Washington Spirit CEO Kim Stone on the path to profitability in the NWSL

·24 min·2 clips

Washington Spirit CEO Kim Stone discusses the $2 million deal for Trinity Rodman and the club's path to profitability.

The episode features an interview with Washington Spirit CEO Kim Stone, recorded at SportsPro New York. Host Sam Cart introduces the context of Trinity Rodman's record contract extension and the NWSL's new high-impact player rule. Stone explains her transition from over 20 years in the NBA to women's soccer, citing owner Michelle Kang's vision and the rising interest in women's sports. She discusses the Spirit's $196 million valuation, attributing it to supply-demand dynamics and specific revenue growth metrics including 70% season ticket growth and 50% increases in corporate partnerships. Stone outlines her strategic pivot from focusing on ticket sales to driving corporate partnership growth, noting the team has sold all kit sponsorship inventory. She describes the challenge of finding land for a practice facility in the DMV area where land values are high. Stone quantifies Trinity Rodman's marketability, explaining how her cross-cultural appeal in fashion and beyond drives business results. She analyzes the high-impact player rule's purpose in retaining marketable stars who drive business metrics beyond on-field performance. Stone comments on NWSL expansion, noting the need to balance growth with maintaining talent quality as the league adds teams. She reveals the Spirit's goal of achieving profitability within three years under owner Michelle Kang's direction. Stone outlines long-term ambitions including building a practice facility, gaining stadium control, and leveraging upcoming World Cups and Olympics. The episode concludes with host reflections and podcast promotions.

As heard by us

A clear look at how an NWSL club turns star power into commercial leverage.

The SportsPro Podcast uses Kim Stone's visit to track the Washington Spirit's commercial outlook after Trinity Rodman's record extension, reported at $2 million a year, and the NWSL's new high-impact player rule.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

How the Washington Spirit turn Trinity Rodman's star power into commercial leverage.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from SportsPro Podcast