Last September, New York City’s Icahn Stadium lit up with something fresh, fierce, and unapologetically bold: Athlos NYC, an all-women’s track and field event founded by Alexis Ohanian. And fans felt the electric buzz of history in the making. This wasn’t just another meet; it was a celebration of women athletes who’ve long deserved a bigger stage. With a DJ spinning, fans roaring, and Megan Thee Stallion headlining, Athlos turned track and field into a cultural moment. But what made this event so revolutionary?
Ohanian, the Reddit co-founder and Serena Williams’ husband, had a vision: showcase female track stars as the compelling storytellers they are. On a recent interview with CNBC, he called them “far more interesting” than their male counterparts, “far more natural storytellers, and they are digital natives” who connect directly with fans through social media.
Athlos leaned hard into this, with athletes like Tara Davis-Woodhall, Gabby Thomas and Shamier Little sharing their journeys on platforms like X and Instagram. The result? A raw, unfiltered connection that made you feel like you were sprinting alongside them. Ohanian’s bet was simple—give these women a platform, and they’ll captivate the world. Did they deliver?
Boy, did they. “We had over $3 million people tune into that broadcast, right? That’s more people than watch Caitlin Clark’s WNBA performance.” Well, staggering, over 3 million people tuned into the 2024 Athlos broadcast across YouTube, ESPN+, and DAZN, outpacing Caitlin Clark’s WNBA debut viewership. That’s no small feat for a first-time event.
Sport Bilder des Tages DAVIS WOODHALL Tara Team USA Olympiasiegerin 7.Tag Leichtathletik Weitsprung der Frauen Finale Paris Olympische Spiele 2024 08. 08. 2024 Paris *** DAVIS WOODHALL Tara Team USA Olympic Champion 7 Day Athletics Womens Long Jump Final Paris Olympic Games 2024 08 08 2024 Paris Copyright: xLacixPerenyix
The atmosphere was electric—$663,000 in prize money, including $60,000 for event winners, set a new standard for track payouts. Athletes weren’t just running; they were treated like royalty with first-class travel, luxury hotels, and Tiffany & Co. crowns. Gabby Thomas gushed, “Athlos was like nothing I’ve ever experienced.” So, what’s next for this game-changer?
Alexis’ Athlos is going big in Times Square with Tara & Co
Man, picture this: it’s October 9, 2025, and Times Square—the neon heartbeat of New York—is about to get lit in a whole new way. Athlos, that women’s-only track and field showcase, is dropping its first-ever long jump qualifier right in the middle of the tourist melee, a jaw-dropping, free-to-the-public spectacle that flips the script on traditional meets. And yes, Olympian Tara Davis-Woodhall is front and center, ready to launch into the bright lights, just a day before the main track-only extravaganza at Icahn Stadium on October 10. How do you even set the stage for that kind of theatrical energy?
Then there’s the behind-the-scenes hustle: Alexis Ohanian, the Athlos founder, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Tara on CBS Mornings, driving home the point that these athletes “captivate us … should not disappear for the four years in between” Olympic Games—and, oh, there’s the instinct to bring field events like long jump—often overlooked—into the spotlight. What kind of spotlight-stealer does it take to turn Times Square into a runway of athleticism?
And think about the marketing fireworks: we’re talking foot traffic of about 330,000 pedestrians a day, billboards buzzing with Athlos promos, and the kind of attention most sports don’t even dare chase. Can you feel the vibe building?
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