Michelle Wilson has been an innovator throughout her career in sports marketing.

While at the U.S. Tennis Association, she played a key role in the implementation of blue courts at the U.S. Open, something that let the tournament “own a color” among the other Grand Slam events, she said. Prior to that, innovation was key in Wilson working to build the upstart XFL from step one. As vice president of marketing for the league, Wilson led the XFL to become, as she noted, the first pro sports league to sell season tickets online. The league also implemented the X-Cam — technology now frequently seen at sporting events and referred to as the “fly-over” camera.

But like all true innovators, Wilson believes her crowning professional achievement will be her next one. And that achievement is already fast taking shape, with the recent announcement of a WWE-branded network to debut in 2012.