Women’s sports has exploded in popularity with television viewers and enthusiasm for new leagues and teams is high, according to a new study from Horizon Sports & Experiences.
The growth goes beyond the Caitlin Clark effect. Viewers clamored to watch the all-time college basketball scoring leader as led her Iowa team to the NCAA finals, then followed her to the WNBA, where she set assist records as a rookie.
In its new report–the first part of a series on The Women’s Sports Opportunity–HS&E says that over the past three years, women’s sports viewership has increased by 80%. NCAA women’s basketball jumped 145% and WNBA ratings grew 76%. But there was also 99% growth for women’s soccer and women’s volleyball spiked 126%.
The company–formed by former Turner and Turner Sports President David Levy and his partner Chris Weil–launched the Pickleball Slam, which appeared on ESPN, and is staging the inaugural Shark Beauty Women’s Champions Classic, featuring the Connecticut, Tennessee, Iowa and Louisville college women’s hoops teams, which will be shown on Fox on December 7. The company is also launching Unrivaled, a new women’s three-on-three hoops league.
The study shows that women’s sports will continue to be a growing business for the TV business, sponsors and sports gambling.
“The excitement around women’s sports, teams, and athletes is at an all-time high, proving this isn’t just a moment but a movement,” said Kerry Bradley, senior VP, strategy for HS&E. “The study offers stakeholders a deeper understanding of the untapped potential and immense opportunities for brands in women’s sports.”
According to the report, enthusiasm for women’s sports should rise, with 75% of general sports fans expressing excitement about new women’s league and teams.
For sponsors, women’s sports represents a genre where they can establish fresh relationships with consumers, at a lower initial cost than men’s sports.
HS&E says women’s sports fans are highly engaged, diverse and affluent, making them valuable to brands.71% of fans believe companies should invest more in sponsoring women’s sports teams and athletes, it found.
Women’s sports viewers are only 45% female, with 55% being men, who are hard to reach via television. They have an average household income of $132,000, which is 18% higher than the overall population, and they are 40% more likely to purchase from brands that sponsor women’s sports events.
As new leagues and franchises in women’s sports arise, HS&E says brands have an opportunity to stand out in a crowded sponsorship market, with the initial cost of entry low and the potential for strong return on investment.
“Despite the fact that fans of women’s sports are more likely to support sponsoring brands, there’s less brand sponsorship saturation. This presents a major opportunity for sponsors to stand out through greater share of exposure and the opportunity to drive deeper fan engagement. Greater impact at a relatively lower price point? Seems too good to be true, but it’s the reality for women’s sports,” the report states.
HS&E also notes that there has been explosive growth in gambling, with betting volume up 40% year over year. Betting on the NCAA Women’s Championship alone grew 500%.
The report is based in part on a nationally representative survey of 1,049 adults conducted in September by HS&E, Horizon Media’s WHY Group and Horizon Multicultural. It also incorporates data from NetbaseQuid, SponsorUnited, Inscape TV, YouGov and MRI.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.
Jon Lafayette is the Sports Editor for Barrett Media. His focus is on the business of sports, including revenue-generating activities, executive intrigue and on-air and behind the scenes talent. Jon previously covered big stories in the media industry as business editor of Broadcasting+Cable. Before B+C, Jon covered the TV and advertising industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago. He can be reached by email at Jon@BarrettMedia.com.
