Today ESPN announced the roster of sponsors for The espnW Summit NYC presented by Toyota. The one-day virtual event will convene a compelling group of athletes, executives and agents of change for in-depth discussions at the intersection of sports, business, and culture. The espnW Summit NYC will run May 13 from 2 – 6 p.m. ET and registration is free at nyc.espnwsummit.com. Featured events and panels will include:

• Women at the Helm: “Raya and the Last Dragon” featuring screenwriter Adele Lim, producer Osnat Shurer; moderated by Sarah Spain
• The Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Leadership Doesn’t Have a Look featuring Co-owner Darcie Glazer Kassewitz, Head Coach Bruce Arians, Assistant Defensive Line Coach Lori Locust, and Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach Maral Javadifar; moderated by Mina Kimes
• A Virtual episode of the hit podcast “Laughter Permitted with Julie Foudy” with guest UFC Double Champion Amanda Nunes
• World-Class Athlete Conversation featuring Paralympic medalist, veteran and Purple Heart recipient Melissa Stockwell; moderated by Sarah Spain
• Sports x Social Justice: Creating Authentic Platforms for Change featuring Jamil Northcutt, Ph. D.,vice president, player engagement, Major League Soccer; Bethany Donaphin, head of league operations, Women’s National Basketball Association; and Anna Isaacson, senior vice president, social responsibility, National Football League; moderated by Elle Duncan
• ESPN Films’ “144”: A Conversation About the 2020 WNBA Season Inside the Bubble, Presented by Google featuring executive producer Chiney Ogwumike and LaChina Robinson

Toyota joins as presenting sponsor of the event, adding The NYC Summit to its long-standing support of espnW and the annual espnW: Women + Sports Summit. Team Toyota athlete Melissa Stockwell – Paralympic medalist, veteran and Purple Heart recipient – will be featured in the World-Class Athlete Conversation. Toyota will also be sponsoring the “Summit Top Five,” during which the hosts will give their top five takeaways and memorable moments from the day’s events. 

Google, first-time Summit sponsor and sponsor of ESPN Films’ “144,” will present the following panel during the Summit: ESPN Films’ “144”: A Conversation About the 2020 WNBA Season Inside the Bubble. In its commitment to gender equity in sport, Google is embarking on a multi-year partnership with the WNBA and ESPN to increase visibility and coverage of women’s sports. As the latest WNBA Changemaker, Google is also working with both organizations to deliver 25 games for the 25th season of the league.

Gatorade returns as the sponsor of the Summit Wellness Session and Summit Sweat Sessions with yoga instructor and trainer, Nicole Sciacca. New Balance will showcase its new brand spot within the Summit, featuring tennis star Coco Gauff and Olympic silver medalist hurdler Sydney McLaughlin.

Said Laura Gentile, Executive Vice President, Commercial Marketing, Networks & ESPN: “Gender equity in sports has been in the headlines of late, but the drive for equity is nothing new at espnW. The W Summits are designed to inspire women in sports to seize opportunities, while helping to drive cultural change. We’re grateful to Toyota, Google, Gatorade and New Balance for supporting this event, and we look forward to the in-depth discussions, inspiration and new thinking.”

This year’s espnW Summit NYC will again be livestreamed from start to finish and can be viewed by registering at nyc.espnwsummit.com, and via the ESPN App, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. For more information, follow us on Twitter with @espnW and #espnWsummit.

About espnW

espnW is a global multiplatform brand dedicated to engaging and inspiring women through sports. espnW.com, the brand’s content home, offers total access to female athletes and the sports they play, takes fans inside the biggest events, and captures the biggest trends in sports life/style. espnW also provides a unique point of view on the sports stories that matter most to women and highlights the crossroads of sports and culture. Founded in July 2010, espnW’s content and voices live across digital, television, radio, films, events, educational platforms and social media.

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