IX to Five to debut an initial content slate of programming, incuding the StudBudz — Courtney Williams and Natisha Hiedeman — and Lily Shimbashi, the founder of Sportsish
NEW YORK // LOS ANGELES (February 25, 2026) – Horizon Sports & Experiences (HS&E), a global sports marketing, media and live experiences agency, and TOGETHXR, the fastest growing and most popular women’s sports media company of its kind, today announced IX to Five – a game-changing joint venture built to supercharge the business of women’s sports. IX to Five will focus on creating, developing, and commercializing women's sports content through premium storytelling, unique intellectual properties, signature live experiences, and high-value brand partnerships.
The new joint venture launches with an initial content slate of programming featuring fan-favorite talent: the StudBudz, professional basketball players Courtney Williams and Natisha Hiedeman, and Lily Shimbashi, founder of Sportsish, known for her fresh perspectives on sports and pop culture.
The collaboration harnesses TOGETHXR’s powerful storytelling engine, deep athlete relationships, and built‑in multi‑platform audience, combined with HS&E’s expertise in IP development, sponsorship and media rights consulting, and experiential marketing to unlock long‑term value for brands, athletes, creators and fans alike.
IX to Five launches at a key inflection point as the industry experiences unprecedented growth across viewership, valuations, and fan and brand engagement. Created in response to a clear and growing demand for authentic and engaging women’s sports content, IX to Five signals a commitment to build an always-on ecosystem that extends beyond content or one-off-activations into scalable platforms and enduring cultural properties.
“Women’s sports is a high-growth, big ROI business. We’re excited to team up with TOGETHXR, the leader in women’s sports media, to deepen our commitment and redefine the commercial and consumer opportunities in the category,” said David Levy, co‑CEO and Founder of Horizon Sports & Experiences. “IX to Five was born out of the industry’s need for infrastructure and a year-round strategy to turn unprecedented momentum into sustained media and commercial impact. We are creating a scalable platform, which complements HS&E’s premium programming, for brands to invest in a more meaningful, authentic way and for fans to have more opportunities to engage with the athletes and content shaping culture.
“Women’s sports doesn’t need more moments — it needs infrastructure that turns momentum into careers, culture, and commerce,” said Nancy Dubuc, Executive Chair of TOGETHXR. “TOGETHXR has helped move the space from ‘after hours’ attention to always-on storytelling, and this partnership with David and Horizon Sports & Experiences accelerates that shift — building a platform where athletes, creators, and brands grow together year-round.”
In December, TOGETHER and HS&E first collaborated at the Women’s Champions Classic, a signature, annual early season basketball showcase co-produced by HS&E, anchored by the University of Connecticut and featuring Top 25 basketball teams. There, TOGETHXR recorded podcasts and additional content at Barclays Center in front of a packed house. Building upon that success, the companies now join forces to build and expand opportunities across the category.
IX to Five will announce additional content offerings later this year.
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