Why Women’s Sports Are the Next Big Opportunity for Brands

For Winmo users in media, sponsorship, and agency roles, this growth signals a decisive shift in where and how brands are investing. Women’s sports are now proven territory for reaching engaged audiences, driving measurable ROI, and building long-term brand equity. With the right strategy, brands can establish partnerships that deliver results on multiple levels.

The Business Case for Women’s Sports Sponsorship

Deloitte projects women’s elite sports will generate $2.35 billion in revenue globally in 2025, up from $1.88 billion in 2024. Commercial revenue will be the top contributor, with $1.26 billion expected to come from sponsorships, brand deals, and partnerships. Basketball, in particular, is accelerating quickly, expected to generate over $1.03 billion next year, driven in part by new WNBA stars and rising NCAA icons.

New players are entering the space. Over 1,000 brands invested in women’s sports in 2024, a 73% increase year over year. Startups and category challengers are investing alongside legacy brands like Gatorade and Nike.

This is happening for one reason: the audiences are showing up. The WNBA had its most-watched season in 21 years, NCAA women’s basketball outperformed men’s in championship viewership, and the NWSL reported its best attendance in league history. These are high-performing marketing platforms with room to grow.

Why It Matters for Marketers and Sellers

Women’s sports deliver passionate fanbases, strong brand loyalty, and underpriced media inventory. According to MarketCast, 75% of NWSL fans say they’re likely to try products from sponsors, compared to 64% of MLS fans source. These audiences are also more likely to engage with brands across social media, shop direct-to-consumer, and connect emotionally with purpose-driven campaigns.

Fashion, beauty, retail, fintech, and healthcare brands are already in motion. Fenty Beauty, Glossier, and Covergirl are working with WNBA players. Ally’s ongoing investment across the NWSL and NCAA has become a model for long-term, brand-building sponsorships that deliver performance metrics and cultural relevance.

For Winmo users looking to identify active categories, fast-growing brands, or emerging sports platforms, this space offers more visibility, more partner flexibility, and more audience momentum than many legacy sports buys.

How Brands Can Engage with Women’s Sports (And Win)

The growth is real, but results come from strategic execution. Here’s how marketers and sponsorship teams can activate effectively:

1. Start with the right fit

Identify properties that match your brand’s values, customer demographics, and activation goals. Angel City FC, Athletes Unlimited, and the WNBA offer built-in fan engagement and media-ready storylines. College programs and Olympic qualifiers present scalable opportunities for regional or national visibility.

Use Winmo to: Search by league to uncover key contacts, current sponsorship activity, and budget timelines. Spot whitespace before competitors do.

2. Build integrated campaigns

The most effective partnerships go beyond logo placement. Develop multi-touch campaigns across digital, retail, social, and in-person events.

• Run athlete-hosted IG Lives or branded TikTok series
• Activate at games with branded lounges, sampling, or community engagement zones
• Tie in a retail promo, product drop, or limited-edition line timed to the season kickoff

Use Winmo to: Coordinate with creative and media agencies already involved with rights holders. Track sponsorship activation trends to shape your pitch and rollout.

3. Partner with the right athletes

Athletes like Cameron Brink and Caitlin Clark are modern day platforms as much as they’re athletes. In fact, Brink entered the WNBA with more than 30 brand deals in place, including CVS and New Balance. Prioritize long-term partnerships over one-off endorsements. Choose athletes whose personal brand aligns with your audience, and co-create campaigns that build community, not just awareness.

Use Winmo to: Analyze influencer deal history and audience overlap. Filter for athletes by industry category, geography, or content engagement rates.

4. Define success from day one

Clear goals lead to better results. Define KPIs aligned with business objectives:

• Awareness: Track social reach, earned media, and SOV
• Sales: Use discount codes, referral links, or co-branded products
• Brand health: Commission pre- and post-campaign sentiment analysis or survey studies

Use Winmo to: Benchmark category spend, competitor activity, and past campaign performance. Layer in audience and CRM data to forecast ROI more accurately.

5. Commit to longevity

One season builds awareness. Multi-season deals build market leadership.

• Lock in multi-year sponsorships with growth-stage leagues
• Fund athlete pipeline programs or post-career initiatives
• Support editorial and broadcast coverage to increase visibility and support equity in media buys

Brands like Ally, Google, and Michelob Ultra are already seeing compounding value from long-term investment. This is the moment to act, while rates are still relatively efficient and categories are still open.

Women’s sports are now a business priority. The revenue is growing, the viewership is climbing, and the audience wants brands to participate with purpose. For sponsorship sellers and marketers, this is a rare opportunity to enter an expanding space while it’s still undervalued.

Winmo’s insights can help you identify the right properties, decision-makers, and creative strategies to execute high-impact campaigns with speed and precision. Use this momentum to pitch proactively, align with high-growth partners, and lead your brand into the next era of sports marketing.