Women’s Sports Are Booming: What to Expect in 2025
Women’s sports had a groundbreaking year in 2024, with ad spending more than doubling and viewership skyrocketing. Major brands leaned into sponsorships, fans showed up in record numbers, and individual female athletes became key brand ambassadors.
Can women’s sports sustain this momentum?
Here’s what we can expect for women’s sports revenue, sponsorships, and viewership growth in 2025.
Bigger Sponsorship Deals & More Investment
In 2024, companies spent $244 million on women’s sports advertising—a 139% increase from the previous year. That number is expected to climb even higher in 2025 as more brands recognize the value of female sports.
Key trends to watch:
- More sponsorships from non-traditional sports advertisers (like fashion, wellness, and lifestyle brands).
- Higher endorsement deals for female athletes—WNBA stars like Caitlin Clark and A’ja Wilson are already securing multimillion-dollar partnerships.
- Increased investment from major sports networks—ESPN, CBS, and other broadcasters will likely expand coverage for women’s leagues.
Related: The 10 Highest-Paid Female Athletes of 2024: A Transformative Year for Women's Sports
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Women’s Basketball Leads the Charge
Basketball has been at the forefront of this revolution. In 2024:
- The WNBA Finals had the most viewers in 25 years.
- The NCAA women’s basketball championship broke viewership records.
- Ads during women’s basketball games were significantly more effective than standard primetime ads.
What to expect in 2025:
- Higher WNBA salaries and endorsement deals as brands continue to invest in the league’s rising stars.
- NCAA women’s basketball drawing even bigger crowds and TV audiences with another stacked roster of talent.
- More primetime TV slots for women’s basketball, helping boost revenue.
The Rise of Women’s Soccer, Volleyball & Gymnastics
While basketball leads in ad revenue, other sports are quickly gaining traction:
- Women’s soccer is attracting bigger audiences, with the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) seeing a 39% increase in ad engagement for brands that feature players.
- Women’s volleyball and gymnastics are seeing double-digit growth in ad engagement—a sign that these sports are becoming major revenue drivers.
- Women’s college sports like lacrosse and volleyball are proving to be valuable for advertisers, with some commercials being 250% more impactful than the average primetime ad.
Expect higher media rights deals, increased sponsorships, and bigger salaries across all women’s sports in 2025.
More Female Athletes as Brand Ambassadors
Brands are seeing major returns when they feature female athletes in their advertising.
- Cameron Brink (WNBA), JuJu Watkins (NCAA), and A’ja Wilson (WNBA) helped brands like Skims, State Farm, and New Balance outperform traditional ad campaigns.
- Ads featuring female athletes during their games were 103% more effective than those without.
Related: Kim Kardashian x Nike: The Power Move Shaking Up Activewear!
In 2025, expect:
- More female athletes landing high-profile endorsement deals.
- A shift in brand partnerships, with companies choosing athlete-driven campaigns over traditional celebrity endorsements.
- More women’s sports brands expanding into lifestyle and fashion—similar to the success of Skims and Fabletics.
The Future of Women’s Sports Revenue
With sponsorship deals, rising viewership, and fan engagement at all-time highs, women’s sports are positioned for another record-breaking year in 2025.
Brands are realizing that investing in women’s sports isn’t just ethical—it’s profitable. As leagues expand, media coverage grows, and female athletes gain superstar status, expect women’s sports revenue to hit new highs in 2025 and beyond.
Are we witnessing the golden era of women’s sports?
