As an award-winning sports industry pioneer and CEO, Beth Bass has successfully championed access and equity for athletes, coaches, and institutions throughout her nearly 40-year career.
From inking one of the first shoe deals at the inception of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) to building connections in today’s emerging, billion-dollar Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) market, Bass has been at the center of some of the most creative solutions and revolutionary partnerships in sports history.
Recognized for her lifetime of innovative contributions to the advancement of athletics, Bass received a 2020 Naismith award and was inducted into the Woman’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019.
While serving on the board of USA Basketball, running the High School All-American Game, and contributing to the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Board of Directors, Bass has impacted basketball at every level of competition.
Most recently, Bass focused her expertise on college athletics, where she increased brand accessibility and engagement for programs across the country while spearheading NCAA Collegiate Partnerships for adidas.
Years prior, Bass was a 14-year CEO and 3-year Executive Director for the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA). She grew membership into an influential coaching community, developed impactful governance and compliance, and formed sustainable brand partnerships that remain central to the organization today.
Under Bass’ leadership, game-changing brand strategies created connections to the biggest brands in sports. In addition to adidas, Bass spent the first decade of her career leading national sports marketing campaigns for Nike and Converse, where she built campaigns that revolutionized the industry and empowered underrepresented athletes.
Bass continues to pursue her goal of infusing equitable opportunities and inclusivity across the athletic spectrum.
