NEW YORK: Unrivaled, the upcoming high-profile professional women’s basketball league that tips off its inaugural season in Miami in January, Wednesday announced Micky Lawler as commissioner.
Unrivaled boasts a star-studded investor group that includes Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe, Carmelo Anthony, Steve Nash, Gary Vaynerchuck, Ann Sarnoff, John Skipper, and David Levy, among others.
Lawler joins Unrivaled following nearly a decade of leading the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) as its president, and a lifetime dedicated to growing the platform of women’s professional sports. During Lawler’s tenure, the WTA broke records across sponsorship, media and international investment in the sport. She is also credited with creating next-level opportunities for players she managed during her 27-year tenure at Octagon and with expanding the game globally.
The seasoned executive has been a champion for gender equity in sports and brings more than 30 years of experience propelling women’s sports forward and empowering female athletes. In this role, Lawler will oversee and manage day-to-day operations for Unrivaled, including launching the league in January, driving direction and strategy, leading partnership initiatives, overseeing all revenue verticals, and being a voice to the athletes.
“During a time of unprecedented excitement around women’s sports, I am humbled to be named as the inaugural commissioner of Unrivaled,” said Lawler. “We’re creating an innovative professional basketball league that highlights the extraordinary athleticism and talent of the best players in the world. From the co-founders to the investors and dedicated staff, everyone at Unrivaled is committed to engaging with fans and amplifying the upward trajectory of women’s basketball.”
Most recently, Lawler, in close collaboration with the ATP and the Grand Slams, was instrumental in developing the Netflix tennis docuseries “Break Point,” directed and produced by Box To Box.
“Micky’s experience bringing women’s sports to new heights will be invaluable as we prepare to launch Unrivaled this winter,” said Alex Bazzell, Unrivaled president. “She has exceptional industry experience and a passion for innovation in women’s sports, which will be invaluable to both Unrivaled and its athletes. We are thrilled to have Micky on board to lead this league into its debut season and beyond.”
