A Vision for Building Better Cities

Indianapolis Shines During WNBA All-Star Week—and So Does Marvella

Indianapolis was alight with excitement in July as the Circle City hosted the WNBA All-Star Game with stars like Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston, and Sabrina Ionescu. But the excitement extended far beyond the court. All-Star Week was also another highlight in the rise of women’s sports in America – one where access, opportunity, community, and leadership go hand-in-hand with success on the court.

One of the leaders in this movement is the Marvella Foundation, a Sagamore operating partner, which debuted its “Marvella Mobile” pop-ups and activation labs across Indy during All-Star Week. Marvella works to equip the next generation of women and girls through athletics, leadership development, and wellness through a variety of initiatives, from scholarships for disadvantaged families to the development of a future Women in Sports Tribute Museum and Hall of Fame. While their partners at Marvella Sports work on building the nation’s first sports complex dedicated to women’s athletics in Newton County, Indiana—with a groundbreaking  planned in September—Marvella Mobile brought programming directly to the Indy community to spread the word and give kids an opportunity to play and learn.

Marvella Mobile Popping Up Around Indy

Marvella Mobile’s programming during WNBA All-Star week included a litany of events and experiences across the city, ranging from a sports clinic at the Indianapolis Children’s Museum with basketball legend Tamika Catchings to a backpack giveaway for students and VR sports experiences. Jayma Meyer, a sports and antitrust lawyer and advisor to Marvella, highlighted that the organization’s programming is impactful because “It is focused on what girls want and need—which truly is not the same as what boys of the same age want and need.” Referencing her own experiences in her youth where she faced discrimination in competitive swimming, Meyer emphasized that Marvella’s mobile programming and future sports complex gives girls “a space to be themselves and feel safe and confident about their bodies and skills” and hopes that the next generation of young female athletes don’t have to face the same barriers.

Marvella’s rollout in Indianapolis and growing profile across the state are also no accident. Beyond the excitement of packed high school basketball arenas and the other sporting events that constitute “Hoosier Hysteria,” the city, the state, and its leaders have built a unique capacity for hosting athletic events and supporting local communities through sports. This expertise has led the Indiana Sports Corp., the nation’s first state sports commission, to make becoming the women’s sports capital of the world a guiding pillar of its wider agenda for the state. Marvella has become a key player in this growing women’s sports ecosystem, where it has proven that nurturing and supporting young women with the values and skills to succeed in sports will take them far in life, no matter their goals and aspirations.

The Marvella team at their youth sports clinic hosted at the Indianapolis Children’s Museum 

Carrying on the Fight for Equity

Marvella’s mission—and its namesake—are deeply rooted in the fight for women’s equality. Marvella Bayh’s rejection from the University of Virginia based on her gender inspired her husband, Indiana Senator Birch Bayh, to lead the charge on the 1972 Title IX law that banned gender discrimination in education, including in athletics. Now, the Marvella Foundation carries on Marvella Bayh’s legacy by ensuring that young women and girls have the opportunity and resources to gain invaluable educational and social experiences on and off the field.

And while Title IX and the growing excitement and involvement in women’s sports – especially in Indiana – have helped level the playing field, there is still much work to do. According to the Women’s Sports Foundation,  the participation rate in sports of girls ages 6-10 trails 10 percentage points behind that of boys, and high school boys still receive 1.13 million more opportunities in athletics per year than their female peers. This is why, according to Marvella’s Jayma Meyer, “We still need to be really intentional” about forwarding progress on equity to bridge the “considerable gaps” still facing women and girls.

Even beyond the opportunity to compete, involvement in sports has proven to be a significant factor in the economic, physical, and mental well-being of women and girls. The skills taught in athletics, like self-confidence, resilience, and teamwork, all contribute to a happier and healthier life, and there is also a strong link been athletics and academic achievement, including higher high school graduation rates. And for those still unconvinced, look no further than a recent survey by Ernst & Young that found that ninety-four percent of C-suite women leaders played sports.

A Marvella Mobile activation in downtown Indy | Credit: Marvella Sports

Leading Through Sports and Social Impact 

To drive this change and carry on the fight for equity, Marvella has enlisted its own all-star roster of leaders. The organization was founded by brothers Glenn and Lou Tilley, who have been long-time leaders in national youth athletics and sports media and business, and is led by Allison Barber, Ph.D., former President of the Indiana Fever and the chair of Sagamore’s Board of Trustees. Its team also includes leaders like former Notre Dame women’s basketball coach Muffet McGraw, hockey legend Margaret “Digit” Murphy, and FIFA World Cup Champion Lauren Cheney Holiday.

Sagamore is privileged to support this stellar team by combining our expertise in social impact investing and non-profit management. Sagamore Ventures hosts several initiatives, such as the Minority Entrepreneurship Institute, that leverage athletic success for wider social impact, and our venture firm Commonwealth has invested in athletes and initiatives working at the intersection of entrepreneurship and sports, such as Indiana Fever star Lexie Hull.

As the spotlight on women’s sports continues to grow, Marvella is ensuring that momentum translates into lasting impact. By investing in the next generation of female athletes—not just as competitors, but as leaders and learners—Marvella is building more than facilities and programs. Rooted in legacy and driven by purpose, Marvella is redefining what’s possible for women and girls in sports and proving that when equity leads, everyone wins.