Decades after winning the 1992 national championship as Stanford’s shooting guard, Christy Hedgpeth’s fingerprints are all over the changing face of women’s basketball and college athletics.
After being tapped as the WNBA’s chief operating officer in 2019 — she has worked for the NBA’s team marketing and business operations since 2014 — Hedgpeth led the league’s sweeping brand transformation. She oversaw all business functions and led the long-term growth strategy, helping to drive its unprecedented revenue growth and expanded cultural relevance.
Hedgpeth is now less than a year into her role as president of Playfly Sports Properties, the first female president in the collegiate multimedia rights space. A dynamic high school athletics environment undergoing seismic change is an ideal fit for Hedgpeth, who oversees strategy and operations for all collegiate and statewide high school association media rights.
“That really motivates me,” Hedgpeth said. “Of course, the athlete in me, the competitor in me, I love driving revenue. And to be what I think is a disruptor in the space — that’s fun.”
She embraces the rapidly evolving name, image and likeness, introducing “Campus Cast Live” in which Michigan State football players and aspiring broadcasters host a second-screen experience during the Spartans’ NCAA Tournament games. And there is more to come.
“As a former student athlete, that’s motivating,” Hedgpeth said. “That’s the kind of company we want to be. It’s not just about us, it’s about what we can do to help our partners. And any time we can bring opportunities directly to student-athletes, I get excited — you can tell.” — Eric Prisbell
Christy Hedgpeth
President, Playfly Sports Properties, Playfly Sports See the article : Peter Holland Jr. reports sports for Canton Repository.
Born: Fort Rucker, Ala. Education: Stanford University, B.A., psychology; Duke University, MBA
More about Christy
Guilty pleasure: Online shopping — clothes, home decor, sports equipment. Advice to my younger self: To take on revenue/sales-oriented roles earlier. The biggest challenge of the year: Not surprisingly, navigating the complexity of NIL and its impact on almost every aspect. of the college and HS landscape.My leadership style is inspired by… : The great teams I have had the fortune to be on during my athletic career.I wish I had known at the beginning of my career: That at some point in my career there would be greater awareness of the development, recognition and employment of women. Advice to a young person who wants to work in sports business: Consider getting a non-sports advanced degree (eg MBA, J.D.) to set yourself apart, increase your versatility and broaden your perspective. Change I would make related to women working in sports: I would like to see women make up at least 50% of entry-level sales roles to help position them for revenue and leadership roles in the future.
