Purpose Pavilion • POSSIBLE 2025
The Rise of Women’s Sports and the Opportunity for Brands
Alexis Ohanian, Founder & General Partner, Seven Seven Six
Tara Davis-Woodhall, Olympic Gold Medalist, Team USA
At POSSIBLE 2025 in Miami, Alexis Ohanian and Tara Davis-Woodhall made a compelling case for why marketers should stop sleeping on women’s sports—and start treating athletes like the content powerhouses they are.
This session was a rallying cry for every brand that wants in on the future of sports marketing. Alexis Ohanian and Tara Davis-Woodhall hit the stage in Miami to unpack the ROI of investing in women athletes—and how creators like Tara are rewriting the rules of influence, one post at a time.
Ohanian, an investor in women’s sports and the architect behind Athlos, called out the broken visibility model: “The ROI of investing in women athletes… the influence, the community—it’s rare to find.” His solution? Build better stages and give the spotlight to the talent driving cultural relevance.
Tara brought the athlete’s perspective, sharing how she and husband Hunter Woodhall have turned training into content and followers into fans. “We love making content… we get to humanize ourselves a little bit and get connected with our fans,” she said. Their recent Nike deal even includes a rare co-branded uniform slot—something she teased as open real estate for savvy marketers.
The headline moment? Athlos New York 2025 will officially feature field events, with Davis-Woodhall front and center. The message was clear: marketers who want to lead culture shouldn’t wait four years for the Olympics to show up.
Key Insights for Marketing & Advertising Professionals:
#1
Athletes are Now Full-Scale Media Brands
Tara Davis-Woodhall exemplifies how elite athletes are leveraging content to build direct-to-fan ecosystems. For marketers, this means partnerships with talent who bring both cultural cachet and owned distribution channels.
#2
The Visibility Gap is a Brand Opportunity
Outside of Olympic years, sports like track and field struggle for airtime—but digital storytelling fills that void. Brands that show up in the “off-season” earn outsized loyalty and first-mover equity.
#3
Social Media is the Modern Broadcast Booth
Athletes like Tara are turning platforms into stages, reaching million without relying on legacy media. For advertisers, this unlocks high-engagement placements driven by authenticity, not algorithms.
#4
Storytelling isn’t a Nice-to-Have, It’s the Differentiator
Tara’s success isn’t just her jump distance, it’s how she brings fans into the journey. Audiences don’t just want results – they want access, relatability, and a reason to root for the person, not just the win.
#5
Sponsorship Models are Evolving
The inclusion of co-branded uniform space in Tara and Hunter’s Nike deal signals a shift in how brands can integrate. This kind of bespoke, narrative-driven inventory is the future of athlete partnerships.
2025 Speaker Highlight
Alexis Ohanian
