World Sevens Football, the women’s 7-on-7 soccer tournament boasting a $5 million prize pool, has named Sarah Cummins as its new CEO. Cummins is known for her extensive experience in developing significant sponsorships within women’s sports.
With nearly 17 years in the tennis industry under her belt, having worked with both the WTA and USTA, Cummins most recently held the role of senior vice president for partnerships at WTA Ventures, the commercial division of the women’s tennis tour.
The inaugural World Sevens tournament took place in Portugal in May, where Bayern Munich claimed the title after defeating Manchester United. The next competition is scheduled for December 5-7 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and is anticipated to feature a new lineup of domestic clubs.
In the earlier stages of her career, Cummins dedicated 15 years to the USTA, serving as managing director and overseeing the retail and licensing group as well as the U.S. Open in New York City. During her time with USTA, she forged partnerships with brands like Nike, Ralph Lauren, and Lacoste.
A graduate of Boston College, Cummins has also held a position as senior vice president of consumer products at WWE, worked as an operating partner at marketing research firm Ipsos, and led business development for the New York Road Runners.
One of Cummins’ key responsibilities at World Sevens will be to secure a long-term media agreement. She joins the organization following its partnership with Horizon Sports & Entertainment, a New York-based advisory firm tasked with negotiating media distribution rights and attracting sponsorships for the new client.
DAZN, which currently holds global media rights for the series, will stream the December event for free, similar to its coverage of the May tournament.
While the teams for the December event are yet to be announced, World Sevens is reportedly in discussions with several prominent leagues about their involvement. It remains uncertain if the NWSL will be one of those leagues represented.
The U.S. women’s national team has confirmed a match against Italy on December 1 in Fort Lauderdale. Notably, World Sevens operates outside FIFA regulations, with its competitions not conflicting with domestic league schedules, allowing participating players to adhere to their club commitments while competing in the tournaments.
Co-founder Jennifer Mackesy, part of the ownership group for NWSL’s Gotham FC and Chelsea, along with her husband Scott, has invested $100 million over a five-year period into World Sevens. Retired USWNT stars Tobin Heath and Kelley O’Hara are also serving as player advisors.
Image Source: World Seven Football @ LinkedIn
