The rise of women’s sports transcends any single sport or individual, but women’s basketball has undeniably led the charge this year, according to Nielsen. The 2024 Women’s NCAA tournament, for example, averaged nearly 19 million viewers for the final game between Iowa and South Carolina, peaking at 24 million. This marks an 89% increase from the previous year and, for the first time ever, surpasses the viewership of the Men’s final. The 2024 WNBA Draft saw a staggering 511% increase in audience, with a 668% rise among female viewers aged 2-17. Overall interest in the WNBA surged by 29% between 2023 and 2024.
This wave of enthusiasm extends beyond basketball. The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) experienced a 17% increase in interest between 2023 and 2024. Interest in England’s Women’s Super League jumped by 52% following England’s 2022 EURO victory, thanks in part to an improved broadcasting deal, and these gains have continued into 2024. Tennis Channel’s T2 channel now dedicates every Tuesday exclusively to women’s tennis matches, an initiative called Women’s Day. Moreover, 2024 is projected to be the year the global women’s sports industry breaks the $1 billion barrier, marking a 300% increase from 2021.
For years, investments in women’s sports have primarily been driven by diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) goals. While these aims are important, focusing solely on them can be limiting. Women’s sports investments also make sound business sense. Global fans of women’s sports are diverse: 43% of women’s sports fans are male, they tend to be younger, tech-savvy, and highly engaged consumers. 74% of women’s sports fans are the primary income earners in their households, compared to 70% of men’s sports fans. Additionally, 57% of women’s sports fans have children under 18, compared to 53% of men’s sports fans.
Taking the WNBA as an example, its fans are more likely than other sports fans to engage with brands online, discuss them with friends and family, and make purchases. These are highly invested audiences with significant purchasing power, making them ideal for brands. Despite this, women’s sports have historically been undervalued. For instance, Nielsen Sports found that the Women’s Super League delivered €18.3M in value through broadcast, but the media rights sold for just €7.3M, indicating an undervaluation by 2.5 times. This is a problem that accurate data can address.
Sponsorship has always been a crucial revenue driver for women’s sports. As broadcast distribution increases, making it easier for fans to watch games, the value delivered to sponsoring brands naturally increases, creating a cycle of growth. In a recent webinar, Molly Beck from Google Sports and Entertainment Strategy noted that Google faced a challenge in equitably investing in men’s and women’s sports due to a lack of women’s sports inventory. This realization highlighted the issue of visibility and led to increased investment in the WNBA, thereby improving ROI.
Women’s sports are attracting significant attention from desirable audiences by following their own playbook. These audiences, their media consumption habits, and their expectations differ from those of men’s sports fans, creating a unique opportunity to tailor growth strategies. To sustain and grow this momentum, brands, leagues, and rights holders should focus on four key areas.
Women’s sports need better content access, discoverability, and volume. Games should not be hidden on obscure channels, highlights should be shared widely, and publishers should create more spaces for women’s sports content. Platforms can achieve this by creating more content, making it easier to find, and adopting a test-and-learn approach. Leagues, teams, and rights holders can expand their understanding of fans and their content preferences. Brands should focus investments on amplifying women’s sports stories and enhancing the fan experience through authentic sponsorship.
Despite growing enthusiasm, many marquee events are still held in outdated venues. For instance, the Women’s Super League saw a 43% growth in attendance, with Arsenal breaking attendance records three times. However, only 38% of WSL matches were played at Premier League stadiums. Investing in top-tier venues and delivering premium event experiences can drive further growth.
Big sports moments, fierce competitions, and household names build leagues. Athletes can handle the first two, but they need support to build their brands. Leagues, teams, and rights holders should make it easier to be a fan through broad distribution and cross-promotions, provide players with tools to create effective content, and understand what motivates their fans. Brands can partner with young talent to raise athlete profiles and deepen brand credibility.
Budgets are under intense scrutiny, and results must be demonstrated across all activations. Comprehensive data is essential to capture a true picture of performance. It’s not just about reach and frequency but also about creative effectiveness, cross-channel engagement, and overall awareness. Leagues, teams, and rights holders should understand partner goals, measure outcomes, and deliver actionable results. Brands should set clear objectives and be patient in measuring results, capturing both tangible and intangible values.
In “Nielsen’s Driving Value through Women’s Sports” webinar, WNBA Chief Growth Officer Colie Edison closed the conversation out saying: “[Women’s sports] is a microcosm of the broader experiences of women in the workplace: Men are judged by potential, and women are judged by performance. We need to break the cycle that has continued to undervalue women and women’s sports.”