Time to Invest in Women’s Sports

The expansion of sports as a platform to engage vast and, therefore, valuable audiences in real time has not been lost on women’s sports. Women’s sports represent one of the fastest-growing segments of all sports across the board.

So, are women’s sports a good place to invest sponsorship dollars? The short answer is yes, but like most things, there’s more to discuss when your brand is considering an investment in women’s sports.

In an effort to be educational before I get opinionated, let’s look at some key data points relative to women’s sports in the United States.

• Sponsorship money for women’s major sports leagues is growing 50% faster than men’s, as this report from Forbes confirms. Global revenue for women’s sports is expected to reach $2.3B in 2025.
• Coverage of women’s sports has tripled since 2020. ESPN, which holds the TV rights to the WNBA, saw a 170% increase in viewership during the 2024 season.
• Women’s professional soccer saw a fivefold increase in audience from 2023 to 2024. The NWSL championship drew nearly a million viewers.
• 46% of Millennial and Gen Z sports fans are likely to engage a brand affiliated with women’s sports.

Women’s sports have arrived, or better stated, are arriving. I think you’ll see more growth in audience and increased media coverage in the years to come. This spells opportunity for brands looking to invest in sports or looking to diversify their current sports marketing portfolio. Women’s sports leagues are more accessible, more affordable, and more creative in their activation strategies than other, more established leagues.

I’ll go on to say that one of the primary value propositions relative to sports sponsorship is tribalism. If your brand is shown supporting my team (tribe), then I become loyal to your brand. This is particularly valuable for new brands or even established brands that need to expand their consumer base.

It’s important to note that women’s sports do not scale as readily as established male sports. What you get are smaller, more engaged audiences that support the teams they are passionate about. Simply stated, the fan of a women’s sports team is better for brands to market to. A recent study by the sports agency Parity revealed that 68% of US sports fans have greater trust in brands promoted by female athletes.

Before you invest in a sports sponsorship of any kind, you need to do your due diligence. Let’s start with an insightful blog written here by yours truly. Then let’s look at what the landscape offers. WNBA franchises are preeminent in the women’s sports space, as that league is the most popular. Specifically for Line Drive, Seattle and Phoenix feature two prominent and successful WNBA teams.

Women’s soccer continues to be emergent. Not to editorialize too much, but I enjoy women’s soccer as much, if not more than men’s. Perhaps I’m influenced by the international game, but in general terms, women attack the goal more aggressively, play more as a team, and fake injury way less than their male counterparts. Seattle has a very successful NSWL franchise, and the league itself has some 14 teams across the United States.

ASU, GCU, and the University of Washington have a portfolio of women’s sports that have extremely viable sponsorship opportunities available for brands. With sophisticated sponsorship run by experienced professionals at each of these schools, it is worthwhile to explore what they may have to offer.

Ed has over 30 years of sports marketing experience. If you’re looking for assistance with your sports ad buy or your sponsorship efforts, contact him at ed.olsen@linedrivesportsmarketing.com or call his cell at 602.284.6722.