CINCINNATI — National attention is on some of Ohio’s promising young professionals.
This week, Forbes’ Under 30 event takes place in Cincinnati, honoring young professionals who are making a difference in their fields, and this year, a new event will spotlight women in sports.
Whether it’s the Caitlin Clark effect or the popularity of the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team, it’s no secret that women’s sports is on the rise. With the possibility of an NWSL team in Cincinnati on the way, the excitement is only building. Industry pros are hoping that momentum continues.
“In the past, I think investing in women’s sports, particularly women’s soccer, was viewed by a lot of people as a philanthropic endeavor,” said U.S. Soccer Federation president Cindy Parlow Cone. “It was just, ‘Oh, that’s just a nice thing to do,’ but now people are also seeing it as a good business idea. And there’s a real ROI to be had from investing in women’s sports.”
Forbes Under 30 has been based in Ohio for the past few years.
“We’ve had a great partnership with JobsOhio and we’re taking this event around the state — last year it was Cleveland and next year it’s Columbus,” said Moira Forbes, executive vice president of Forbes. “For us, it’s an opportunity to really get deep into a really fascinating city that has a booming economy and really interesting things happening.”
The event featured speakers from all walks of women’s sport, from players to executives.
“We wanted to focus the inaugural Forbes Women in Sports Summit on those under 30 because it’s the perfect opportunity to learn who today’s change-makers are and how they’re empowering the next generation of leaders and female athletes,” Forbes said.
This includes women who push the boundaries in the world of football.
“We’ve been pushing for higher standards, higher pay,” said Tori Huster, president of the NWSL Players Association. “A tremendous amount of work has gone into all of that. So much has gone into that effort. There’s been a lot of conversations about the best way to do it, but I think at the end of the day it all comes down to wanting to see the sport of soccer continue to grow for women.”
For the U.S. Soccer Federation president, now is the perfect time to watch the sport grow, and she’s excited to see if Cincinnati becomes home to the next women’s professional soccer team.
“I think having the U.S. Soccer Federation and the women’s national team and the men’s national team playing in Cincinnati will help the men’s pro team and hopefully soon the women’s pro team in the NWSL,” Parlow Cone said. “It’s a symbiotic relationship, and when we come to their city, their fans and viewership helps us.”
Cincinnati is one of the cities along with Cleveland under final consideration as a possible site for the next NWSL team, and while no official timeline for an announcement has been released yet, preparations are expected to begin for the 2026 season by the end of the year.