Serena Williams Forever Changed How Brands See Female Athletes

Female athletes have long had to fight for what they’re worth, from sponsorships or institutional pay. The US Soccer Federation announced only this year that male and female athletes would be compensated equally, and pay disparities persist for female golf, basketball and tennis players. For its part, Nike changed its pay policies for pregnant athletes after runner Allyson Felix and others alleged that they were mistreated during their pregnancies. In March, the company also unveiled a new think-tank initiative, which includes Williams and 12 other Nike-sponsored female athletes.