College sports advocates press philanthropy to buffer NIL’s commercial pressure on women’s sports
NEW YORK (AP) — While interest in women's sports is booming and Olympic sports organizers lock in preparations for the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles, advocates worry that the college athletic programs that feed both those systems may be strained further by increased demands from bigger sports. Olympic sports haven't had the opportunity to thrive on their own, according to Women's Sports Foundation CEO Danette Leighton, because the business has centered one product: college football. Leighton is calling on donors to set the agenda. Philanthropy can protect those teams, she said, ...