The Deal with Alex Rodriguez and Jason Kelly Why Willow Bay Invested in Angel City FC
Nov 6, 2025
Willow Bay, the Dean of USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism and controlling owner of Angel City FC, shares her journey into sports ownership. She highlights how her role has shaped conversations on community impact and equity in women's sports. Reflecting on her time with "NBA Inside Stuff," she discusses the cultural shift in sports media. Bay dives into her commitment to social responsibility with Angel City, including investing in players and community programs while advocating for diverse representation in ownership roles.
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Academic Freedom Shapes Classroom Practice
- Willow Bay frames freedom of the press, free speech, and academic freedom as core responsibilities of USC Annenberg.
- She emphasizes teaching current events in class and creating spaces for students to wrestle with complex issues thoughtfully.
First Day Marked By Historic Announcement
- Willow Bay recounts her first day on NBA Inside Stuff coinciding with Magic Johnson's HIV announcement.
- That moment signaled to her that sports media would be a profound cultural as well as sports journey.
Athletes Reshape Media Ecosystem
- Willow Bay's academic study shows athlete-owned media reshapes the sports storytelling economy.
- Athletes now control storytelling, distribution, and extract economic value via new platforms and formats.