"Billie Jean King always tells women to follow the money" - American legend's wife Ilana Kloss on why capital is important in women's sports

Billie Jean King and her wife Ilana Kloss recently spoke to Rennae Stubbs about the significance of money in sports. Kloss, a former South African tennis player herself, urged other female sportswomen to be money-minded in their career pursuits.

King is renowned as one of the best tennis players in history with 39 Major combined titles in singles, doubles and mixed doubles. Besides her playing career, she founded the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) in 1973.

Billie Jean King's efforts in empowering women's sports go well beyond tennis. She and her wife Ilana Kloss helped create the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) last year, which was a topic that came up during the couple's appearance on the Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast.

Kloss insisted that money gives women a range of options as she cited her partner's mantra: "Follow the money".

"You have to follow the money. And it's not just because you want more and more money. But money allows you to have choices," Ilana Kloss said on Rennae Stubbs' podcast. "And that's why Billie always tells women and young girls and everybody, 'Follow the money.' Because that's going to give you options in your life."

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Billie Jean King on founding the new PWHL: "Girls are taught not to ask what we want"

Bille Jean King looks on at WTA Finals 2018

Billie Jean King was a major figure in the "Original Nine" group that not only ensured the formation of the WTA but negotiated a better share of the prize money for their female peers. That said, the American legend admitted that it was increasingly difficult for her to ask Mark Walter, a top businessman and Los Angeles Dodgers' owner, to form the PWHL with her.

In the podcast, King said:

"It takes millions and millions of billions of dollars to make... that's how men's sports work, if you look at their history," King said. "But for me to ask for what I wanted and needed (for creating PWHL in 2023 as a member of Advisory Board), that was unusual. Because girls are taught not to ask what we want. So that was the first time just for us, I can ask for a huge group and all that, I'm great at that."

King has invested in several women's outfits apart from the PWHL. The 39-time Major titlist's portfolio includes Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Sparks, Angel City FC, Just Women’s Sports and First Women’s Bank, among several other big names.