Athena Global Advisors Becomes Strategic Partner and Equity Owner in Women’s Elite Rugby
Athena to provide strategic marketing and consulting support while taking equity stake in the emerging professional league.
PHILADELPHIA — Athena Global Advisors today announced a strategic partnership and equity investment in Women’s Elite Rugby (WER), reinforcing the firm’s continued engagement in the evolving landscape of professional sports.
Women’s Elite Rugby is the first women’s professional rugby league in the United States. The league, founded in April 2024, debuted its inaugural season in March 2025 with six teams across the United States, attracting thousands of fans and followers in its first year.
Through the partnership, Athena will serve as the league’s national strategic marketing, analytics, and consulting partner while also taking an equity position in the league. The collaboration brings together Athena’s experience supporting global sports organizations and major events with WER’s ambition to build a sustainable professional league for elite women athletes.
Athena will support the league across brand positioning, audience analytics, sponsorship strategy, and commercial growth as WER continues to expand its reach with fans, partners, and media.
Women’s Elite Rugby is building something with real potential. We’ve had the opportunity to work alongside some of the most respected organizations in sports, and what we look for are teams that are serious about building for the long term. WER’s leadership is approaching the league with that mindset, and we’re pleased to support their next phase of growth.
— Maggy Wilkinson, CEO of Athena Global Advisors
Women’s Elite Rugby has quickly emerged as a promising platform for top-tier women’s rugby in the United States, creating a professional pathway for athletes while building a foundation for long-term commercial development.
“Our goal is to build a league that reflects the level of excellence our athletes bring to the sport,” said Phil Camm, Chief Commercial Officer, Women’s Elite Rugby. “Athena brings both strategic expertise and a genuine understanding of how sports organizations grow and mature. Their partnership strengthens our ability to do this thoughtfully and sustainably.”
The investment reflects Athena’s broader approach to working alongside organizations and institutions that are building for long-term success. With experience across sports, media, and global events, the firm continues to support clients and partners navigating periods of growth and transformation.
About Athena Global Advisors
Athena Global Advisors is where the power of creativity meets the precision of consulting. The firm brings together data, strategy, events, and creative to help organizations see further and move faster. Headquartered in Philadelphia, Athena partners with organizations including Comcast, Subaru, the NFL, FIFA, Hitachi, and Liberty Latin America, helping clients turn insight into impact and elevate performance, reputation, and results. Athena has won The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Top Workplaces award for the past three consecutive years and earned a Philadelphia Business Journal Best Places to Work award in 2025.
About Women’s Elite Rugby
Women’s Elite Rugby (WER) is the first American professional women’s rugby league. The league announced their official launch in 2024 with their inaugural season starting in March 2025 centering six teams in Boston, Chicago, Denver, New York, Bay Area, and Twin Cities featuring 180 athletes. The mission of the WER is to be the defining standard of rugby in the United States. WER is structured on the stable foundation of the Women’s Premier League (WPL), a national, amateur pay-to-play model, high level rugby competition established in 2009. With the creation of Women’s Elite Rugby, world-class women’s rugby will be ushered into the next stage of its evolution and will take women’s rugby in the United States to new heights. For further information visit: womenseliterugby.usExternal link to womenseliterugby.us. Opens in a new tab..