Nike Launches Female Athlete Focused Think Tank
March 25, 2022
Nike is investing in the future of women’s sport through its new Nike Athlete Think Tank, an "evolved format for gathering and listening." In partnership with a collective of 13 female athletes from around the world, the brand announced a $1.3 million fund with CAF America (Charities Aid Foundation America) to support 20 organizations that increase access to sports participation for girls.
40% of teenage girls aren’t actively participating in sports, with one of the contributing factors being a lack of access. Girls have 1.3 million fewer opportunities to play high school sports than boys have.
Nike is looking to address this issue at its earliest stages by creating more meaninful relationships with its athletes and turning their insights into action. The Think Tank was formed in response to a discussion over the past year where Nike leadership asked athletes for their feedback and insight.
“We opened up the conversation to hear their insights and help inform where we can be better,” says Tanya Hvizdak, VP, Women’s Global Sports Marketing. “We specifically asked how they believe sport can move the world forward, how we can help break barriers to sport, and how we can better leverage their input and ideas.”
The founding members of the collective include: tennis' Serena Williams, soccer players Ada Hegerberg and Deyna Castellanos, track and field athlete Angela Davis, wheelchair fencer Bebe Vio, sprinters Dina Asher-Smith and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad, heptathlete Nafissatou Thiam, basketball player Sabrina Ionescu, Paralympic track and field athlete Scout Bassett, runner Shalane Flanagan and swimmer Simone Manuel.
The members emphasized the financial aspect of creating access to sport and the importance of inclusive initiatives, especially for athletes with disabilities. In addition, they spoke about valuing purpose as much as performance, specifically through meaningful community efforts. Many of them reflected on the challenges and barriers they faced along the way to the top, often alleviated by programs and scholarships that helped them on the road to success.
“Having female athletes be part of these conversations is critical to not just Nike’s development as a company, but to sports development in general,” says Ibtihaj Muhammad, Olympian fencer and the first woman to wear a hijab while competing for the United States in the Olympics.
In addition to sharing their knowledge, the 13 founding member athletes identified community organizations globally that the fund will be split amongst, with the grants made in their names. Serena Williams identified the Boys and Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce suggested her Pocket Rocket Foundation based in Kingston, Jamaica, Sabrina Ionescu highlighted the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation and Shalane Flanagan spotlighted both Marathon Kids and Amputee Blade Runners as examples.
“Our greatest strength has always been our partnerships with the world’s best individual athletes. For the first time, we’ve united a collective of female icons that span across sports and countries to help us shape strategies that will improve the experience of all girls and women in sport,” said Whitney Malkiel, Global VP and GM of Nike Women.
Nike has been dedicated to advancing and amplifying women’s sport. Back in February, they furthered its 25-year commitment to the WNBA by becoming an equity investor in the league, which includes creating more visibility for the WNBA and bringing more girls into basketball. The brand plan to continue the Nike Athlete Think Tank by inviting more women from their roster and extending the opportunity to create long-term impact.