From Participation to Ownership: How Women in Sports Are Building the Next Generation of Wealth

As women athletes expand their influence beyond competition, ownership, leadership, and thoughtful financial planning are becoming important parts of building lasting wealth and legacy.

For generations, women in sports have been asked to focus primarily on participation: perform well, stay visible, earn the next opportunity, and prove that they belong.

Today, the conversation is expanding.

Women athletes are increasingly stepping into roles as owners, investors, executives, founders, advisors, and community leaders. They are not only helping shape the future of sports; they are also exploring how to convert visibility, income, relationships, and influence into long-term wealth.

That shift matters because an athletic career can be powerful, but it can also be temporary. Contracts change. Seasons end. Injuries happen. Public attention moves quickly. The goal is not simply to earn during a career. The goal is to build a financial foundation that can continue serving an athlete, her family, and her community over time.

The Movement From Talent to Ownership

Women athletes have always created value through their talent and discipline. The difference today is that more conversations are taking place around who participates in the value created around them.

Ownership may take several forms:

• Equity in a sports platform or business
• An investment in a team or franchise
• A stake in a company founded by the athlete
• Leadership within a league, club, or nonprofit
• Real estate ownership
• Intellectual property, media, or licensing rights
• Advisory or board-level opportunities

These pathways are not identical, and they do not carry the same level of risk or reward. They also require careful review by qualified financial, legal, and tax professionals.

Still, the broader movement is meaningful. Women are increasingly being recognized not just as performers, but as decision-makers and economic participants.

Project B Global as an Example of the Broader Conversation

Project B Global offers one example of how sports organizations are exploring new models of athlete participation and ownership.

Project B’s public website describes the platform as a 5X5 men’s and women’s elite basketball platform featuring a Global Grand Prix, a player-owned model, a social-native approach, and a circuit across six iconic cities. Its website also states that players are owners and shareholders participating in long-term value.

That model is worth watching because it reflects a larger question facing the sports industry:

What changes when athletes are invited to participate in ownership, rather than remaining connected only to short-term compensation?

The answer will depend on the structure, documentation, governance, financial performance, and individual agreements involved. Public descriptions should not be treated as a guarantee of compensation, participation, financial returns, or outcomes.

The larger point is the direction of the conversation. Women athletes are increasingly being considered as partners, stakeholders, and leaders. That visibility can influence how young athletes think about their careers: and how they prepare for life beyond the court, field, track, or competition floor.

Visibility Can Become Leverage: When It Is Managed Intentionally

Visibility is valuable, but visibility alone is not a wealth strategy.

An athlete may have strong social engagement, brand partnerships, media opportunities, or a loyal community. Those assets can create opportunities, but they need to be organized and protected.

A thoughtful strategy may include:

1. Clarifying the athlete’s personal and professional goals
2. Reviewing income sources and timing
3. Separating short-term spending from long-term planning
4. Establishing appropriate legal and business structures
5. Protecting privacy and personal security
6. Building relationships with trusted advisors
7. Creating a phased ownership plan

For some athletes, real estate may become one part of that broader plan.

A primary residence can provide stability during a relocation or career transition. A new construction home may offer modern design, energy-efficiency features, and a more streamlined ownership experience. A rental or investment property may support diversification, provided the numbers, management needs, financing, and risk are carefully evaluated.

Real estate is not a guarantee of wealth. It is one possible tool within a broader professional financial, legal, and tax plan.

The Three C’s: Credit, Capital, and Capacity

When I educate clients about real estate readiness, I often return to three foundational questions: credit, capital, and capacity.

1. Credit

Credit is more than a score. It can affect financing options, interest rates, insurance costs, and the ability to qualify for future opportunities.

Athletes may have income that is substantial but variable. They may receive compensation through contracts, endorsements, appearances, business activity, or multiple entities. That complexity makes documentation and professional guidance especially important.

Credit preparation may include reviewing reports, understanding obligations, addressing errors, and developing a strategy before a major purchase or relocation.

2. Capital

Capital includes more than the funds needed for a down payment.

An athlete may need to consider closing costs, reserves, taxes, insurance, furnishings, repairs, property management, and the possibility of uneven income. Capital planning should account for both the purchase and the ongoing responsibilities that follow.

A strong capital conversation asks:

• What funds are available now?
• What funds should remain liquid?
• What obligations are already committed?
• What future income is reasonably predictable?
• What level of financial flexibility is important to the athlete?

The objective is not to stretch to the maximum purchase price. The objective is to make a decision that supports the athlete’s larger life and career plan.

3. Capacity

Capacity refers to the ability to manage the responsibility of ownership.

That includes time, attention, emotional bandwidth, decision-making support, and operational resources. A professional athlete may travel frequently, relocate across markets, or have a demanding training and competition schedule. Owning property can be beneficial, but it also requires systems.

Capacity questions may include:

• Who will oversee the property when the athlete is traveling?
• Is professional management needed?
• How will maintenance and repairs be handled?
• Is the property aligned with the athlete’s expected time in the area?
• Would ownership support the current season of life?

Credit, capital, and capacity work together. A successful purchase is not only about qualifying. It is about owning in a way that remains manageable.

Relocation Requires More Than a List of Homes

For women athletes, relocation may happen quickly and involve multiple decision-makers. A move could be connected to a trade, a new contract, a coaching opportunity, a family need, or a transition into a new organization.

That process often includes more than identifying a property. It may involve:

• Coordinating with managers, agents, and advisors
• Understanding commute and training needs
• Protecting privacy and personal information
• Evaluating neighborhoods and future resale considerations
• Comparing renting with buying
• Planning for temporary housing
• Preparing for a transition between markets

This is where concierge-style guidance can create value. The athlete should be able to make informed decisions without feeling rushed or isolated.

At NBS Real Estate Group, our work is rooted in education, service, and relationship-driven guidance. Through our approach to strategic real estate support, we help clients think through the connection between where they live, how they move, and what they want their assets to support over time.

For athletes relocating to or from South Fulton County, GA, or the greater Atlanta metro area, the right plan may begin with a conversation rather than an immediate transaction.

Building a Legacy Beyond the Playing Years

Legacy is personal. For one athlete, it may mean purchasing a home for family. For another, it may mean creating rental income, supporting a foundation, investing in a business, or establishing a portfolio that provides flexibility after retirement.

The important step is to define legacy before choosing the asset.

Women athletes do not need to follow one prescribed path. They do need access to clear education, qualified professionals, honest conversations, and a team that respects both their current success and their future goals.

As women continue moving from participation toward ownership, the opportunity is not only to build wealth individually. It is also to create new examples of leadership for the next generation.

My role is to be an informed advocate and a potential resource for female athletes and the trusted advisors around them. As your new construction and relocation Bestie, I believe every athlete deserves a plan that considers the whole picture: home, privacy, mobility, liquidity, relationships, and long-term legacy.

If you are an athlete, manager, agent, financial advisor, attorney, family office professional, or another trusted gatekeeper supporting a female athlete, I welcome an educational conversation about how real estate may fit into a larger transition or legacy plan. Connect with NBS Real Estate Group at 470-458-0731, [email protected], or www.nbsrealestategroup.com.

This article is for educational purposes only and is not tax, legal, lending, financial, investment, or professional sports advice. Readers should consult qualified professionals regarding their individual circumstances.

I am not a financial or wealth advisor. Information shared regarding real estate investing and wealth building is for educational purposes only. Consult with qualified financial, tax, and legal professionals regarding your individual investment strategy.

Nikki Blakely-Simmons, REALTOR®, CLHMS, CRP, NCREA | Your New Construction & Relocation Bestie | NBS Real Estate Group | (470) 458-0731 | [email protected]