Haley Rosen on Building 'Just Women's Sports' into a Business

The Genesis of Just Women's Sports

• 💡 Haley Rosen founded "Just Women's Sports" (JWS) after realizing the lack of dedicated sports coverage for women's athletics, stemming from her own experience as a former professional soccer player.
• ⚽ The "tip of the spear" for the idea was the growing energy and momentum around women's sports, particularly evident before the 2019 World Cup, with increasing attendance and fan engagement.
• 📱 Frustrated by the absence of highlights, stats, and genuine sports content, Rosen started posting on an Instagram handle called "Just Women's Sports," which quickly gained traction.

Building a Business and Raising Capital

• 🚀 Rosen recognized the business opportunity early on, seeing a gap in the market that wasn't being adequately filled by existing media.
• 💰 The initial seed funding of $400,000, secured from an early-stage investor while Rosen was still working in tech, was crucial for establishing the business infrastructure and team.
• 📈 Later funding rounds proved more challenging, as investors were hesitant to take women's sports seriously, often viewing it as a charity rather than a viable business, despite growing metrics and engagement.

The Current Landscape of Women's Sports

• 📈 Valuations for women's sports franchises, like expansion teams in the WNBA going for $250 million, indicate a significant shift and rapid growth in the industry.
• 🤝 The conversation has changed dramatically over the last year, with brands now investing in women's sports from their sports marketing budgets, a major unlock for the sector.
• 🗣️ Rosen emphasizes that women's sports fans are simply sports fans and consume content similarly, with a key differentiator being their youth (80% under 34) and digital-first consumption habits.

Content Strategy and Revenue Generation

• 🎯 JWS aims to provide authentic, honest, and critical sports coverage, moving away from a charity-like narrative to one that reflects genuine fan engagement, including debates and critiques.
• 💰 Revenue is primarily generated through a sponsorship model, working with brands for ads and sponsorships, mirroring traditional sports media revenue streams.
• 📰 Key content pillars include providing essential news and service to fans, making it easy to follow trades and standings, and driving cultural dialogue through engaging public conversations.

The Urgency of the Moment

• ⏳ Rosen stresses the need for "incredible urgency" within the industry to capitalize on the current momentum and build a sustainable ecosystem for women's sports.
• 🏗️ The focus must be on building the industry from the ground up, starting with media, to create fan experiences online and in digital spaces.
• 📈 Opportunities exist in commerce, betting, and fantasy sports, which are well-established for men's sports but need to be developed for women's sports to ensure its long-term success and position it as big business.