• Loading stock data...
Thursday, March 28, 2024
2024 Best Venues nominations are open now through April 8! Submit Now

How WNBA Star Chiney Ogwumike Built a 7-Figure Empire

chiney_ogwumike
Chiney Ogwumike

Chiney Ogwumike first made a name for herself when she made three Final Four appearances with Stanford. Since then, some may argue that the two-time WNBA All-Star’s success off the court is as impressive as her presence on it.

The No. 1 pick in the 2014 WNBA draft, the Los Angeles Sparks power forward continues to add more “firsts” to her resume. In 2018, Ogwumike signed a multiyear contract with ESPN, becoming one of the youngest commentators to be named a full-time NBA analyst. In 2020, she became the first Black woman and WNBA player to host a national radio show for the network.

Not only is the McDonald’s All-American behind the camera, in the studio, and on the court, but Ogwumike is a businesswoman, too. Making an average of $114,695 per season in the WNBA, per Spotrac, Ogwumike has built a 7-figure enterprise through her business ventures, speaking engagements, broadcast opportunities, and partnerships, according to her agent, Allison Galer. Galer also said Ogwumike was able to take a pay cut in her salary thanks to her other jobs, putting her team in a position to win.

“It takes sacrifice,” Ogwumike told Front Office Sports. “People don’t see the sacrifice women give to get to that same level. My family has come to terms with the fact that I will not [always be able to] pick up their calls due to my constant schedule of working, prepping for shows, and being on air.”

The 29-year-old’s opportunities weren’t handed to her. She saw success in her “car-wash” appearances across ESPN platforms shortly following the 2014 draft.

“The way I’ve approached partnership is taking opportunity over compensation,” she said. “Prove ourselves as valuable, and then the compensation comes.”

She was right. Ogwumike started working as a women’s college basketball analyst at ESPN before being offered a position as a host for SportsCenter Africa in 2017. The next year, she became a full-time NBA analyst.

“It was a blessing that she got drafted to Connecticut because of its proximity to ESPN,” Galer, who’s been representing Ogwumike since the start of her pro career, told Front Office Sports. “All she needs is an opportunity.”

Being the first Black woman to host a radio show for ESPN, Ogwumike, who is also a WNBPA vice president, understands the significance of the role she holds.

“I am definitely not the first Black woman with a powerful position, but I’m grateful to be in a space where you can hear my voice,” she said.

“When I go on TV, people may not know who I am, they might just see a Black woman having fun, and that may be unusual to people watching,” Ogwumike said about covering the NBA. “What I appreciate about this [radio] position is radio is first and foremost.”

The Stanford grad knows her way around business, too, securing deals with adidas, AT&T, and DoorDash — the latter making her the first WNBA player in over a decade to have a solo, non-basketball commercial. 

“Chiney is blazing her own trail of entrepreneurship with broadcast, basketball, and now business, and is dedicated to the mission of opening up opportunities for women worldwide alongside DoorDash,” the company’s announcement said. 

As if the partnership wasn’t already impressive, Ogwumike also helped with the spot’s creative direction, adjusting the script to fit her own voice.

“Authenticity is the best thing — it matters,” she said. “If you want to deliver the best product, authenticity sells.”

Ogwumike began her partnership with adidas in 2017 and has since headlined the Eastbay x adidas ConqHer campaign — a movement to empower women — that launched in December. Being a woman in sports, Ogwumike wants to help lead the way for more WNBA partnerships similar to her own.

“What we’ve seen is there are people who want to support but don’t know how,” she said. “We [as a league] would love to double down on that investment and find creative ways to push the boundaries of women and sports. That’s where we start — with the partnerships.”

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert agrees — the WNBA has lost more than $10 million per year since its inception.

“We have a valuation problem here,” Engelbert told The Washington Post. “And it starts with marketing and partnerships.”

If anyone knows about highlighting women’s sports, it’s Chiney. After opting out of the regular season last year due to health concerns and with support from her team, Ogwumike proposed the idea of filming the WNBA’s bubble season — one set  in the middle of a pandemic and social justice movement.

“In 2020 we were all challenged in a way that we didn’t see coming,” Ogwumike said. “For me personally, in my journey as a broadcast and player, I was uniquely positioned to bring people together. We wanted to amplify a story that is going to be transformational and hopefully shed a light on something that’s so important.”

After bringing her two employers, the WNBA and ESPN, together, she was given the green light. The film, which includes Ogwumike as an executive producer, highlights the league’s activism surrounding social justice and the Black Lives Matter movement throughout the season. It also hits on the election, including the removal of previous Atlanta Dream owner Sen. Kelly Loeffler from office. The ESPN documentary comes out next month, but it won’t be Chiney’s last time behind the camera.

“I want to continue to tell more stories and keep pushing boundaries in broadcast and business,” she said. “It takes a full-court press to get their attention for the right reasons, and we are sitting on a treasure trove of stories that haven’t been prioritized.”

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

March 22, 2024, Brooklyn, NY, USA; Northwestern Wildcats guard Brooks Barnhizer (13) and Northwestern Wildcats guard Boo Buie (0) react in overtime against the Florida Atlantic Owls in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at the Barclays Center.

‘An Expensive Game’: March Madness and NIL Collectives Are Intertwined

At schools nationwide, collectives are fueling NCAA tournament runs and vice versa.
Iowa’s Caitlin Clark (22) waits to be announced in the starting lineup against West Virginia in a NCAA Tournament round of 32 game Monday, March 25, 2024 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa.

The Women’s Trading Card Market Is Overlooked. Can Caitlin Clark Change That?

Traditionally, women’s sports cards have been a marginal part of collectibles.
The Sports Illustrated cover signed by Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez, February 27, 2019, at Don & Charlie's, 7501 E. Camelback Road, Scottsdale. Don Charlie S

Everything You Need to Know About the Ongoing ‘Sports Illustrated’ Saga

Understanding the strange state of affairs for the nearly 70-year-old publication.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

MLB Opens Season With MLBPA, Ohtani, and Ownership Dramas

0:00
0:00

Featured Today

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Inside the Big East’s Bizarre Online Subculture

Peeling back the curtain on the ‘phenomenally weird’ Big East online ecosystem.
Mar 21, 2024; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Stetson Hatters guard Stephan Swenson (30) reacts during team practice at Barclays Center.
March 22, 2024

First-Time NCAA Men’s Tourney Bids Could Be on the Verge of Extinction

Power and success are consolidating around the richest teams in college sports.
March 17, 2024

‘Everybody Was Under Suspicion’: The Day Selection Sunday Was Scooped

In 2016, the ‘Selection Show’ backfired when the bracket was leaked anonymously.
Sep 3, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; Orlando Pride forward Ally Watt (11) and Orlando Pride forward Julie Doyle (20) enter the stadium before the game against OL Reign at Lumen Field.
March 16, 2024

So Long, White Shorts: Here’s Why the NWSL’s Uniform Pivot Matters

There’s finally a growing trend to adapt women’s sports to women’s bodies.

Careers

Powered By

Careers in Sports

Looking for a new job? Check out these featured listings and search for openings all over the world.
Live Nation
Multiple - USA Careers
Adidas
Multiple - USA Careers
Spotify
Multiple - USA Careers

It Remains Unclear Which Authorities Shohei Ohtani Has Reported Theft of Millions to, If Any

A federal investigation is ongoing, but it’s not clear what it covers.
Tyreek Hill NFL wide receivers
March 25, 2024

The 25 Highest-Paid NFL Receivers

The Dolphins’ Tyreek Hill tops the charts with $30 million.
March 26, 2024

NBA Investigating Raptors Center Jontay Porter Over Suspicious Prop Bets

The league is looking into ‘multiple instances of betting irregularities’ in recent months, ESPN reported.
Sponsored

How Daily Fantasy Sports Solved NBA Fantasy

The remarkable growth of the #1 Discord sports server in the world.
T.J. Watt
March 25, 2024

The 25 Highest-Paid NFL Linebackers

At more than $28 million per year, the Giants’ Brian Burns holds the top spot as the highest-paid NFL linebacker.
NFL running back Christian McCaffrey
March 25, 2024

The 25 Highest-Paid NFL Running Backs

49ers superstar Christian McCaffrey is the highest-paid NFL running back making just over $16M.
Laremy Tunsil NFL
March 25, 2024

The 25 Highest-Paid NFL Offensive Tackles

The Texans employs the game’s highest-paid tackle Laremy Tunsil.
NFL Darren Waller
March 25, 2024

The 25 Highest-Paid NFL Tight Ends

Giants tight end Darren Waller leads the way at $17 million.