FairPlayProject, led by founder and CEO Santo Raggiri, has been honored with the prestigious Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award for 2024. This award, recognizing young leaders in sports who are making substantial contributions to their communities, will be presented at the annual ESPY Awards. Santo Raggiri has been named the regional honoree from New York State.
About the Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award
The Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award celebrates young individuals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and made a notable impact in the world of sports. The award, established by the Billie Jean King Foundation, aims to inspire and empower the next generation of leaders to continue advancing equity, inclusivity, and positive change through sports, education, and activism.
Being one of the 20 honorees from across the United States, FairPlayProject’s recognition highlights its critical role in promoting gender equity in sports. The foundation, inspired by Billie Jean King's legacy, supports initiatives that use the transformative power of sports to foster leadership skills and promote inclusivity.
FairPlayIM: An Innovative Approach to Women’s Sports Investment
FairPlayProject’s winning initiative, FairPlayIM, is an AI-based simulator that measures the return on investment (ROI) in female sports teams, individual athletes, and entire leagues. Utilizing data and trends from 21st-century women's sports investments, FairPlayIM offers concrete metrics such as social media engagement and merchandise sales, making it a revolutionary tool in demonstrating the tangible benefits of investing in women’s sports.
FairPlayProject’s Documentary: Highlighting Women in Sports
In addition to FairPlayIM, FairPlayProject is also producing a documentary featuring an all-women interviewee cast, including renowned athletes such as Olympic medallist and world champion fencer Nzingha Prescod, USWNT rower Jennifer Forbes, Hall of Fame hockey coach Digit Murphy, Indiana Fever point guard Erica Wheeler, and USWNT track star Gabbi Cunningham, who is set to compete in the Paris 2024 Olympics.
The documentary aims to shed light on the struggles and triumphs experienced by these athletes throughout their careers. From their early days to their professional achievements, the documentary provides valuable insights into the disparities and inequities in women's sports and offers ingenious solutions for addressing these challenges.
Looking Ahead
The recognition from the Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award is a significant step forward for FairPlayProject. The $2,500 prize will support the ongoing development of FairPlayIM and the documentary, both of which are crucial to the organization’s mission of fostering equity in women's sports. With innovative tools like FairPlayIM and a powerful documentary that amplifies the voices of women athletes, the future looks promising. The organization continues to strive for a fair and equitable world where women in sports receive the recognition and support they deserve.