Laura Gentile

Laura Gentile is best known as the founder and longtime leader of espnW, ESPN's women's sports and lifestyle brand, which she built from concept to a major media and marketing platform. Her work at ESPN has made her one of the most influential figures in sports media marketing, particularly in expanding advertising opportunities around women's sports content and demonstrating the commercial viability of female sports audiences to brand partners and advertisers. She has been a vocal advocate for investment in women's sports as a media and advertising category at a time when the industry was largely undervaluing it. Gentile joined ESPN in the early 2000s and rose through the ranks in marketing and brand strategy roles before founding espnW in 2010. Under her leadership, espnW grew into a multi-platform brand encompassing digital content, events like the espnW Women + Sports Summit, and dedicated advertising and sponsorship packages targeting female sports fans. This work positioned ESPN as a leader in reaching women through sports content and helped attract major brand partners looking to connect with that demographic. In her broader marketing leadership role at ESPN, Gentile has overseen brand campaigns, audience development initiatives, and marketing strategy across ESPN's portfolio. She has been a prominent speaker at industry events on topics including women in sports, sports media marketing, and brand building, and has been recognized as a leading executive in both the sports media and marketing industries.

Last updated Jul 10, 2026 by ATDb automated enrichment · Connections updated Jul 13, 2026