Edition #41
June 14, 2026
Welcome to The W Profile, a study of the women leading at the intersection of sports, media, and global business. As college athletics adopts professional structures, it is instructive to look to the visionaries who have already mastered the complexities of the corporate world. By bringing C-Suite lessons to the athletics community, this series will provide leaders with the insights necessary to build a lasting legacy.
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Introduction
When Formula 1 and Liberty Media decided to shatter their traditional business model by acting as their own race promoter for the wildly ambitious Las Vegas Grand Prix, they needed an executive who could operate a high-stakes start-up within the confines of a legacy global sports rights holder. Emily Prazer, the current Chief Commercial Officer of Formula 1 and President & CEO of Las Vegas Grand Prix, Inc., was the leader tasked with turning a $400 million-plus desert gamble into the most anticipated event on the motorsport calendar.
She is responsible for overseeing F1's global and regional commercial partnerships, licensing, and marketing, as well as the continued expansion of the Las Vegas race. Her leadership is defined by an unparalleled comfort with immense capital risk, the ability to build massive operational infrastructures from scratch, and a commitment to transforming temporary event spaces into year-round, community-integrated commercial hubs.
From the Paddock to the Presidency
Prazer’s executive DNA was forged in the high-impact world of sports marketing and stakeholder management. She began her career at IMG, learning the intricacies of global strategic commercial development before joining Formula 1 in 2017 as the Senior Manager, Promoter and Business Relations.
However, her transition from F1's corporate ranks to the boots-on-the-ground orchestrator of the 2023 inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix truly cemented her legacy. Unlike traditional F1 races where the organization simply licenses the rights to a local promoter, Liberty Media and F1 purchased 39 acres of land for $240 million and funded the construction themselves. Prazer was appointed Chief Commercial Officer of the Las Vegas Grand Prix in 2022, tasked with building a team from scratch to navigate complex casino partnerships, chaotic local logistics, and intense global scrutiny. Her success in delivering a record-breaking commercial triumph led to her simultaneous elevation to CCO of all of Formula 1 and, by 2025, President and CEO of the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
The Formula 1 Playbook
Prazer approaches the commercialization of motorsport with a strategy that embraces direct ownership and premium, experiential hospitality. Her playbook encompasses three critical pillars:
➤ The Rights-Holder as Promoter: Prazer proved that F1 could successfully bypass the traditional promoter model to capture maximum enterprise value. By having Liberty Media and F1 take the financial lead on the Las Vegas Grand Prix, she demonstrated how direct investment—rather than mere brand licensing—unlocks unprecedented buy-in from local titans like the Vegas casinos, who finally believed the massive event was a commercial reality.
➤ Engineering the "Wow" Factor: She recognizes that capturing the American market requires more than just high-speed racing; it demands absolute spectacle. Prazer oversaw the creation of a premium ticketing and hospitality strategy that set a new standard for U.S. sports, aggressively targeting a demographic that expects a flawless collision of elite sport and luxury entertainment.
➤ Year-Round Civic Integration: Transitioning from the chaos of year one to long-term sustainability, Prazer is pivoting the Las Vegas Grand Prix from a disruptive, one-week event into a permanent fixture of the community. She spearheaded the development of Grand Prix Plaza into a year-round attraction and established youth partnerships, including karting camps with Boys & Girls Clubs, proving that global events must root themselves in local goodwill to survive.
Lessons on Boldness and Cultural Relevance
Prazer has built a career out of leaning into unprecedented pressure. She operates with the philosophy that when an organization decides to rewrite its own rules, the leadership must be willing to accept the terrifying expectation that they "should know what they are doing," even when building the plane as they fly it.
Crucially, she is an executive capable of profound self-reflection. Following the logistical intensity of the first Vegas Grand Prix, Prazer openly acknowledged that her singular focus on operational execution caused the team to under-invest in local community relationships. Her willingness to publicly treat that oversight as a "massive life lesson" highlights a leader who understands that true cultural influence and long-term commercial viability are built on positive human relationships, not just spectacular infrastructure.
Takeaways
➤ Direct Ownership Unlocks Trust: Prazer’s success in Vegas proved that taking on massive financial risk directly (rather than passing it to a third party) is sometimes the only way to convince massive institutional partners to buy into a vision.
➤ Execution Requires Community: Her biggest realization post-Vegas was that flawless operational execution is not enough; sustainable mega-events require deep, positive relationships with the local community to survive the inevitable friction.
➤ The Power of the First Impression: Prazer anchors her commercial strategy in the emotional resonance of a fan's first experience, prioritizing the spectacle to ensure high-margin retention and global brand evangelism.
➤ Embrace the Pressure of Competence: Taking a legacy brand into entirely uncharted waters removes the safety net of tradition. Prazer’s leadership shows that elite executives must thrive under the assumption that there are no excuses for failure when you hold all the cards.
Read. Watch. Listen.
READ: BlackBook Motorsport details the immense financial and operational risks of the Las Vegas GP, capturing Prazer's insight into how F1 managed its biggest challenge by stepping in as the sole rights holder and promoter. (link)
WATCH: On an episode of Drive To Wynn, Prazer gives fans an inside glimpse of the business world of Formula 1, the surge in American fan engagement that is fueling a complete transformation of the sport, maintaining the uniqueness of each race and more. (link)
LISTEN: Prazer joins ESPN’s Nicole Briscoe to explore the development, construction, and execution of the Las Vegas Grand Prix and discuss what lessons have been learned, how the event continues to evolve, and what’s next for the race. (link)
Quote to Remember
I’m very aware that my role adds visibility on a global stage, especially in a sport where female leadership is still emerging. The most powerful thing we can do is demonstrate what’s possible by doing the work, supporting one another and delivering at the highest standard. …
We’ve created a culture where women champion each other and leadership diversity feels not exceptional, but completely normal. Las Vegas Grand Prix has always been women-led, and as a result, we’ve organically built an organization where women hold many of the top executive and mid-management roles. It’s never been about filling a role with a woman. It’s about having the absolute best people in the room.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Cindy Parlow Cone – President, United States Soccer Federation
Publication Date: Wednesday, June 10
Amélie Mauresmo – Tournament Director, French Open
Publication Date: Sunday, June 7
Cherie DeVaux – Founder and Head Trainer, Cherie DeVaux Racing
Publication Date: Wednesday, June 3
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Positions featured here are also posted on the comprehensive CollegeSports.jobs site and are open to all qualified candidates. W Jobs exists to expand awareness, not define who a role is for, because every job in college athletics should be accessible to women. Employers choose to amplify their postings through W Jobs to reach a broader audience and demonstrate their commitment to equitable access to opportunity.
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(Posted from most recent over the last 15 days)
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