 million in 2023-24. So, as Women's History Month comes to a close, Title 9 Sports Grill patrons will raise a glass to the continued pursuit of equity and recognition of women in sports. And perhaps they'll be watching the Women's NCAA Final Four championship telecast outdraw the Men's by four million viewers, like it did in 2024.
