Women's Sports Business
Build expertise in the business of women’s sports
Women’s sports are growing, creating opportunities in marketing, sponsorships, team operations, and leadership. At Simmons, we bring the business of sports into focus through the lens of professional women’s athletics.
Our minor in Women’s Sports Business explores foundational business principles driving growth, including marketing, sports management, and revenue generation. You’ll explore how professional teams build audiences, develop partnerships, and grow revenue. You’ll also examine the barriers that continue to shape the industry.
We connect classroom learning with real-world applications. Our program is open to everyone and complements areas including business, economics, health sciences, or the humanities. The minor is open to students of all gender identities who want to advance women’s sports.
We also offer an MS in Management: Business and Leadership in Women’s Sports Concentration and a graduate certificate in women’s sports business.
Careers in Women’s Sports
The Women’s Sports Business minor can complement a wide range of undergraduate majors and career interests. With a foundation in sports business and marketing, you can explore roles such as:
- Manager of Team Operations
- Social Media Manager
- Director of Marketing
- Integrated Marketing Manager
- Manager, Corporate Partnership Development
Boston Opportunities
At Simmons, we connect your academic experience with professional opportunities around you. Boston’s sports industry offers a valuable setting to explore the business and management of women’s sports.
Our connections create opportunities to engage with industry leaders, explore partnerships, and learn how organizations grow their businesses. You'll learn how professional teams build audiences, secure sponsorships, and expand the reach of women’s athletics.
Spotlight on Business and Management Students and Alums
New Graduate Programs Featured in Insight into Academia
Insight into Academia, a publication that covers innovation in higher education, discussed Simmons’ new graduate programs: the MS in Management: Business and Leadership in Women’s Sports Concentration and the Graduate Certificate in Women’s Sports Business.
The Community Benefit of a ‘Third Space’
In addition to their full-time careers in the corporate world, Simmons School of Management graduates Kayla (Humel) Gates ’18 and Steph DeFina ’17 launched Ludlow Coffee Co., a coffee shop that offers community events, partnerships with other independent businesses, and fundraisers for local nonprofits.
Making History in Women's Pro Baseball
Beth Greenwood knows what it means to make history. This August, she'll take the field as a catcher for the Boston Hunters in the Women's Pro Baseball League (WPBL), helping launch the first US professional women's baseball league in more than 70 years.
Simmons Leads the Way in Women’s Sports Management
Simmons Reunion 2026 featured a panel discussion about the first-ever Master of Science in Management: Business and Leadership in Women’s Sports concentration, with Professor of Practice Justine Pouravelis, Director of Athletics & Recreation Erica Schuling ’13MS, ’18MEd, and Simmons athlete and finance major Lauren Krupnikoff ’27.
Building Confidence to Lead in Online Degree Program
Simmons’ online degree completion program gave Rashida Alisha Hagakore ‘24 more than a degree in business — it transformed her career trajectory. Gaining confidence, leadership skills, and a new professional identity, she advanced into a supervisory role and now approaches her work with clarity, strategy, and purpose.
Communications Alumna Finds Her Place in the Sports Industry
Laura Doran ’09 has made her career in sports. Now a member of the Advisory Board for the business and leadership in women’s sports concentration, Doran shares how Simmons can prepare students to enter this growing field.
Industry Leaders Discuss Women’s Sports Era
The Simmons School of Management (SOM) recently held a virtual panel to discuss the rise of women’s sports and new career pathways in the industry. Attended by prospective graduate students, the panel included four industry leaders in the business of women’s sports and was moderated by media executive and Professor of Practice Justine Pouravelis.
Honing Strategy and Leadership in the Classroom and Beyond
Christina Rahhal ’26 is a business and management major in the Simmons Online Degree Completion Program. She reflects on some of her favorite courses, and how her experience translated into career advancement and personal growth.