Parity Week by Gainbridge
The 6th Annual Awards
- Best Women’s Sports Partnership
ABOUT THIS ENTRY
In November 2023, Gainbridge and Parity teamed up for “Parity Week by Gainbridge,” a celebration of three pioneers of women’s sports centered around three flagship events: Billie Jean King, Annika Sorenstam, and Lyn St. James. Between the three events, 180 women athletes competed for a total of $12.85 million in prize money throughout the week.
How does this represent “Excellence in Engagement”?
Motivated by the stark gender income and opportunity gap in professional sports, Parity Week emerged as a groundbreaking initiative with a mission to rectify this imbalance.
Through a strategic blend of events, promotions, and partnerships, Parity Week captured the attention of a global audience, shedding light on the incredible talent, dedication, and athleticism exhibited by women athletes.
One of the standout achievements was a record-setting purse across its events, aligning it with the compensation levels seen in male competitions. This financial parity was not just symbolic; it was a tangible demonstration of the commitment to valuing and compensating women athletes.
Moreover, Parity Week’s accomplishments extend beyond the realm of sports, as it has now established itself as a proof of concept for future endeavors in women’s sports. Parity Week serves as a robust baseline, providing valuable insights and lessons that can guide future initiatives aimed at addressing gender disparities in sports. The blueprint laid out by Parity Week becomes a valuable resource for other leagues and organizations seeking to engage an underserved demographic and drive the entire sports industry to new heights of inclusivity and fairness.
Objective
Parity Week by Gainbridge was designed to pay tribute to the icons who have been driving forces behind the remarkable growth in women’s sports. In honoring legends like Billie Jean King, Annika Sorenstam, and Lyn St. James, Parity Week recognizes not only their exceptional prowess on the court, course, and track but also their pivotal role in carving out a path for the emerging wave of women athletes and leaders.
At the heart of Parity’s mission is the relentless pursuit of closing the gender income gap that persists within the realm of professional sports. Gainbridge has emerged as a leader in the women’s sports sponsorship space, investing a noteworthy 40% of its annual sponsorship spend in support of women’s sports—a stark contrast to the national average of a mere 9%.
Inspired by the core mission to even the playing field, two sister brands (Parity and Gainbridge) teamed up to drive their common passion for driving equity in sports. Parity and Gainbridge together aimed to not only celebrate the remarkable progress of women’s sports over the last few decades but also to shed light on the ongoing work that remains essential in this space.
Strategy & Execution
Parity Week by Gainbridge hosted three separate events throughout the week across the globe: The Billie Jean King Cup by Gainbridge Finals, known as the ”World Cup of Women’s Tennis,” in Spain, The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican in Florida, and the livestream of WIMNA’s ”Women with Drive III—Driven by Mobil 1” summit at Phoenix Raceway.
All three events paid homage to and were hosted by three individual key figures in the sport. The golf and tennis tournaments combined to bring in more than 180 of the top women’s sports athletes to compete for the respective prizes.
In addition to the sporting contests, each event also featured panels with Billie Jean King, Annika Sorenstam, and Lyn St. James alongside successful executives making an impact in both sports and business. These panels were live-streamed for free in an effort to expand the reach of these thought leaders.
Parity also leveraged its vast network of more than 900 women athletes across 75+ sports to support Parity Week. Ranging from Olympians and Paralympians to WNBA legends, 25 athletes made in-person appearances to engage the crowds while a further 50+ diverse athletes amplified the week and the message on social platforms.
Organizations
- Parity
- Gainbridge
- Group 1001
Links
Featured
- Annika Sorenstam
- Billie Jean King
- Lyn St. James
Credits
Leela Srinivasan
CEO
Parity
Celebrate in NYC
Join us for the 6th Annual Hashtag Sports Awards™ on the evening of June 6, 2024 as we celebrate finalists and reveal the winners of this year's awards live during the show.
