Dallas-based RIP-IT Sports appoints former American Airlines executive as first CMO amid launch of exclusive women’s athletic footwear » Dallas Innovates

RIP-IT Sports CMO Amy Craven and the company’s Sports Future Volleyball Shoe. (Composite image, DI Studio; Image credits RIP-IT)

Dallas-based RIP-IT Sports, a company focused on improving female athletic performance, has hired Amy Craven as its first chief marketing officer, the company announced Thursday. Craven, a former American Airlines executive, joins RIP-IT as it prepares to launch new volleyball and softball shoes designed exclusively for female athletes.

The appointment is a strategic move by newly appointed CEO Janelle Anderson, a former Pepsico and American Airlines executive who joined RIP-IT in April. The company, which designs its equipment in Orlando with financial backing from North Texas-based Gauge Capital, is positioning itself to capitalize on the growing momentum around women’s sports.

Janelle Anderson

“Athletes and fans alike are tired of the ‘Pink It and Shrink It’ mentality that has dominated sports for far too long, as women are built to live and play differently than men,” Anderson said in a statement. She added that Craven joins RIP-IT “at a critical time for not only our organization, but for the entire women’s sports ecosystem, when the brands truly investing in this space need to step up to increase the awareness and support of female athletes.”

Craven brings more than 18 years of marketing experience to her new role. She will lead the consumer launch of RIP-IT’s FUTURE Volleyball Court Shoe and Ringor Pro Softball Cleat, both designed exclusively for female athletes. The company said Craven will grow the RIP-IT brand through paid and owned content, as well as earned media and influencer engagement.

“The general thinking now is that women’s sports don’t have momentum, they’re a movement,” Craven said.

RIP-IT, says the new CMO, is a sports brand led by women, for women: “This isn’t a baseball company that randomly decided to expand into softball. RIP-IT was built first and foremost to get girls and women in — and staying in — the game.”

According to the company, the RIP-IT FUTURE Volleyball Court Shoe, which will be available nationwide on the company’s website and at select retailers, features innovations designed specifically for female volleyball players. These include a custom fit system, a wider toe box and improved outsole traction.

According to the company, a recent pilot study by VERT Performance Lab found that the shoe reduced the impact of landings leading to injuries by 63.24 percent.

The company’s focus on women’s sports aligns with recent market data. Citing Klarna and Sports Innovation Lab’s July 2024 “Rep Her” report, RIP-IT notes that women’s sportswear represents a $4 billion untapped opportunity. “Not least of which is apparel and equipment designed to enhance the performance of female and female athletes,” the company added.

Founded in 1999, RIP-IT Sports invests in research and technology to design and manufacture innovative equipment and apparel for female athletes in softball, volleyball, soccer and track and field training. As RIP-IT continues to expand its product line and market presence, the company plans to unveil its newest equipment and apparel with the help of top-tier volleyball and softball players. These initiatives, the company said, along with potential NIL deals with student athletes, are part of RIP-IT’s commitment to supporting and promoting women’s sports at all levels.