Of course, we knew Serena Williams had to make the list. Remember, she became the highest-earning female athlete this year. But we were surprised to hear that there were more black women serving as power players in the professional sports world—a few even occupying positions in the male sports. See the list from NBC BLCK below:
1. Serena Williams
This year, the 35 year-old tennis star became the highest-paid female athlete according to Forbes. Williams continues to dominate, as she enters the second round of Wimbledon 2016.
Off the court, she can be seen in Beyonce’s music video “Sorry,” from her newest visual album “Lemonade” and in the documentary “Serena: The Other Side of Greatness,” portraying many sides of her life surrounding the near clinch of the Grand Slam in 2015. Williams and her sister Venus Williams have a stake in the Miami Dolphins, making them the first female African-Americans to hold an ownership stake in a NFL franchise.
2. Katrina Adams, CEO/President of the U.S. Tennis Association
Adams, a former tennis player herself, became the first professional player, the first African American, and the youngest person to serve as the president of the United States Tennis Association. She recognizes the influence the Williams sisters have had in encouraging African-Americans to pursue tennis, and plans to implement more programming for minorities.
She told the New York Times, “It goes to show you that if there’s someone out there that looks like you that you can see and hear, it kind of motivates you.”
3. Lisa Borders, President of the WNBA
Before Borders was appointed as president of the WNBA this year, she served as an executive with Coca Cola, holding positions as Chair of The Coca-Cola Foundation and Vice President, Global Community Affairs. She’s no stranger to the WNBA, in 2008 as vice mayor of Atlanta and president of the city council, she brought the Atlanta Dream to the city.
Borders enters this presidency on the heels of the most poorly attended season in the league’s history. As Borders leads the league into its 20th year of existence, she hopes to capitalize on “The athleticism of the game and the sportsmanship exhibited between teams” to grow women’s basketball.
Read the rest of the list over at NBC BLCK.
BMWK, were you surprised by any names on the list?