Making History: A New Era of Women's Sports

Making History: A New Era of Women’s Sports

The 2020s are proving to be a pivotal decade for women’s sports, with viewership, sponsorship, and cultural impact climbing at unprecedented rates. The narrative is shifting — these aren’t niche leagues anymore, but stages for global audiences, brand partnerships, and movement-shaping identity.

Record-Shattering Growth

• The 2024 Women’s “March Madness” Championship Game drew 18.7 million viewers
• In the first month of the 2024 WNBA season, the average game drew 1.3 million viewers—almost triple the prior season
• The inaugural Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) game reached 2.9 million viewers across Canadian networks
• Regular season attendance in the 2024 NWSL season exceeded 1 million fans midseason
• An NCAA volleyball match between Nebraska and Omaha set a women’s sports attendance record, with 92,000 paying spectators
• The Women’s Tennis Association hit a global audience of 1 billion in 2023
• The NWSL finalized a $240 million, four-year media deal in 2023; the WNBA followed with an 11-year, $2.2 billion pact
• At the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup:
• China vs England drew 53.9 million viewers — the largest for a single match
• England vs Australia became Australia’s most-watched TV event ever
• Digital traffic in the first half of the tournament surpassed the entirety of 2019
• The 2024 Summer Olympics marked the first with gender parity in competing athletes
• Forecasted revenue for women’s sports in 2024 is $1.3 billion, a 200

increase over 2021

• These figures point to more than momentum — they suggest systemic change in perception, investment, and value.
• Identity, Purpose & Community
• Women’s leagues have had to wrestle with questions of identity: who they are, what they represent, and how they engage audiences. Many have leaned into purpose and social mission, bringing together communities around themes like equity, inclusion, and empowerment. This clarity gives women’s leagues an edge today: a differentiated, socially rooted brand that resonates deeply with fans who expect more than just competition. In a time when audiences care about authenticity, women’s sports are uniquely positioned to succeed.
• Commercial Alignment & Long-Term Loyalty
• Brands and investors are recognizing that aligning with women’s sports can create loyal audiences and long-term relationships rather than quick spins.

55 percent of sports fans doubt that brand claims about societal issues translate into real impact

Yet, leagues that embed social purpose into their identity open doors for deeper brand engagement

Even smaller women’s leagues can benefit from partnerships that grow with them; commercial viability can follow value and fan passion

• Athletes as Influencers
• Athletes in women’s sports often double as powerful content creators and public figures. Their personal brands, voices, and social platforms amplify league narratives and bring fans directly into the conversation. From grassroots to major deals, this influencer dimension is becoming a core avenue for growth.
• Expansion & Opportunity
• While many men’s professional sports are mature or saturated, women’s leagues are still expanding. New leagues or formats are emerging in hockey, fastpitch, volleyball, rugby, and beyond.

Angel City FC’s value rose explosively — a small initial investment grew into one of the most valuable teams

Leagues in volleyball and emerging women’s sports are growing rapidly, opening ripe opportunities for investment

• These dynamics suggest that new markets, geographies, and sports have space to scale without the traditional overhead or baggage of legacy structures.
• Fan Engagement as Revenue Engine
• The movement isn’t just happening in North America — globally, women’s sports are capturing attention through narrative, identity, and community. Storytelling, cohesive league branding, and interactive fan platforms are fueling ongoing monetization. Two illustrative examples:

The AFLW (Australian Football League Women) has built strong brand alignment by promoting inclusion — its partners and promotions increasingly overlap with the men’s league

Ahead of the 2023 Women’s World Cup, a French telecom campaign reimagined men’s team ads into women’s team visuals, going viral and shifting perception %

In sum, today is not just another chapter in women’s sports — it may be the defining era. With identity, community, and commerce converging, the opportunity isn’t just to watch history be made, but to help build it.