Pierina Inciarte
Dionna Widder
Chief Revenue Officer, Houston Dynamo, Houston Dash and BBVA Stadium
Born: Flint, Mich.
Education: Central Michigan University, bachelor of science in business administration
Heading into college at Central Michigan in 2002, Dionna Widder knew exactly what she wanted to do with her career: work in sports.
In part, the feeling stemmed from attending a Detroit Pistons-Golden State Warriors game on Feb. 25, 2000, three days before her 15th birthday. She recalled sitting at the scorers’ table and noticing some of the Pistons staffers walking around, all donning suits.
“I vividly remember thinking, ‘I want to do that.’ They were at the game and close to the action,” said Widder, now the chief revenue officer for the Houston Dynamo and Dash.
After graduation in 2006, Widder accepted an entry-level group sales role with the Indiana Pacers. Six years later, she joined the NBA’s team marketing and business operations group. A nearly five-year stint with the Cavaliers followed before arriving in Houston, where she’s now the only Black woman under the age of 40 in a C-level position across MLS.
In less than two years, Widder has made an immediate impact. She’s increased team Dynamo memberships nearly 25% between 2019 and 2020 as well as driven a 113% uptick in new membership sales during the same period. Widder, who also led negotiations for the Dynamo’s three-year extension with jersey sponsor MD Anderson that will continue through 2023, credited some of her success to her time at the NBA, saying that “it’s sort of like getting your Ph.D. in the industry.”
Or put another way: “I once heard, ‘Your career is like a golf bag. Every place you go, you’re trying to obtain a new club. By the end of your career, hopefully you have a full set and you’re playing a full game.’” — Mark J. Burns
More about Dionna
Biggest work/life adjustment in quarantine: Throughout my workday I would schedule time on my calendar to dedicate to my kids.
Guilty pleasure: Binge watching TV series.
Advice to my younger self: That it is OK to open up and be vulnerable.
Attribute I look for when hiring: Confidence.
Proudest professional achievement in current post: Transforming the culture of our revenue team and the impact that it has had on our team members and our entire club.
Woman in sports business I’d most like to meet: Robin Roberts. Her personal journey and career accomplishments in sports and beyond are incredibly inspiring. I would love to thank her in person for blazing a path for women and people of color.
I wish I’d known at my career’s start: How valuable a diverse team of mentors is and the importance to build and maintain relationships.
Change I’d make related to women working in sports: Prioritize the recruitment and development of women in executive leadership roles.
Sports can grow its role in the social justice movement by: We have the power to bring people together and could use our influence to bridge conversations, ideas, and opportunities for equality, justice, and human rights at the local and state government level.
