Women in Sports

Women’s elite sports are no longer a “niche” side of the industry: global revenue is forecast to hit about US$2.35 billion in 2025, up from less than US$1 billion in 2023. Deloitte projects a 25% year‑over‑year jump from 2024 to 2025 alone, driven by higher attendance, better media deals and rising sponsorship.

Consulting and industry analyses show that between 2022 and 2024, revenue from women’s sports grew about 4.5 times faster than men’s sports. Yet women’s competitions still represent under 2% of the overall U.S. sports market, highlighting how much room remains for future growth.

Basketball and soccer are at the heart of the boom. Deloitte expects women’s basketball to surpass soccer as the top‑earning women’s sport in 2025, with revenues projected to top US$1 billion thanks to stars like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese and increased investment in WNBA franchise facilities. New practice complexes and upgraded arenas are a visible signal that owners see long‑term value in women’s leagues, not just short‑term promotion.

On the global stage, women’s tournaments are breaking attendance and viewership records. Recent European women’s soccer championships set highs for both goals scored and crowds, with more than 650,000 fans in stadiums and over 12 million peak TV viewers for the final in one edition. The Paris Olympics achieved full gender parity in athlete participation, reinforcing women’s events as marquee, must‑watch competitions rather than undercard attractions.

Research shows that only a small share of fans follow women’s sports exclusively, but the vast majority of women’s sports supporters also watch men’s events—meaning women’s sports add depth to existing fan habits rather than replacing them. Avid women’s sports fans spend significantly more than casual fans on tickets, merchandise and sponsor products, making them especially valuable for teams and brands.

Sponsorship is one of the fastest‑growing revenue streams. Global reports indicate that investment in women’s sport sponsorship is rising around 50% faster than in men’s major leagues, and many sponsors say returns already meet or exceed expectations. For brands, women’s sports offer differentiated audiences, strong values‑driven storytelling and relatively less cluttered advertising environments.

Behind the headlines, major disparities remain. A FIFA study cited in recent reporting found the average global gross salary for a professional women’s soccer player to be around US$10,900 per year—far below typical men’s wages and barely sustainable as a full‑time career. In the WNBA, collective bargaining has become a flashpoint as star rookies enter the league on salaries that lag not only men’s basketball but even some smaller professional tours in other sports.

Media coverage is another structural barrier. UN Women notes that women’s sports still occupy a small slice of total sports media exposure, with projections suggesting coverage might reach only about 20% if current growth trends continue. Limited visibility keeps many talented athletes and compelling leagues off casual fans’ radar, slowing the feedback loop between attention, investment and better pay.

Industry analyses estimate that closing the monetization gap could create at least US$2.5 billion in additional value for rights holders in women’s sports by 2030. To get there, stakeholders are focusing on year‑round storytelling, easier access to broadcasts, and building robust domestic leagues that keep Olympic‑level talent visible between major tournaments.

For fans and everyday viewers, the future of women in sports will be shaped by simple choices: which games to watch, which teams to follow, which jerseys to buy. As more people treat women’s competitions as must‑see events—and demand fair coverage and pay—the business case for equality becomes impossible to ignore.