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Rachel Axon

@rachelaxon.bsky.social
2.2K followers 420 following 69 posts

Current: Olympics reporter for SBJ | Past: USATODAY, Orlando Sentinel, StarNews | Runner, reader, podcast junkie | She/her

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Rachel Axon @rachelaxon.bsky.social · 18/08/2025
Heading into the Women's Rugby World Cup, the business of Ilona Maher is booming. From DWTS to brand deals, magazine covers to runways, she has built her platform & ascended to cultural relevance atypical of Olympic athletes. My SBJ story. www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/202...
sportsbusinessjournal.com
Beauty, Beast, Brains... and Big Business
Ruby star Ilona Maher has built a big business that centers on helping girls and women become more confident.
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Rachel Axon @rachelaxon.bsky.social · 14/08/2025
In a first for the Olympic and Paralympic movement, LA28 will sell naming rights to venues for its Games - with a nine-figure price tag. My SBJ story on how the IOC changed policy on this, which venues could be sold and how. www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/202...
sportsbusinessjournal.com
LA28 to become first to sell naming rights to Olympic, Paralympic venues
In a groundbreaking move, LA28 will be able to sell venue naming rights during its Olympics and Paralympics, a change that marks a significant shift from the IOC’s longstanding policy and that stands ...
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Rachel Axon @rachelaxon.bsky.social · 20/07/2025
"Pay us what you owe us." WNBA players making a statement at All-Star Game with t-shirts they had under their warm-ups. This event is surely a celebration of the league and its success, but the CBA has been the focus of this weekend.
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Reposted by Rachel Axon
Rachel Bachman, WSJ sports reporter @realbachscore.bsky.social · 08/07/2025
Interesting data from @rachelaxon.bsky.social and @blinkfire.com about the high social-media engagement of women's sports fans: www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/202...
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Reposted by Rachel Axon
Tom Schad @tomschad.bsky.social · 03/07/2025
If you're reading about this news today, I'd encourage you to also read this 2021 story from @rachelaxon.bsky.social and @schrotenboer.bsky.social -- which, for my money, is one of the most thorough investigations that have been done on this issue to date. www.usatoday.com/in-depth/new...
usatoday.com
Conservatives want to ban transgender athletes from girls sports. Their evidence is shaky.
Ban supporters say transgender girls dominated in softball, basketball and track. A USA TODAY investigation exposed vague and untrue evidence.
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Rachel Axon @rachelaxon.bsky.social · 11/06/2025
📰In the latest SBJ women's sports newsletter, we've got: 📣 New research from The Collective digging into fan behavior 🎾 The lack of prime time spots for women at The French Open 👟 Startup footwear brands creating new models for female athletes www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/sb-blogs/new...
sportsbusinessjournal.com
SBJ Women’s Sports: What drives fan behavior?
SBJ Women’s Sports: What drives fan behavior?
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Rachel Axon @rachelaxon.bsky.social · 05/06/2025
USA Gymnastics CEO Li Li Leung will step down at the end of the year. In six years at the NGB, she has led it out of crisis, instituted reforms and returned it to commercial and competitive success. www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/202...
sportsbusinessjournal.com
USA Gymnastics CEO Li Li Leung to step down at end of year
USA Gymnastics CEO Li Li Leung will leave the organization at the end of the year, departing after rebuilding the national governing body of the past six years.
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Rachel Axon @rachelaxon.bsky.social · 02/06/2025
LA28 continues its momentum in 2025 in a big way, signing Honda as its automotive sponsor. It's the sixth new sponsor this year, matching the total for all of 2024, and first tier-one sponsor in nearly four years. My SBJ story. www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/202...
sportsbusinessjournal.com
Honda signs on as LA28 sponsor, giving Games boost as momentum builds
LA28 signed Honda to a tier-one sponsorship, marking its first new partner at the top level in nearly four years. A major financial and operational boon, Honda is the sixth new sponsor announced this ...
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Rachel Axon @rachelaxon.bsky.social · 27/05/2025
LA28 has signed Snowflake as its official data collaboration provider, giving it a fifth new sponsor this year. www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/202...
sportsbusinessjournal.com
LA28 signs data platform Snowflake to sponsorship
LA28 has added its fifth new sponsor this year, signing Snowflake as its official data collaboration provider.
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Rachel Axon @rachelaxon.bsky.social · 05/05/2025
You already know the news, but we've got some more details on our Sports Business Journal women's sports newsletter and how we're expanding our coverage overall. www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/202...
sportsbusinessjournal.com
New SBJ vertical to focus on women’s sports
SBJ has announced a new vertical offering dedicated to women’s sports. Coverage will center around investment in the women’s leagues (both existing and emerging), athletes and start-ups focused on wom...
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Rachel Axon @rachelaxon.bsky.social · 24/04/2025
🚨 Big news 🚨 We're launching a women's sports newsletter! Sports Business Journal subscribers can find it in their inboxes every other Tuesday, starting May 13. I am beyond excited to spearhead this effort, but it's going to leverage the expertise across our newsroom. 🧵
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Rachel Axon @rachelaxon.bsky.social · 18/04/2025
U.S. Ski and Snowboard... and Surf and Skateboard? Applications for both sports would have the winter NGB taking over the Olympic teams in the summer sports. But USA Surfing wants to govern its sport, opposition from IFs & legal considerations remain. www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/202...
sportsbusinessjournal.com
U.S. Ski and Snowboard making effort to take over Olympic teams in surfing, skateboarding
U.S. Ski and Snowboard making effort to take over Olympic teams in surfing, skateboarding
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Rachel Axon @rachelaxon.bsky.social · 14/04/2025
Great to see this. Can't wait to see what Alicia, Nancy and the team do here.
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Rachel Axon @rachelaxon.bsky.social · 11/04/2025
USA Swimming has hired Greg Meehan as its national team managing director. www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/202...
sportsbusinessjournal.com
USA Swimming hires Greg Meehan as national team managing director
USA Swimming hired Greg Meehan as national team managing director, putting the former Stanford women's coach in charge of the NGB's top athletes as it looks ahead to LA28.
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Rachel Axon @rachelaxon.bsky.social · 09/04/2025
The IOC approved the sports program for LA28, allocating more than half of the quota spots to women for the first time in Olympic history. My story. www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/202...
sportsbusinessjournal.com
LA28 program to increase Olympic quota spots
For the first time in Olympic history, women will make up more than 50% of competitors after the International Olympic Committee approved the LA28 program.
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Reposted by Rachel Axon
Richard Deitsch @richarddeitsch.bsky.social · 08/04/2025
If you want to read about a person who played as big a role as anyone for the growth of women's college basketball in the United States, read this from @rachelaxon.bsky.social on Carol Stiff. www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/202...
sportsbusinessjournal.com
Champions 2025: Carol Stiff
Carol Stiff went from college basketball player and coach to spend more than 30 years at ESPN helping elevate the sport she loves.
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Rachel Axon @rachelaxon.bsky.social · 25/03/2025
That feeling of having too much and not nearly enough reporting...
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Rachel Axon @rachelaxon.bsky.social · 24/03/2025
More than history bound Anita DeFrantz and Kirsty Coventry, the former the first woman to run for IOC president and the latter the first ever to win it. A look at what the historic win meant for both and the women in the movement. www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/202...
sportsbusinessjournal.com
‘Proud that I could make her proud’
Kirsty Coventry made history as the first woman elected IOC president, with Anita DeFrantz looking on.
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Rachel Axon @rachelaxon.bsky.social · 21/03/2025
IOC president Thomas Bach says decisions during transition will default to president-elect Kirsty Coventry. "No decision will be taken over her head. This will happen in full consultation, and if there are different opinions between her and me, her opinion will prevail."
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Rachel Axon @rachelaxon.bsky.social · 20/03/2025
Kirsty Coventry becomes the first woman to head the International Olympic Committee. Winning on the first round, she becomes the IOC's 10th president.
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Rachel Axon @rachelaxon.bsky.social · 20/03/2025
Stunning. A result on the first vote. Name of new IOC president coming in 30 minutes...
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Rachel Axon @rachelaxon.bsky.social · 20/03/2025
We're on IOC time, which usually means not the schedule. Vote now set for 4:30 p.m. local/10:30 a.m. ET.
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Rachel Axon @rachelaxon.bsky.social · 20/03/2025
IOC election is 30 minutes away. With seven candidates in the field, the favorites remain Sebastian Coe, Kirsty Coventry and Juan Antonio Samaranch. No IOC election (whose votes we have recorded) has gone past the 2nd round. But with the biggest field of any election, might we see that today?
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Rachel Axon @rachelaxon.bsky.social · 20/03/2025
In a few hours, the IOC will elect a new president. So, time for some election math! There are 109 members, with three absent. But 106 is not the max for a couple reasons. First, president Thomas Bach will not vote unless the final two candidates have been tied for two rounds.
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Rachel Axon @rachelaxon.bsky.social · 19/03/2025
A little livelier IOC session than normal. Vote in just a little more than 24 hours.
Juan Antonio Samaranch, one of seven candidates for president of the International Olympic Committee, speaks to a scrum of dozens of reporters.
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Rachel Axon @rachelaxon.bsky.social · 18/03/2025
In just about 48 hours, a new IOC president will speak from the dais. Stay tuned for updates from Greece.
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Rachel Axon @rachelaxon.bsky.social · 13/03/2025
NBC will remain the U.S. home of the Olympics and Paralympics through 2036, with the IOC and Comcast NBCUniversal announcing a $3 billion extension. NBC's current deal had been through 2032, and the extension comes as IOC President Thomas Bach has four months left in his tenure.
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Rachel Axon @rachelaxon.bsky.social · 05/03/2025
LA28 has added its first sponsor of the new year, signing Pennymac as its official mortgage supporter. www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/202...
sportsbusinessjournal.com
LA28 adds Pennymac as sponsor
LA28 added its first sponsor of 2025, announcing Pennymac as its official mortgage supporter.
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Rachel Axon @rachelaxon.bsky.social · 05/03/2025
The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Foundation has secured its biggest gift ever, aiming to use $100M from hedge fund CEO Ross Stevens to support athletes decades after they compete in the Games. www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/202...
sportsbusinessjournal.com
USOPF gets record $100M donation to fund athletes
The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Foundation has received a $100 million donation from hedge fund CEO Ross Stevens, using it to fund athletes decades after they compete in the Games.
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Rachel Axon @rachelaxon.bsky.social · 03/03/2025
CEOs in the Olympic and Paralympic movement have jobs calling on skills common to others in the wider sports industry. But their pay, though increasing, lags behind their peers. My SBJ story on a deep dive into the data. www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/202...
sportsbusinessjournal.com
Golden Perspective
An analysis of the pay for leaders of various national governing bodies for Team USA shows disparity with other people in the industry, but things are improving
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Rachel Axon @rachelaxon.bsky.social · 01/03/2025
NEWS: USA Swimming will not have Chrissi Rawak as its CEO, reversing course due to "unforeseen personal circumstances" just more than a week after it had announced hiring the Delaware AD. www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/202...
sportsbusinessjournal.com
In sudden reversal, Chrissi Rawak won’t take over as USA Swimming CEO
USA Swimming announced Chrissi Rawak as its new CEO last week, but now it says the Delaware AD won't take the role.
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Rachel Axon @rachelaxon.bsky.social · 01/03/2025
In a stunning reversal, USA Swimming now says it will not have Chrissi Rawak as its CEO. The organization announced last week that it would hire the Delaware AD.
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Rachel Axon @rachelaxon.bsky.social · 28/02/2025
Spent some time at the LA28 partner summit this week, where new leadership, a successful Paris Games and a ticking clock with three years to go have organizers and sponsors deep into planning for the first U.S. Olympics and Paralympics in a generation. www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/202...
sportsbusinessjournal.com
Race Against The Clock
LA28 is making progress toward its sponsorship goal for the next Summer Olympics
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Rachel Axon @rachelaxon.bsky.social · 24/02/2025
AB InBev extends its deal with the IOC through 2032, adding another quad to the initial four-year deal it announced last year. www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/202...
sportsbusinessjournal.com
A-B InBev extends IOC sponsorship through 2032
AB InBev extended its sponsorship of the International Olympic Committee, with the new agreement to end in 2032.
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Rachel Axon @rachelaxon.bsky.social · 20/02/2025
TCL is joining the TOP program, giving the International Olympic Committee its first new global sponsor since losing four last year. The Chinese company will have the home audiovisual equipment and home appliances category, and it brings the IOC to 12 TOP sponsors.
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Rachel Axon @rachelaxon.bsky.social · 19/02/2025
USA Swimming announces Chrissy Rawak as its new CEO, hiring the former collegiate swimmer to lead the NGB. Rawak has been AD at Delaware since 2016. www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/202...
sportsbusinessjournal.com
USA Swimming hires Delaware AD Chrissi Rawak as CEO
USA Swimming has hired Chrissi Rawak as President & CEO, bringing in a new head of the organization as it embarks on a critical quad culminating at the L.A. Olympics in three years.
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Reposted by Rachel Axon
Nancy Armour @nrarmour.bsky.social · 13/02/2025
The rollback of guidance requiring NIL to comply with Title IX will shortchange women athletes. Where's the outrage on that from the “protect women’s sports!” mob? www.usatoday.com/story/sports...
usatoday.com
Opinion: New NIL decision will shortchange women athletes. Where's the outrage?
Trump administration is giving colleges permission to ignore Title IX rules requiring equitable treatment of female athletes.
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Rachel Axon @rachelaxon.bsky.social · 11/02/2025
The Milan Cortina Games are just under a year away, and it will feel like it across NBCUniversal on Wednesday. A look inside the marketing activation as the company looks ahead to 2026. www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/202...
sportsbusinessjournal.com
NBCU activating with one year to Milan-Cortina
NBCUniversal launches its year-out marketing efforts for the Milan Cortina Games on Wednesday, planning appearances from Milan, athlete interviews and other activations for the 2026 Olympics.
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Rachel Axon @rachelaxon.bsky.social · 11/02/2025
With five weeks to go until the IOC elects a new president, three candidates have emerged as favorites. My SBJ story on the state of the race and the issues facing whomever succeeds Thomas Bach. www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/202...
sportsbusinessjournal.com
Three favorites emerge to become next IOC president
Sebastian Coe, Kirsty Coventry and Juan Antonio Samaranch are favorites to become the next president of the International Olympic Committee
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Rachel Axon @rachelaxon.bsky.social · 06/02/2025
Today marks one year from the opening of the Milan-Cortina Olympics, kicking off a final stretch of preparations for the most spread out Games in recent memory. My SBJ story on how the movement is readying for an event spread around the Dolomites. www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/202...
sportsbusinessjournal.com
Milan-Cortina eyeing Paris replication with 2026 Winter Games one year away
With the Games a year away, Milan-Cortina is going to great lengths to replicate Paris’ success.
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Rachel Axon @rachelaxon.bsky.social · 04/02/2025
You won't catch me under-reporting a story, exhibit 521. (This is for a 2,000-word story. 🙃)
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Rachel Axon @rachelaxon.bsky.social · 03/02/2025
The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee is merging international and government relations efforts into one team, Global Engagement & Government Affairs. The changes are meant to better align efforts with the USA hosting two Games in the next decade. www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/202...
sportsbusinessjournal.com
USOPC restructuring international, government affairs into merged team
The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee will eliminate a VP position and merge is international and government relations offices for better integration in those areas as it looks to host two Games i...
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Rachel Axon @rachelaxon.bsky.social · 03/02/2025
In the wake of the plane crash that took the lives of 28 skaters, coaches and parents, U.S. Figure Skating is launching a family support fund. www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/202...
sportsbusinessjournal.com
U.S. Figure Skating launches fund for families of crash victims
U.S. Figure Skating has launched a support fund for the families of the 28 members of the community who died in the crash of American Airlines flight 5342 last week.
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Rachel Axon @rachelaxon.bsky.social · 30/01/2025
In a closed session of the IOC's members, the candidates made their case for why they should be the organization's next president. My story on the next, opaque step forward on the path to the March election. www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/202...
sportsbusinessjournal.com
Candidates make case for IOC presidential role
Seven candidates on Thursday made their case to take over for IOC President Thomas Bach.
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Rachel Axon @rachelaxon.bsky.social · 30/01/2025
U.S. figure skaters were among the passengers on an American Airlines flight that collided with an Army helicopter outside of Washington. www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/202...
sportsbusinessjournal.com
U.S. Figure Skating athletes were on crashed plane
Figure skaters returning from a development camp were among the passengers on an American Airlines jet that collided with an Army helicopter outside Reagan Washington National Airport on Wednesday nig...
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Rachel Axon @rachelaxon.bsky.social · 29/01/2025
"It will probably just hurt worse next time." Oooof, if @williamfleitch.bsky.social didn't just nail what it's like to be a Bills fan.
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Rachel Axon @rachelaxon.bsky.social · 17/01/2025
Donor fatigue is real, but the worry that NIL would lead to declining donations to FBS athletic departments has largely not come to pass. My SBJ analysis of data from 2019-23 found 74.5% of public FBS schools had their best fundraising years under NIL. www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/202...
sportsbusinessjournal.com
In the NIL landscape, exhausted donors keep on giving
With NIL funding approaching a billion dollars, data shows donations directly to public colleges also have leaped by 40%.
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Rachel Axon @rachelaxon.bsky.social · 15/01/2025
Between the two stories I have going this week and next, my spreadsheets have combined 42 tabs. It's excellent.
media.tenor.com
oprah winfrey is holding a microphone and saying `` you get a spreadsheet and you get a spreadsheet . ''
ALT: oprah winfrey is holding a microphone and saying `` you get a spreadsheet and you get a spreadsheet . ''
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Rachel Axon @rachelaxon.bsky.social · 15/01/2025
When my coffee consumption outkicked the coverage on what was needed to get through five interviews and a 2,000-word story so heading to bed like...
media.tenor.com
a little girl is eating cotton candy while sitting in a crowd of people .
ALT: a little girl is eating cotton candy while sitting in a crowd of people .
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Reposted by Rachel Axon
Tom Schad @tomschad.bsky.social · 14/01/2025
Am reminded of the brilliant work that @rachelaxon.bsky.social and @schrotenboer.bsky.social did on anti-trans bills like this in 2021. "USA TODAY could find few transgender athletes participating [in sports] and even fewer complaints about them." www.usatoday.com/in-depth/new...
usatoday.com
Conservatives want to ban transgender athletes from girls sports. Their evidence is shaky.
Ban supporters say transgender girls dominated in softball, basketball and track. A USA TODAY investigation exposed vague and untrue evidence.
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