As women’s sports surge into the spotlight, a quieter shift is underway behind the scenes. While athletes like Caitlin Clark and Sabrina Ionescu are redefining the game, a new generation of communicators is reshaping the business—elevating athletes, building brands, and challenging how stories are told.

To explore how women are navigating—and changing—the male-dominated world of sports PR, PRovoke Media spoke with two standout leaders: Laura Michael, CEO of Metro PR, which represents clients including Wave Sports + Entertainment and Chris Long’s Yote House; and Bailey Clement, founder of The Monarch Co., a branding agency dedicated to helping elite talent define their voice across sports and entertainment.

They discussed the challenges of building credibility, the changing role of PR in the athlete-as-brand era, and why storytelling for women’s sports can’t follow the old playbook.

 Despite PR being a female-dominated industry, sports PR remains male-heavy, especially in leadership roles. What challenges have you faced in breaking through, and how have you navigated them?

Michael: In a space that’s traditionally been male-dominated, breaking through often comes down to proving you understand not just the game, but also the culture and business that surround it. We aren’t unaware that we may be held to different standards, but we honestly don’t dwell on this. Our focus has always been showcasing how knowledgeable our team is and how our unique perspective can expand opportunities and drive our clients’ financial success.

Clement: There have absolutely been challenges. I’ve often found myself as the only woman in the room—sometimes the youngest, too—and in those moments, confidence becomes essential. Not just internally, but outwardly. I’ve had to learn how to hold space and ensure my voice is heard, even when the environment wasn’t built for me. That confidence is a muscle I’ve built over time, through experience, preparation, and the results I deliver for my clients. My approach has never been to try to fit into the mold—I’ve focused on building trust and mutual respect by showing up with integrity, matching the relentless work ethic of the athletes I represent, and consistently delivering on what I promise. Over time, that consistency has helped shift perceptions and carve out space not just for me, but hopefully for other women coming up behind me.

Do female-led agencies have a competitive advantage in sports PR, or is it still an uphill battle to gain credibility in a male-driven industry?

Michael: It's both. In some ways, female-led agencies have a competitive advantage because we naturally bring a broader, more inclusive perspective to brand building. This is something that is increasingly critical for athletes and sports brands looking to grow beyond traditional audiences. But in a male-driven industry like sports, credibility isn’t always granted upfront.

That’s where deep knowledge comes in. I grew up outside Philadelphia, where being an Eagles fan is a way of life, and the female sports fandom is strong and deeply informed. By age 10, girls knew the difference between a defensive back and a defensive lineman. And not because marketers were speaking to us, but because sports were woven into everyday family life. That lived experience has shaped how we approach our sports work today. We don’t want to just show we are credible, but also how strategic storytelling and inclusive thinking can drive even more relevance, loyalty, and real business results.

Clement: I think both can be true. In my experience, women in this business often prioritize relationship-building and emotional nuance in a way that fosters deep trust and long-term collaboration with clients. That human-centered approach can be a competitive advantage, especially in an industry where authentic connection and brand alignment matter more than ever.

But at the same time, we still have to work twice as hard to prove we belong in the room, especially when dealing with more traditional stakeholders in male-dominated spaces. At The Monarch Co., we’ve leaned into that tension by staying laser-focused on the quality of our work and the depth of our relationships. We let the results speak, and more importantly, we’re building something sustainable by approaching strategy with a holistic view of an athlete’s identity. It’s never just about performance stats.

Athletes are now their own brands, with direct access to fans via social media. How has that changed the role of a sports PR professional?

Michael: The rise of social media-driven, direct-to-fan access has evolved the role of the sports PR professional. There is so much more opportunity for athletes to leverage this fan relationship to extend their brand and begin to put in place other opportunities that can live beyond their sports career. It’s our job to help athletes build and deepen their connection with fans in ways that feel true to who they are, whether that’s launching a podcast, writing a book, creating a product line, or engaging in cause-driven storytelling. We help them translate their values and personality into meaningful extensions that build brand equity well beyond the field. At the same time, we’re also a critical layer of protection. In a world where one tweet or comment can spiral into crisis, we help athletes navigate the speed and scrutiny of social media. We help ensure every moment builds their brand, rather than threatens it.

Clement: The role has completely evolved over the past few years. Today, PR isn’t just about media relations—it’s about brand strategy, content creation, storytelling, community building, and more. Athletes have the power to control their own narratives, and our job is to help them do it intentionally. That means being proactive instead of reactive, strategic instead of surface-level. At The Monarch Co., we focus on building legacy, not just hype. We help athletes show up in fashion, business, entertainment, and philanthropy in ways that feel authentic and aligned with who they are and where they want to go.

We’ve also built an infrastructure to support that vision. The Monarch Co. operates in partnership with our sister agency, The Monarch Creative, founded by my sister Callie Clement and her business partner, Hannah Lupica. They specialize in digital media and creative services for elite athletes. Together, we’ve created a complementary ecosystem where each agency plays to its strengths. While The Monarch Co. crafts and amplifies narratives on a global scale through strategic communications, The Monarch Creative excels in content creation and digital media management. That full-service, end-to-end approach enables us to provide clients with everything they need to own and shape their narratives in real time.

How do you approach storytelling in sports PR? Are there any strategies that work particularly well for women’s sports or underrepresented athletes?

Michael: We don’t believe in narrowly marketing “male sports” to men and “women’s sports” to women. This approach ignores the full potential of the fanbases, leaving half the audience untapped. Recognizing this gap, Metro bridges athletes, leagues, and sports media companies with mainstream culture through a much more holistic storytelling approach. Whether promoting a WNBA player, an NFL star, or a media company like our client Pro Shop (which aims to bring more diverse, younger audiences into golf), we engage diehard fans while also expanding reach to new audiences by showcasing athletes beyond their core sport and uncovering storytelling moments that resonate far beyond the original target demo. Audiences want authentic, multidimensional stories.

A prime example is our work with Marion Jones, where we led a PR campaign and developed a podcast series for her that helped her share her journey of healing and self-discovery, reintroducing her not just as an athlete but as an inspiring figure for a new generation. We also saw success with the New Heights podcast by tailoring storylines to reach beyond hardcore sports fans and into lifestyle and family-focused media, expanding visibility across genders and demographics.

Clement: Storytelling is at the heart of what we do. For women’s sports and underrepresented athletes, the biggest challenge is often visibility. So we approach each narrative with care, making sure we’re not just reacting to moments but creating them. That means thinking outside of the traditional playbook—crafting editorial shoots in unexpected locations, building brand partnerships that reflect personal values, and using media to shape perception, not just gain exposure. For us, it’s not about fitting athletes into boxes, it’s about helping them define their own lane.