Financial intelligence in sports has become an important topic in the sports industry. It has particularly gained relevance for female athletes, as they often receive lower salaries for their athletic performances compared to their male counterparts. It is therefore of great importance for women in the sports industry to keep track of their finances and establish long-term financial plans.
Fortunately, there are more and more women in sports who are addressing this issue and serving as good examples. In this article, we highlight three inspiring role models who exemplify financial intelligence for women in sports:
Serena Williams 🎾 As one of the most successful tennis players of all time, Serena Williams has long been impressive on the court. However, after her retirement, she has continued to make an impact off the tennis court, particularly in the world of finance. In 2014, she founded her own investment firm called Serena Ventures, which invests in various early-stage companies. The world-class athlete has a particular focus on supporting female and minority founders. Her portfolio includes nearly 60 innovative startups in the sports, Web3, fintech, climate tech, and social sectors. Just last year, she launched a new fund through Serena Ventures, raising $111 million in capital.
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Inka Grings ⚽️ "With all due respect, why should only men have big ideas?" - this statement comes from the woman who is currently shaking up the male-dominated world of coaching. In Germany, former national football player Inka Grings is a role model for financial intelligence in sports. Grings played for various clubs during her active career and early on engaged with the topic of finance. After her career, she established herself as a coach and football expert. She became the first woman in German football to coach a men's team in the regional league. Currently, she is the coach of the Swiss women's national football team. In addition to her sporting career, the European champion of 2005 and 2009 is also involved in the startup scene. Alongside her sister, she runs her own football academy and is active as an investor.
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The investors at FC Viktoria Berlin women's football club ⚽️ Last year, six women decided to take over a mid-tier club. The group includes former national football player and current coach Ariane Hingst. Following the principles of a startup investment, the team aims to develop into a successful business case with a clear mission: gender equality in sports. The founding team takes inspiration from the Angel City FC in the USA and brings on board over 80 investors in total. Among them are numerous celebrities such as Carolin Kebekus, Nikeata Thompson, and Dunja Hayali, as well as some professional athletes like former skier Maria Höfl-Riesch and former swimmer Franziska von Almsick. "It is time for women to become more involved and contribute. We don't need quotas for that. At Viktoria Berlin, we achieve it through unity, empathy, and networking," said Ariane Hingst about the project. "I found it a unique opportunity to be part of six women coming together with so many ideas." It will be exciting to see how the project develops in the future.
The three examples mentioned are inspiring role models for financial intelligence in women's sports. They recognized early on the importance of taking care of their finances and made wise investments with their money. But not only that, they also shared their knowledge and experiences and engaged as entrepreneurs and investors. This shows that financial intelligence is not only important in sports, but also in life in general.
If you are a professional athlete and want to take control of your financial education and connect with like-minded women, Athlete Capital is here to help! Sign up for our platform for free and become part of our community!
References: Süddeutsche, Süddeutsche , Serena Ventures, OMR, Tagesanzeiger
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