– Lawler is the Latest Sports Industry Titan
to Join Unrivaled, Following the Announcement of a Star-Studded
Investor Group Including Alex Morgan, Megan
Rapinoe, Carmelo Anthony,
Steve Nash, Gary Vaynerchuck,
Ann Sarnoff, John Skipper, and David
Levy –
– The League's Inaugural Season Will Tip-Off
in Miami in January –
NEW
YORK, June 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today,
professional women's basketball
league Unrivaled announced the latest sports
executive to join the star-studded lineup of supporters with the
appointment of Micky Lawler
as Commissioner of the league.
The seasoned executive has been a champion for gender equity in
sports and brings more than 30 years of experience propelling
women's sports forward and empowering female athletes. In this
role, Lawler will oversee and manage day-to-day operations for
Unrivaled including launching the league in January,
driving direction and strategy, leading partnership
initiatives, overseeing all revenue verticals, and being a
voice to the athletes.
"During a time of unprecedented excitement around
women's sports, I am humbled to be named as the inaugural
Commissioner of Unrivaled," said Lawler. "We're creating an
innovative professional basketball league that highlights the
extraordinary athleticism and talent of the best players in
the world. From the co-founders to the investors and dedicated
staff, everyone at Unrivaled is committed to engaging with fans and
amplifying the upward trajectory of women's basketball."
Lawler joins Unrivaled following nearly a decade of leading the
Women's Tennis Association (WTA) as its President, and a lifetime
dedicated to growing the platform of women's professional sports.
During Lawler's tenure, the WTA broke records across sponsorship,
media and international investment in the sport. She is also
credited with creating next-level opportunities for players she
managed during her 27-year tenure at Octagon and with expanding the
game globally.
Most recently, Lawler, in close collaboration with the ATP and
the Grand Slams, was instrumental in developing the
Netflix tennis docuseries "Break Point," directed and produced by
Box To Box.
Alongside the late Jerry West,
Bob Bowlsby, Al Michaels and Vivian
Stringer, Lawler was named a 2023 Sports Business
Journal Champion. She was also among Forbes' 50 over 50 most
notable women of 2023 for her accomplishments with the Hologic WTA
Tour.
"Micky's experience bringing women's sports to new heights will
be invaluable as we prepare to launch Unrivaled this winter," said
Alex Bazzell, Unrivaled
President. "She has exceptional industry experience and a passion
for innovation in women's sports, which will be invaluable to both
Unrivaled and its athletes. We are thrilled to have Micky on board
to lead this league into its debut season and beyond."
Unrivaled will officially tip off its inaugural season in
January 2025. Follow
unrivaled.basketball and @UnrivaledBasketball for more news
and announcements slated to come ahead of the debut season.
Media Contact:
Berk Communications (Unrivaled) –
unrivaled@berkcommunications.com
About Unrivaled:
Unrivaled is a professional women's
basketball league innovating the women's professional sports
landscape with a groundbreaking model centered on investing in its
athletes. Co-Founded by Breanna
Stewart and Napheesa Collier, Unrivaled is player-owned,
providing participating players equity opportunities for a vested
interest in the league's success. Launching in January 2025, Unrivaled will feature 30 of the
current top women's basketball stars in the world across six teams
for a 3-on-3, compressed full court style of play. To learn more,
visit unrivaled.basketball or contact info@unrivaled.com.
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SOURCE Unrivaled