Olympic fencer and multiple world champion Miles Chamley-Watson and fellow world class athletes are launching a World Fencing League (WFL) in a bid to modernize one of the world¡¯s oldest sports.
This plan, backed by sports investment firm Chiron Sports Group, involves both Chamley-Watson and Lee Kiefer, the first U.S. woman to secure three Olympic gold medals in foil and also known for her virtual reality fencing match with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. The inaugural event is slated for Los Angeles in April, according to a presentation.
Chamley-Watson¡¯s new league is part of a growing trend in which athletes and investors are organizing Olympic sports into professional leagues. This effort is designed to sustain the sport¡¯s appeal and financial stability outside Olympic years.
Other notable examples include Shaun White¡¯s The Snow League, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian¡¯s Athlos women¡¯s track and field event, and the establishment of two separate women¡¯s volleyball leagues in the last couple of years.
A representative for Chiron Sports Group declined to quantify the investment.
According to a presentation, the WFL intends to evolve into a professional league. Initially, athlete involvement will be based on ¡°global rankings and invitations.¡± Later, a franchise draft system will be implemented.
To make the sport more engaging and fan-friendly, the WFL will introduce simplified rules to speed up matches and make them easier to follow. Additionally, AI-motion captured blade tracking will be used to enhance the visual presentation of the action.
Chamley-Watson said the league addresses a long-standing barrier to the sport¡¯s growth: the lack of a viable career path.
¡°Now we can say to the kid who¡¯s 14, he could become a professional and make some actual money,¡± he said in an interview. ¡°That¡¯s what¡¯s going to change the whole game.¡±
The inaugural event will have male and female athletes on two teams fighting for a prize pool of $100,000, according to the presentation.
According to Chamley-Watson, the launch of a league following the event could transform the sport over the next decade. He sees the timing as ideal because of the exposure the sport will get when the U.S. hosts the 2028 Olympics.
¡°My goal is to get a million children in fencing,¡± Chamley-Watson said.
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