26 Black Women Running The Sports Business
Black women aren’t just playing the game, but they’re redefining it. Check out 26 Black women running the sports business. The post 26 Black Women Running The Sports Business appeared first on MadameNoire.
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UPDATE — Friday, August 28, 2026, 2:17 p.m. EST:
Black women in professional sports aren’t just playing the game, but they’re redefining it. From locker rooms to boardrooms, from negotiating history-making contracts to coaching championship teams, these women are breaking barriers and setting new standards. New Padres owner Kwanza Jones knows this all too well. Check out 26 Black women running the sports business and culture right now.
When it comes to power, influence, and shifting culture in sports, Black women are at the center of the conversation. They are no longer on the sidelines; they are breaking barriers as agents, executives, coaches, investors, and world-class athletes. From negotiating billion-dollar deals to shaping the future of leagues, these women are proof that Black women are redefining what leadership in sports looks like.
According to 10 News, Jones and her husband Jose E. Feliciano were introduced as the San Diego Padres’ new owners in an hour-long news conference at Petco Park. For Jones, this is an exceptional feat as she just became the first Black woman majority owner of an MLB team with their $3.9 billion San Diego Padres deal according to Yahoo Sports.
Take Nicole Lynn, for example. The NFL powerhouse agent made headlines after negotiating Jalen Hurts’ historic $255 million contract with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2023, making him the highest-paid player in the league at the time. Then there’s Swin Cash, a three-time WNBA champion turned New Orleans Pelicans executive, whose impact in basketball operations proves that championship grit translates off the court.
Several successful Black women are making a significant impact in the sports world. On the coaching side, Dawn Staley, head coach of the University of South Carolina women’s basketball team, has become a legend not only for her championship wins but also for speaking out on equity in pay and opportunities for women in coaching.
Players are also using their voices and platforms to extend beyond the game. Serena Williams has transitioned into an investor and entrepreneur, utilizing Serena Ventures to support women- and minority-owned businesses. Meanwhile, her sister Venus Williams has championed equal pay and continues to lead conversations about equity in tennis and beyond.
These women in professional sports prove that Black excellence in sports isn’t limited to the field or court. Instead, it’s in the contracts, the boardrooms, and the culture.
Check out our list of the 25 women running the sports business below:
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