PODCAST: Jess Smith (@GameTimeJess), President of the WNBA’s Golden State Valkyries joins Sports Business Radio. The WNBA expansion franchise begins play at the Chase Center in San Francisco for the 2025 WNBA season. Smith was named to the Sports Business Journal’s 40 under 40 list in 2023 and has worked in the NWSL, MLB, NHL and MLS previously. In this conversation, Smith discusses the timeline between now and the start of team’s inaugural season in 2025, the record-setting number of season ticket deposits for the Valkyries (20,000 and counting), the explosive growth of the WNBA and how her experience building expansion franchise Angel City FC of the NWSL has helped her with building the Valkyries. Smith also discusses working with Golden State Valkyries owners Joe Lacob and Peter Guber, who have championship DNA with the NBA’s Golden State Warriors.
In our sports business headlines of the week, we discuss the licensing deal between TNT’s popular “Inside the NBA” and ESPN, the numbers from the Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson event on Netflix and the Tampa Bay Rays moving to Steinbrenner Field for the 2025 MLB season.
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This week’s edition of Sports Business Radio is presented by Morgan Stanley Global Sports & Entertainment - the Exclusive Financial Partner of Sports Business Radio.
Morgan Stanley Global Sports & Entertainment, celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2024, is a division of Morgan Stanley Wealth Management dedicated to serving the unique and sophisticated needs of elite and professional athletes, entertainers, executives, creators, and other top talent and professionals in the sports and entertainment industry. Visit morganstanley.com/gse to learn more.
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