How Caitlin Clark And Sanja Komljenovic Are Changing The Game

The clean, sharp squeak of rubber soles gripping polished hardwood is the immediate, kinetic sound of revolution tonight. Not the generalized roar of the crowd, but that precise, concentrated friction of intent. Good evening. We report tonight on a fascinating, long-overdue tectonic shift in the sports landscape, one that was clearly foreseen, almost divined, by a few singular minds years before the economic ground started to tremble.

The New Calculus of Value

The financial numbers arriving are often astonishing, even difficult to parse. Consider the sheer scale of engagement: More than 2.5 million spectators attended WNBA games this season, setting an all-time league attendance record. But it is the investment figures that truly defy past precedent, indicating a fundamental re-evaluation of worth. Three expansion franchises—set for Philadelphia, Cleveland, and Detroit—each secured a stunning $250 million valuation for their 2025 entry. That sum, it must be noted, is more than double the previous American record for any women’s sports team sale. A dizzying acceleration. Powerhouse athletes like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, Simone Biles and Coco Gauff, draw enormous audiences, their gravity reshaping the media landscape instantly. By some forecasts, this entire market segment in the United States could generate $2.5 billion by 2030.

The Architect of Anticipation

Long before this spectacular influx of capital, there was Sanja Komljenovic, establishing a necessary foothold in the quieter spaces. She founded ONA Creative in Los Angeles in 2015, focusing intensely on storytelling, content production, and brand campaigns for women in sports. ONA—the Bosnian word for “Her”—was a profoundly personal reflection, tied to her own journey. She arrived in the U.S. as a 10-year-old refugee fleeing the Bosnian War, a testament to resilience and perspective. She had spent time working for the Los Angeles Clippers and Nike, observing those powerful, unique moments of achievement. The projects she loved most—spotlighting Diana Taurasi’s Finals MVP brilliance, celebrating Becky Hammon’s quiet, history-making promotion as the NBA’s first female full-time assistant coach—incidents that should have been the main priority, yet were often relegated to the corporate periphery. The confusion of that prioritization. She left to build a stage, a specialized agency where the athlete and her audience would be the only focus. When the economic boom arrived nearly a decade later, ONA was positioned perfectly.

The Expanding Ecosystem

Today, ONA is strategically integrated across the sports ecosystem. Their current roster of clients includes the WNBA, the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team, as well as giants such as Jordan Brand, Converse, Meta, and Amazon. The company has grown to approximately 30 employees, with revenue nearing the eight-figure mark, having successfully doubled sales in 2024 alone. The expansion, naturally, has catalyzed others. Olympian Allyson Felix, in 2024, launched Always Alpha, an agency focusing solely on representing female athletes. And in 2025, a consulting firm named Mulier Fortis emerged—Lagen Nash and Raquel Braun departing established roles in major sports and gaming. This specialized growth embraces the weird, wonderful intersections of culture and commerce. Their early triumph provides a fascinating insight: securing a major partnership between Kim Kardashian’s $5 billion Skims apparel brand and League One Volleyball. The momentum is unmistakable. The market dynamics, once stubbornly opaque, are now beautifully, confusingly clear. The value of women's sports just keeps climbing. A profound, lasting moment of global recognition.