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Influence 125 highlights the most influential sports business figures of the past quarter-century. See the list.
Val Ackerman was the inaugural president of the WNBA in 1996, becoming the first woman to launch and operate a women’s sports league. Ackerman also bears merit as one of the most crucial people in the rebirth of the Big East. Following her time in the WNBA and a three-year term as president of USA Basketball, she came into the college space in 2013 needing to rebuild the once-proud basketball conference and has done so with flying colors — negotiating numerous television contracts and maintaining a steady presence at Madison Square Garden. Ackerman oversaw the league’s recent move into offices in the Empire State Building, and has been a mentor and role model for many female executives in sports.
