e.l.f. SKIN & Billie Jean King Take Center Court on the 50th Anniversary of “Battle of the Sexes” for the Next Generation of Women in Tennis and in Sports

September 19, 2023 at 13:36 PM EDT

e.l.f. SKIN and equality champion, Billie Jean King, are teaming up to commemorate the 50-year milestones of the “Battle of the Sexes” and equal prize money at the US Open.

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Billie Jean King is teaming up with e.l.f. SKIN to commemorate the 50-year milestones of the “Battle of the Sexes” and equal prize money at the US Open. Photo Credit: Getty Images

This year marks the golden anniversary of three pivotal moments in sports history: Billie Jean King's founding of the Women’s Tennis Association, her pivotal leadership in 1973 to secure equal prize money for both male and female competitors at the US Open, and her iconic victory over former number 1 ranked tennis player Bobby Riggs in the "Battle of the Sexes." These events propelled sports, particularly women’s sports, towards a more equitable future.

On Wednesday, September 20th, which marks the actual 50th Anniversary of Billie Jean King’s iconic “Battle of the Sexes'' victory at the Houston Astrodome - PEOPLE + e.l.f. will celebrate Women Changing the Game, and equal play, equal pay, with an epic drone show. 50 years later to the day, we are taking Billie Jean King back to Houston with the drone show celebration, which will be live-streamed on e.l.f.’s TikTok and Instagram channels.

"Billie Jean King has been such a courageous advocate for gender equality. We’re thrilled to partner with such a force in the industry to celebrate these milestone anniversaries and empower women in sports. There is an undeniable synergy between e.l.f. and Billie Jean King as it relates to breaking boundaries, creating inclusion and empowering others,” said Patrick O’Keefe, Vice President of Integrated Marketing Communications, e.l.f. Beauty.

Inherently purpose driven, e.l.f. has always had a deep commitment to diversity and inclusion. To further impact positive change, e.l.f. is donating $50,000 to the Billie Jean King Leadership Initiative and invited four emerging tennis talents, selected by the John McEnroe Tennis Academy, to meet Billie Jean King at the US Open as well as watch Coco Gauff win the women’s finals. As e.l.f. SKIN’s Holy Hydration! and Suntouchable! skin care collections are staples in Billie Jean King’s routine, e.l.f. SKIN also gave these Holy Grails to the four athletes for their skin care routines.

“It is an honor to partner with e.l.f. SKIN, be part of their commitment to equality, and meet this impressive group of women,” Billie Jean King said. “There is always more work to be done, and I appreciate that e.l.f. SKIN recognizes this and truly stands with every eye, lip, face and skin concern.”

This partnership follows e.l.f.’s recent collaborations that feature inspirational women like Anastasia Pagonis (a paralympic swimmer and world-record holder), Katherine Legge (one of the world’s top women race car drivers) and Kathleen Belsten (aka Loserfruit; one of the world’s top women gamers) that expand upon the brand’s purpose pillar of empowering and uplifting others with a focus in sports and gaming.

About e.l.f. SKIN:

Win in skin the clean + kind way. e.l.f. SKIN is democratizing clean skincare by making innovative, efficacious formulas at get-real prices, always vegan and cruelty-free. Packed with active ingredients, e.l.f. SKIN’s innovative, efficacious products target multiple skin needs for every eye, lip, face and skin concern. Clean skincare is accessible at mic-drop unbelievable prices. The first skin care brand to be Fair Trade Certified™, e.l.f. SKIN is available at leading specialty beauty and mass market retailers globally and on www.elfcosmetics.com/elf-skin.

About Billie Jean King:

Named one of the “100 Most Important Americans of the 20th Century” by Life magazine and the first female athlete to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Billie Jean King is the founder of the Billie Jean King Leadership Initiative, the Women’s Tennis Association and the Women’s Sports Foundation, and part of the ownership groups of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Angel City FC. In her legendary tennis career, King captured 39 Grand Slam singles, doubles and mixed doubles titles, including a record 20 Wimbledon championships.

In 2020, Fed Cup, the world cup of women’s tennis, was renamed the Billie Jean King Cup, making it the first global team competition to be named after a woman. In 2006, the home of the US Open was renamed the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in honor of her accomplishments on and off the court.

King, and her partner Ilana Kloss, were named the most powerful out LGBTQ people in sports, on the first ever Outsports Power 100 List in 2023. King also was included in the Class of 2024 by the Hollywood Walk of Fame and will receive her star among the Hollywood Legends next year, becoming the first female athlete to receive a star on the Walk of Fame.

King is a New York Times best-selling author and her memoir, ALL IN: An Autobiography, was published by Knopf in 2021 and released in paperback in 2023.