Power Play 12: The Sports Leadership Equity Pipeline Is the Power

POWER. PERFORMANCE. POLITICS.

Power Play 12: The Pipeline Is the Power

Metaphorical Truth: If you do not build the path for equity, the gate will always stay closed.

Opening Story (Hook)

A sports organization without diverse leadership is like a championship team that only practices one play. It may work occasionally, but eventually the competition catches on—and exposes the gaps. Even with Title IX, high-profile pay equity cases, and increased media coverage for women’s sports, the reality is that the system is still built on foundations designed without women in mind.

In the Boardroom – Executives

For executives, equity work is not a side project; it is a competitive advantage. The Leadership Lessons of Steve Jobs reminds us that the most powerful leaders simplify their focus to the few priorities that matter most. For gender equity in sport, that focus should be on leadership pipelines—identifying, developing, and promoting qualified women into decision-making roles. This requires transparent metrics, pay equity audits, and accountability systems that make progress measurable. When leaders treat equity as a brand pillar rather than a PR opportunity, the organization’s reputation, recruitment, and retention all strengthen.

In the Office – Athletic Directors

Athletic Directors live in the tension between vision and resource constraints. Coaching for Equity (Aguilar, 2020) warns that inequities persist because of “patterns of exclusion” baked into hiring, promotion, and evaluation. For ADs, this often appears in informal hiring networks that consistently cycle opportunities back to the same demographic profile. To break the cycle, ADs must widen candidate pools, invest in leadership training for women, and evaluate coaches and staff through criteria that value relationship-building, program culture, and long-term athlete development—not just short-term wins.

On the Sideline – Coaches

Coaches set the tone for inclusivity. The Five Dysfunctions of a Team (Lencioni, 2002) notes that the absence of trust and accountability destroys culture from within. For coaches, this means calling out inequities in resources, scheduling, and facilities—and ensuring that their athletes, regardless of gender, receive equitable preparation opportunities. The most respected coaches are those who advocate for all their players, even when it is uncomfortable or politically inconvenient.

On the Field – Athletes

Athletes are not just players; they are powerful equity advocates. The U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team’s fight for equal pay proved that athlete activism can drive policy change at the highest level. For female athletes, building personal brands, using platforms strategically, and partnering with equity-driven sponsors can accelerate change. Jobs’ philosophy—hire great people, give them room to innovate—applies here too: empower athletes to lead their own narratives and the ripple effects will extend beyond the scoreboard.

For Those Who Move Different

In sports, equity cannot be treated as an optional add-on—it must be embedded in the culture. The “pipeline” is more than a leadership strategy; it is the artery of power. Without intentional cultivation, the same voices keep making the same decisions, reinforcing the same inequities. Breaking this cycle demands vision from executives, courage from ADs, advocacy from coaches, and agency from athletes. If any link in that chain fails, the gap remains.

Metaphorical Truth Reminder: If you do not build the path for equity, the gate will always stay closed.

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References

Acosta, R. V., & Carpenter, L. J. (2022). Women in intercollegiate sport: A longitudinal, national study, thirty-five year update. Brooklyn College.

Aguilar, E. (2020). Coaching for equity: Conversations that change practice. Jossey-Bass.

Burton, L. J. (2015). Underrepresentation of women in sport leadership: A review of research. Sport Management

Review, 18(2), 155–165. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smr.2014.02.004

Isaacson, W. (2011). The leadership lessons of Steve Jobs. Harvard Business Review Press.

Lencioni, P. (2002). The five dysfunctions of a team: A leadership fable. Jossey-Bass.

Voepel, M. (2020, January 14). Inside the WNBA’s groundbreaking CBA: Salary bumps, travel improvements and more. ESPN. https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/28477744/inside-wnba-groundbreaking-cba-salary-bumps-travel-improvements-more