Three-time Olympic gold medalist Kerri Walsh Jennings spent more than two decades at the highest levels of beach volleyball. Now, she’s focused on building what comes next for the sport and creating more sustainable opportunities for athletes.
Walsh Jennings joins Portfolio Players to discuss her investments in volleyball, including Hero Volley and Major League Volleyball, and why the sport needs more consistent platforms for athletes to compete, earn prize money, build their brands, and pursue careers in the years between the Olympics. She explains her vision for Hero Volley, why she believes volleyball can combine elite competition with culture and elevated fan experiences, and why she sees Major League Volleyball’s franchise structure and patient capital as critical to the sport’s future.
Walsh Jennings also discusses the growth of women’s sports, the impact of NIL on college athletes, the challenges facing Olympic and non-revenue sports, and why youth athletes should resist specializing too early. She shares her approach to investing in wellness, her belief that “joy is a competitive advantage,” and the athletes and entrepreneurs she looks to as models for life after competition.
Portfolio Players, presented by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley, explores how institutional capital, cultural momentum, and strategic ownership are redefining the business of sports.
