Mark Walter, who co-owns the PWHL and the Los Angeles Dodgers, announced a pledge of $5.5 million to support the Women’s Sports Foundation’s $55 million capital campaign on Wednesday night.
Billie Jean King and almost 100 athletes marked the foundation’s 50th anniversary, which King started with a $5,000 donation.
Mark and Kimbra Walter received the Billie Jean King Leadership Award for their role in creating the Professional Women’s Hockey League.
“Women’s sports have really turned the corner and it’s never going to go back,” Walter stated. “Attendance, media rights, and franchise values are all skyrocketing.”
King worked with Walter to establish the PWHL, which will kick off its second season next month, featuring teams in Boston, Minnesota, New York, Montreal, Toronto, and Ottawa.
“Our sports teams, Guggenheim, and other companies are going to pledge $5.5 million,” Walter said, “to put our money where our mouth is.”
The 1999 U.S. women’s national soccer team received the Wilma Rudolph Courage Award for winning the World Cup in front of a record crowd of over 90,000 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.
“It wasn’t just about winning a World Cup,” said goalkeeper Briana Scurry, who accepted the award for her teammates. “It was about redefining the way people perceived women’s sports in this country.”
Lucinda Adams, 87, a member of the 1960 Olympic gold medal 4×100 relay team with Rudolph, joined the soccer players on stage at Cipriani Wall Street.
The 2024 WNBA rookie class was honored with the Next Gen Award, as Indiana’s Caitlin Clark and Chicago’s Angel Reese contributed to record attendance and TV ratings this summer.
The Women’s Sports Foundation offers travel and training grants, local sports programs, and mentoring for athletes and coaches. The foundation also celebrated King and her partner Ilana Kloss, who have long fought for equal pay and more investment in women’s sports.
