The Business of Women's Sports: Made for Her: Sports Facilities

Wednesday, July 8 | 12:30 PM ET

The Business of Women's Sports

Made for Her: Sports Facilities

Purpose‑built stadiums, dedicated training centers, and upgraded shared venues are becoming central to the continued growth of women’s sports — reshaping player experience, fan engagement, and commercial opportunity. As more organizations invest in facilities designed specifically for women’s teams, questions around ownership models, public vs. private funding, and return on investment come into sharper focus. This SBJ Live episode will explore how the strategy is evolving — and why infrastructure is now a critical lever in the business of women’s sports.

What We Will Discuss:

• The rise of purpose‑built venues and training facilities in women’s sports
• How facilities impact player recruitment, retention, and performance
• New revenue streams tied to sponsorship, premium seating, and community use
• What cities, owners, and leagues are learning from recent facility investments

Who Should Attend:

• Team and league executives overseeing facilities and operations
• Venue owners, operators, and developers
• Brand and sponsorship leaders evaluating on‑site integrations
• City officials, investors, and agency partners

Featured Speakers (Additional to be Announced)

Kelly Krauskopf, who shaped the Indiana Fever into one of the WNBA’s winningest franchises as President and General Manager, returned to the team ahead of the 2025 WNBA season as Team President. Krauskopf led the franchise from 2000 until 2018, before leaving to become the Pacers’ Assistant General Manager and the first woman in league history to hold an executive basketball management role. 

One of the most respected executives in basketball, Krauskopf’s career in leadership at the collegiate, NBA, WNBA, and Olympic levels spans more than 35 years. In 1996, she was named the WNBA’s first Director of Basketball Operations, helping craft the rules, scheduling, and officiating policies for the league as it prepared to launch its inaugural season. She joined the Fever in 2000 prior to the team’s first year, and under her leadership the franchise became one of the WNBA’s most successful. Krauskopf’s Fever made the postseason 13 times and played in three WNBA Finals in seven years, including capturing the 2012 WNBA Championship with Head Coach Lin Dunn leading Naismith Hall of Famer Tamika Catchings and a talented roster to the title. 

Krauskopf broke a significant barrier when she joined the Pacers’ basketball leadership as Assistant General Manager in 2018, with no woman having ever served in an NBA basketball leadership role. Her adeptness at managing personnel and operations and her ability to evaluate on-court talent have made her a critical part of the Pacers’ recent success, skills that are invaluable as both the Fever and the WNBA enter a new era of prominence and growth. 

For much of the last two decades, Krauskopf has also had a hand in the success of the USA Olympic Women’s Basketball program. She was a member of the Women’s Senior Basketball Team Committee for the 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016 Olympic Games, helping choose the powerhouse American teams that would go on to capture the Gold those years. 

Krauskopf played collegiately at Stephen F. Austin under Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame Coach Sue Gunter before transferring to Texas A&M, where she started her junior and senior seasons. After graduating, she served as Assistant Athletic Director at Texas A&M before joining the Southwest Conference (currently the Big 12) as Assistant Commissioner and in 2013, she was recognized as an “SEC Legend” by the Southeastern Conference. 

Registration is free. All registrants will receive a recording of the webinar following the event.

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