Sep 17, 2025; San Jose, California, USA; SAP Center during the fourth quarter of the Golden State Valkryies vs. Minnesota Lynx game two of round one for the 2025 WNBA Playoffs at SAP Center. Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images
2025 will go down as a defining year for women’s sports. Not only was this the first year in which women’s sports were projected to reach $2.35 billion in global revenues, but across the board records were set when it comes to viewership, attendance, franchise valuations and expansion fees. These milestones span both U.S. and global markets, underscoring the worldwide demand for women’s sports. The kind of progress seen in women’s sports is unprecedented in the sports industry, showing that the rise of women’s sports isn’t slowing down anytime soon.
While there were countless women’s sports wins that took place around the world in 2025, these 10 moments stood out as some of the most important business milestones of the year.
In a landmark valuation moment, the Golden State Valkyries became the first women’s sports team valued at $500 million. On the court, demand matched the hype: the team averaged 18,064 fans per game (setting a new WNBA record) and sold out every home game of the season. The Valkyries set a new benchmark for what elite women’s sports franchises can be worth when infrastructure, market, and fan demand align.
Women’s cricket reached a new global high during the 2025 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup when India faced Pakistan on October 5. The match became the most-watched women’s international cricket game of all time, drawing 28.4 million viewers and generating 1.87 billion minutes watched. For advertisers and media partners, this match – and the 2025 World Cup as a whole – showed that women’s cricket is one of the most popular sports in the world.
Not only did the Women’s Cricket World Cup deliver record results, but the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup put on a show. The tournament as a whole broke every record that came before it, not to mention the final between England and Canada was the most-watched women’s rugby game ever in the UK, peaking at 5.8 million viewers on the BBC while 81,885 fans packed Twickenham, setting a new attendance record for a women’s rugby match.
The WNBA made one of its boldest growth moves yet in 2025, announcing expansion into Cleveland (2028), Detroit (2029), and Philadelphia (2030). Each ownership group reportedly paid a record-high $250 million expansion fee, underscoring extraordinary demand from investors eager to enter the league.
Many would (and could) argue that 2025 was the year of softball. This year marked the launch of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League, bringing professional softball to the U.S. like never before. The AUSL launched on June 7th, with not only a significant media partnership in place with ESPN, but they kicked off their inaugural season with a game-changing announcement that Major League Baseball would be making an eight-figure investment in the league, marking the first comprehensive partnership of its kind between MLB and a pro women’s sports league.
Additionally, college softball delivered one of the most compelling media success stories of the year. The 2025 Women’s College World Series peaked at 2.7 million viewers for the Texas vs. Texas Tech matchup, making it the most-watched NCAA softball game ever. In 2025, softball solidified its position as one of the strongest emerging women’s sports properties in the U.S.
The Sports Bra – aka the world’s first dedicated women’s sports bar – announced the addition of four new franchise locations across the U.S. In addition to its original location in Portland, Oregon, The Sports Bra will now have locations in Boston, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, and St. Louis, thanks in large part to an investment from Alexis Ohanian’s 776 Foundation. The Sports Bra franchises are just part of the larger movement of dedicated women’s sports bars popping up across the world, showcasing real demand for women’s sports within communities and real demand among investors who see the value in starting women’s sports-specific businesses.
Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano III delivered a watershed moment for women’s boxing. The match-up drew 6 million global viewers on Netflix and generated $2.63 million in ticket revenue, making it the highest-grossing women’s boxing event ever and the highest-grossing female sporting event in Madison Square Garden history. It was also the first all-women’s fight card headlined by women, sending a powerful signal of what’s commercially possible for women’s boxing if it has proper investment and media coverage.
Jul 11, 2025; New York, New York, UNITED STATES; Amanda Serrano (red gloves) and Katie Taylor (blue gloves) fight during the undisputed super lightweight championship boxing bout at Madison Square Garden. Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn mages
The momentum around women’s hockey didn’t slow down in 2025 – it accelerated. Coming off a remarkable 2024, the PWHL came back even stronger in 2025 with two new expansion teams in the Seattle Torrent and the Vancouver Goldeneyes. Both teams opened their inaugural season with statements: the Goldeneyes drew a sold-out crowd of 14,958 for their home opener at the Pacific Coliseum, and 16,014 fans attended the PWHL Seattle Torrent’s first home game at Climate Pledge Arena – a new record for the most-attended professional women’s hockey game in U.S. history.
The 2025 Tour de France Femmes delivered multiple historic milestones. Pauline Ferrand-Prévot became the first French winner in 36 years, while the race drew 26 million viewers in France – the most-watched edition ever and an increase of 7.4 million viewers over 2024. The event continues to prove that women’s cycling is a major global media property.
Unrivaled, the women’s 3-on-3 basketball league, posted one of the most eye-opening investment stories of the year. After ending 2024 with a $35 million valuation, the league reached a reported $340 million valuation in September 2025 following a Series B round led by Bessemer Venture Partners and Serena Ventures – a nearly 10x jump in under a year.
The business case for women’s sports has been building steadily for the past decade. In 2025, that case once again became impossible to ignore. Capital flowed in, audiences showed up, and women’s sports properties proved they can drive meaningful returns across media, live events, merchandise, and long-term franchise value. This year, the numbers told a clear story: demand is real, audiences are engaged, and investors are paying attention. For those still waiting on proof, 2025 delivered it loudly, clearly, and at scale.
The business case for women’s sports has been building steadily for the past decade. In 2025, that case once again became impossible to ignore. Capital flowed in, audiences showed up, and women’s sports properties proved they can drive meaningful returns across media, live events, merchandise, and long-term franchise value. This year, the numbers told a clear story: demand is real, audiences are engaged, and investors are paying attention. For those still waiting on proof, 2025 delivered it loudly, clearly, and at scale.
About Caroline Fitzgerald
Caroline Fitzgerald (she/her) is a contributing writer for Parity and the CEO & Founder of GOALS - a women's sports marketing consultancy & media platform. Caroline launched GOALS in 2020 after recognizing that there was an opportunity to help brands, networks and fans see the social and economic value that can come from investing in women's sports. GOALS also produces the leading women's sports business podcast - 🎙️The Business Case for Women's Sports, which is presented by Ally. For more information on GOALS, visit https://goals-sports.com or follow on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Threads.
About Parity, a Group 1001 Company
Minority-founded in 2020, Parity's mission is to close the gender income and opportunity gap in professional sports. By developing high-impact collaborations between brands, professional women athletes and their fans, Parity has proudly put more than $3.5 million in the pockets of women athletes, attracting dozens of brands to the movement in the process. The platform offers connections to more than 1000 women athletes from 80+ sports, including well over 200 Olympians and Paralympians. For more information on how to tap into the rapidly rising influence and popularity of women athletes, visit https://paritynow.co or follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Threads.