Deloitte Teams Up With Billie Jean King to Build the Next Generation of Women’s Sports Leaders
The Deloitte Billie Jean King partnership is drawing attention as women’s sports continue to become a bigger commercial and cultural force. Deloitte has teamed up with tennis legend and longtime women’s sports advocate Billie Jean King to strengthen leadership pathways, infrastructure and opportunities across the women’s sports ecosystem.
The partnership was announced on September 1, 2026, at the Power of Women’s Sports Summit in New York City by Billie Jean King and Lara Abrash, chair of Deloitte US. The initiative is expected to roll out through a series of programs and projects over the coming year.
Deloitte Billie Jean King Partnership Targets Long-Term Growth
The Deloitte Billie Jean King collaboration comes at a time when women’s sports are experiencing significant commercial growth.
Deloitte estimates that global revenue from women’s sports could reach at least $3 billion in 2026. Commercial revenue is expected to remain the biggest contributor, supported by increasing interest from sponsors, broadcasters and other businesses.
However, the growth of the sports market has also highlighted gaps in the infrastructure supporting female athletes, coaches and business leaders.
The new partnership aims to address some of these challenges by focusing on leadership development, coaching, sports science and the business systems needed to support sustainable growth.
Three Major Areas of Focus
The Deloitte Billie Jean King partnership will focus on several areas across the women’s sports ecosystem.
One major priority is developing leaders through sport. The initiative will explore how skills developed through athletic competition can help women transition into leadership roles in business and other professional fields.
Another focus is strengthening the business infrastructure behind women’s sports. This includes creating stronger systems and opportunities that can help the industry develop commercially.
The partnership will also work to connect athletes, organizations, businesses and other stakeholders, creating opportunities for collaboration across the growing women’s sports marketplace.
From Athletes to Business Leaders
A major idea behind the partnership is that sports can play an important role in developing future business leaders.
Deloitte has previously found that 85% of women who played sports said the skills they developed through sports were important to their career success. Among women already in leadership positions, the figure rose to 91%.
Skills such as teamwork, resilience, communication, decision-making and handling pressure can be valuable well beyond an athlete’s competitive career.
The partnership aims to help more women recognize and use those skills in professional and leadership environments.
Coaching and Sports Science Also in Focus
The initiative is not limited to athletes.
Deloitte and Billie Jean King also plan to support the wider infrastructure around women’s sports, including coaching and sports science.
Research remains a major area where women’s sports have historically received less attention. Deloitte has highlighted that only around 6% of sports research has focused on women.
Increasing research and data around female athletes could help improve performance, training and the overall understanding of women’s health and athletic development.
Billie Jean King’s Long History of Supporting Women
For Billie Jean King, the new collaboration builds on decades of work promoting equality and opportunity in sports.
King has played a major role in expanding opportunities for women in athletics and has continued that work through advocacy, investment and business initiatives.
Through Billie Jean King Enterprises, she has supported businesses and sports properties while working to create greater opportunities for women across the sports industry.
Her involvement gives the new Deloitte partnership a strong connection to both the sporting and business sides of the women’s sports movement.
Women’s Sports Becoming a Bigger Business Opportunity
The Deloitte Billie Jean King partnership also reflects a broader change in how companies view women’s sports.
Women’s leagues, competitions and athletes are attracting larger audiences, more sponsorship interest and increased media attention.
Deloitte has also encouraged companies to increase their investment in women’s sports through initiatives such as the Athena Pledge. The company has noted that less than 10% of brands’ total sports media investment goes toward women’s sports.
As the market grows, businesses are increasingly looking at women’s sports not simply as a sponsorship opportunity but as a long-term commercial sector.
The Leadership Pipeline Remains a Challenge
One of the biggest issues facing women’s sports is the development of a strong leadership pipeline.
Deloitte has highlighted that girls leave organized sports at nearly twice the rate of boys. The decline in participation can have long-term consequences because sports often provide early opportunities to develop leadership, confidence and teamwork skills.
The coaching pipeline is another concern, with the representation of women coaches having declined significantly over the decades.
Keeping more girls and women involved in sports could therefore help create future athletes, coaches, executives, entrepreneurs and business leaders.
What the Partnership Could Mean for Women’s Sports
The importance of the Deloitte Billie Jean King partnership goes beyond individual programs.
If successful, the collaboration could create stronger connections between athletics, entrepreneurship and corporate leadership.
It could also encourage companies to invest in women’s sports as a complete ecosystem that requires funding for athletes, infrastructure, research, leadership and commercial development.
For athletes, stronger leadership programs could create additional career opportunities during and after their sporting careers.
For businesses, the growth of women’s sports could create opportunities across media, technology, sponsorship, sports science, entertainment and fan engagement.
More Initiatives Expected Over the Coming Year
Deloitte and Billie Jean King are expected to introduce additional initiatives over the next year.
The planned work includes areas such as research, youth leadership programming, athlete perspectives, coach development and wider connections across the women’s sports industry.
The organizations are expected to provide more details as individual initiatives are launched.
Key Takeaway
The Deloitte Billie Jean King partnership represents a broader effort to strengthen the business and leadership infrastructure behind women’s sports.
With global women’s sports revenue expected to reach at least $3 billion in 2026, attention is increasingly shifting toward building sustainable systems that can support the sector’s long-term growth.
By combining Deloitte’s business expertise with Billie Jean King’s decades of advocacy and investment in women’s sports, the partnership aims to develop future leaders, strengthen infrastructure and create new opportunities across the industry.
FAQs
1. What is the Deloitte Billie Jean King partnership?
It is a collaboration between Deloitte and Billie Jean King focused on strengthening leadership, infrastructure and business opportunities across women’s sports.
2. When was the Deloitte Billie Jean King partnership announced?
The partnership was announced on September 1, 2026, at the Power of Women’s Sports Summit in New York City.
3. What is the main goal of the partnership?
The goal is to support the long-term development of women’s sports by strengthening leadership pathways, infrastructure, coaching, research and business opportunities.
4. Will the partnership support female entrepreneurs?
The broader initiative focuses on building the women’s sports ecosystem and leadership pipeline. It also connects the sports industry with wider business and commercial opportunities.
5. How much could women’s sports generate in 2026?
Deloitte estimates that global women’s sports revenue could reach at least $3 billion in 2026.
6. Who is Billie Jean King?
Billie Jean King is a former world No. 1 tennis player and a prominent advocate for gender equality and greater opportunities for women in sports.
7. What areas will Deloitte and Billie Jean King focus on?
The partnership will focus on leadership development, business infrastructure, coaching, sports science, research and connections across the women’s sports marketplace.
8. Why is sports science important for women’s sports?
Women’s sports have historically received less sports research. Deloitte has highlighted that only around 6% of sports research has focused on women.
9. Does Billie Jean King already invest in women’s sports?
Yes. Through Billie Jean King Enterprises and other initiatives, King has supported businesses, sports properties and ventures aimed at expanding opportunities for women.
10. Why is the Deloitte Billie Jean King partnership important?
The partnership comes as women’s sports continue to grow commercially. Its focus on leadership, infrastructure and investment could help build a stronger foundation for the industry’s future.
