Citywealth Forum USA 2026 speaker spotlight: Jess Alden, Partner, Slateford

Date: 22 Apr 2026

Karen Jones

The Billion-Dollar Game: Women’s Sport, Celebrity Capital & the Future of Investment Citywealth Forum USA 2026.

Overview

Jess Alden brought a legal and reputational lens to the discussion, focusing on how individual athletes influence value in women’s sport and the risks that come with that visibility.

Her remarks centred on the role of player profile, media exposure, and personal reputation, particularly in a market where fan engagement is often tied more closely to individuals than to teams. She also spoke about the impact of that visibility on mental health, noting that increased scrutiny, online exposure and public expectation can place significant pressure on athletes. This is compounded by more serious risks, including stalking, harassment and privacy breaches, which she indicated are more commonly experienced by female athletes and can have direct implications for both personal safety and commercial value.

Key Themes from Jess Alden

1. A Player-Led Market

Alden emphasised that women’s sport operates differently from many established men’s leagues. In her experience, fans are often drawn to individual athletes rather than to clubs themselves.

Using examples from women’s football, she noted that supporters, particularly younger audiences, tend to follow specific players. When those players move between teams, fan loyalty, shirt sales and ticket demand can move with them.

This creates a dynamic where the value of a team can be closely linked to the presence and profile of key individuals.

2. Reputation Directly Affects Value

Given that reliance on individual athletes, Alden made clear that reputation has a direct commercial impact.

Positive visibility can drive sponsorship, media attention and fan engagement. Conversely, controversy or negative coverage can affect commercial relationships, brand partnerships and revenue streams.

She also pointed out that female athletes are often held to a higher public standard, which can intensify both the upside and the downside.

Alden highlighted the role of social media in shaping athlete value. Many female athletes have significant online followings, which can be as important as their performance on the field.

These platforms create opportunities for partnerships and endorsements, but also increase exposure to scrutiny and risk.

4. Mental Health and Sustained Exposure

Alden addressed the pressure that comes with constant visibility. Athletes are not only performing publicly, but are also subject to continuous commentary, criticism and expectation online.

She noted that issues around mental health are becoming more prominent, particularly where negative attention or public reaction affects confidence, performance and commercial relationships.

5. Legal Risks and Personal Exposure

From a legal perspective, Alden noted that female athletes are particularly exposed to issues such as harassment, stalking, privacy breaches and reputational attacks.

She referenced cases involving deepfakes, hacking and misuse of personal data, as well as the need for pre-publication legal work to manage media risk. In some cases, these risks extend beyond reputation into personal safety, requiring active legal intervention.

6. Uneven Financial Support

Alden also drew attention to the financial reality for many female athletes. Outside the top tier, earnings can be limited, meaning that legal protection and advisory support are not always easily accessible.

She noted that some work in this area is undertaken on a pro bono basis, reflecting the gap between visibility and financial backing in parts of women’s sport.

Closing Perspective

Alden’s contribution highlighted the extent to which women’s sport is shaped by individuals as much as institutions.

Her focus was on the balance between opportunity and exposure. As the sector grows, the commercial value attached to athletes will continue to rise, but so too will the need to manage reputation, privacy, personal safety and mental health alongside that visibility.

Key Points from the Discussion

Fan engagement in women’s sport is often driven by individual athletes rather than teams
Player movement can directly affect ticket sales and merchandise demand
Reputation has a clear commercial impact on teams and sponsors
Social media plays a central role in building athlete value
Mental health pressures are increasing alongside visibility and scrutiny
Female athletes face heightened exposure to harassment, stalking and privacy risks

Fellow Panellists

Arya S. Rahimian, Managing Director, Valuation Advisory Services, Kroll
Emily Dreas, Managing Director and Senior Market Executive, Bank of America Private Bank (Moderator)
Lisa Barksdale, Head of Global Wealth & Investment Management Credit, Bank of America

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