In this episode of The Sports Umbrella presented by GalwayPlus, host Kelly Okun interviews Mollie Marcoux Samaan, who was recently named the CEO of US Squash. You may recognize her as the former LPGA Tour Commissioner.
Mollie shares her sports background, from her own college athlete days (ice hockey and soccer) to growing youth sports at Chelsea Piers to becoming Princeton’s Athletic Director.
Mollie has a love for all sports and the lessons they teach, so it was no surprise she accepted the role as LPGA Tour Commissioner in 2021. She spent over three years there prioritizing the player environment and the tour’s commercialization. Not only did she increase the purses by over 90%, but she also improved the players’ facilities and offerings, including 100%-free healthcare.
That’s just the tip of the iceberg for the impact Mollie had on the LPGA Tour and girls playing sports in general.
With all her experience, Mollie divulges her strategies for growing women’s sports, from building fanbases to leveraging data to finding valuable partnerships. You don’t want to miss all these insights!
Chapters:
[00:32] Meet Mollie Marcoux Samaan: Sports Executive and Athlete Advocate
[02:52] What Sports Teach You
[04:02] Team-first Leadership
[05:30] Physical, Mental and Financial Changes at the LPGA Tour
[13:34] Building Fans Through Data Insights
[16:18] Supporting Girls’ Development Through Sports
[17:44] Self-care as an Athlete and Executive
[20:50] Mollie Marcoux Samaan’s Legacy (Thus Far)
