Entrepreneur and investor Alexis Ohanian has a message for anyone looking at women’s sports: “Treat it like a business, not a charity.”
That statement anchored Ohanian’s live conversation at the Sport Industry Forum 2025 in Abu Dhabi, featured in a special episode of The Mettleset Podcast, with Chris McHardy, Head of Sport at Dubai Eye 103.8.
For Ohanian, women’s sport isn’t philanthropy. It’s a massively undervalued asset class hiding in plain sight. He’s backing that conviction through bold ventures: turning Angel City FC into a US $280 million success story, powered by data, storytelling, and community, and launching Athlos, a new global track-and-field league built like a modern tech startup.
The Reddit and 776 co-founder also shared his belief that sport is the ultimate “anti-AI bet.” In an age of automation, he says, nothing matches the emotion, connection, and human drama of sport, qualities that make it not just meaningful, but highly valuable.
As a founder, investor, and proud girl dad, Ohanian is betting on what makes us most human: the power of sport itself.
🎧 Listen to the episode now
📷 Alexis Ohanian on Instagram: @alexisohanian
👟 This episode of The Mettleset Podcast is supported by New Balance.
