Game Changers: Christy Hedgpeth

Playfly Sporting activities

A long time following profitable the 1992 national championship as Stanford’s capturing guard, Christy Hedgpeth’s fingerprints are all around the altering facial area of women’s basketball and faculty athletics.

Soon after staying tapped as chief operating officer of the WNBA in 2019 — she experienced labored for the NBA’s staff internet marketing and company functions considering that 2014 — Hedgpeth led the league’s sweeping manufacturer transformation. She oversaw all small business features and led the long-time period development technique, supporting to spur its unparalleled earnings growth and amplified cultural relevance.

Hedgpeth is now fewer than a 12 months into her job as president of Playfly Sports Homes, the initially female president in the collegiate multimedia legal rights room. A dynamic college athletics surroundings undergoing seismic adjust is preferably suited for Hedgpeth, who oversees tactic and operations for all collegiate and statewide high school association multimedia rights partnerships.

“That seriously does inspire me,” Hedgpeth explained. “Of training course, the athlete in me, the competitor in me, I adore driving income. And to be what I imagine is a disrupter in the house — that’s pleasurable.”

She embraces the rapid-evolving title, impression and likeness era, introducing “Campus Solid Live” in which Michigan State soccer players and aspiring broadcasters hosted a 2nd-screen expertise all through the Spartans’ NCAA Tournament online games. And there is far more to come.

“As a former student athlete, that is motivating,” Hedgpeth said. “That is the form of corporation we want to be. It’s not just about us, it is about what we can do to enable our partners. And at any time we can provide opportunities straight to university student athletes, I get thrilled — you can explain to.” — Eric Prisbell

Christy Hedgpeth

President, Playfly Sports AttributesPlayfly Sports activities

Born: Fort Rucker, Ala.
Schooling: Stanford University, B.A., psychology Duke College, MBA

A lot more about Christy

Guilty pleasure: On-line purchasing — clothing, home décor, sports activities gear.
Guidance to my younger self: To consider on revenue/income-oriented roles earlier.
Year’s greatest obstacle: Not amazingly, navigating the complexity of NIL and its affect on virtually every part of the higher education and HS landscape.
My leadership design is motivated by … : The wonderful groups I had the fortune to be on all through my sports activities job.
I desire I’d acknowledged at my career’s start off: That a single working day in my job there would be a higher recognition on acquiring, recognizing and hiring ladies.
Information to a young person hunting to perform in sports activities company: Contemplate obtaining a non-athletics-connected advanced degree (e.g. MBA, J.D.) to distinguish you, boost your flexibility, and broaden your standpoint.
Transform I’d make connected to girls operating in sporting activities: I’d like to see women comprise at minimum 50% of entry-amount income roles to aid place them for profits and leadership roles in the foreseeable future.



Related posts