Happy National Girls and Women in Sports Day! Today we celebrate the transformative power of sports for women and girls, and recognize all of the trailblazing and record breaking we’ve been so lucky to witness. To celebrate NGWSD this year, we wanted to recap some of our favorite moments since last NGWSD in February, 2024. Read up to relive those moments with us, and come away feeling inspired and motivated!
#7 Coco Gauff: Make it Rain
Jan 17, 2025; Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Coco Gauff of United States of America celebrates during her match against Leylah Fernandez of Canada in the third round of the women's singles at the 2025 Australian Open at Melbourne Park. Credit: Mike Frey-Imagn Images
Last year Deloitte forecasted that women’s sports would be worth more than $1 billion for the first time ever, and we’re so glad that our girls are getting a piece of that pie. In 2024 tennis phenom Coco Gauff became the highest paid female athlete for the second year running according to Sportico. Coco earned over $30 million last year, with more than two thirds of that number coming from sponsorships and endorsements. One of her partnerships we love is with L’Oreal as she helps them promote Carol’s Daughter, their natural hair care line.
Takeaway for women and girls in sports: Don’t be afraid to ask for what you’re worth! If you are working as an athlete, you deserve to be paid like one too! Data has proven that female athletes are extremely marketable and great for business, so never downplay yourself or your capabilities.
#6 Sifan Hassan: Girls Can Do It All
Aug 11, 2024; Saint-Denis, France; Gold medalist Sifan Hassan (NED), silver medalist Tigst Assefa (ETH), and bronze medalist Hellen Obiri (KEN) during the medal ceremony for the women's marathon during the closing ceremony for the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Stade de France. Credit: Rob Schumacher-Imagn Images
Sifan Hassan is an Ethiopian-born middle distance runner who was forced to migrate to the Netherlands at the age of 15, where her talent for, and love of, running was discovered. At the Paris Olympics Sifan won bronze in the 5,000m, bronze in the 10,000m and became Olympic champion in the marathon, after all of her previous qualifiers and finals on the track! She is the only woman in Olympic history to have medaled in these three events in the same Games. Thank you, Sifan!
Takeaway for women and girls in sports: If you follow your heart in sport, there’s no limits to what you can accomplish! Don’t let anyone tell you you’re too small for this role or not strong enough for that one! Sifan has proven if you love it all you can do it all.
#5 Everyone Watches Women’s Sports
"Thank you @fallontonight for having me on the show to celebrate international women’s day! Had so much fun chatting all things women’s sports and my doc, Sue Bird: In the Clutch. And of course had to deck out @jimmyfallon with some @togethxr merch :)" Credit Sue Bird/Getty Images.
We learned last year that 7 in 10 people worldwide now watch women’s sports. Some of our favorite highlights? The fight between Amanda Serrano and Katie Taylor drew 74 million viewers to Netflix, making it the most watched women’s sporting event in history. 18.7 million tuned in to watch soccer legend Marta win her first NWSL title, which also set a NWSL record. The WNBA All Star game had a 305% increase in viewership over 2023, with fans tuning in to see Team WNBA take on Team USA. We celebrated it all with the Everyone Watches Women’s Sports Tee from Togethxr, which became a must have accessory of the season. Thank you EVERYONE!
Takeaway for women and girls in sports: We now have all the data to say with confidence that EVERYONE watches women’s sports, which will only make it easier for us to watch MORE women’s sports! Make a visit to your local women’s sports bar, turn on the TV to a normal channel that is playing women’s sports, sit back, turn the sound up and enjoy!
#4 South Carolina Gamecocks: Team Culture is Undefeated
Apr 7, 2024; Cleveland, OH, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley celebrates with the trophy after defeating the Iowa Hawkeyes in the finals of the Final Four of the womens 2024 NCAA Tournament at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Legendary coach Dawn Staley and her team at South Carolina capped off an undefeated season with a national championship title last season. What’s more? They did it after all 5 of their starters from the previous season had graduated, proving that when players are part of a healthy team and a winning culture, it doesn’t matter who is on the court. The women’s final four had higher viewership than the men’s for the first time ever, with the national championship game peaking at 24 million viewers. Thank you, SC!
Takeaway for women and girls in sports: Whether you’re a starter or a bench player, a coach or a parent, we all have a role to play in creating a winning culture! Furthermore, when we pay coaches and value their contributions, they will pour themselves into making a team great.
#3 Sha’Carri Richardson: What’s Delayed is Not Denied
Sha'carri Richardson (USA) checks her opponents as she wins the women’s 4x100m relay during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, France, Friday, Aug. 9, 2024. Credit: Andrew Nelles / USA TODAY NETWORK
One of the most controversial stories leading up to the Tokyo Games was Sha’Carri Richardson’s exclusion from Team USA. In the leadup to Paris, Sha’Carri seemed to be back to her winning form, but back wasn’t good enough for Sha’Carri. She famously dismissed the comeback stories, saying, “I’m not back, I’m better.” She proved it, taking home silver in the 100m, and iconically anchoring Team USA’s 4x100m relay squad to become an Olympic champion. She has cemented herself as a sprinting legend, with style on and off the track.
Takeaway for women and girls in sports: Often our biggest goals in sports are the ones that will test us the most, and lead us down paths we never imagined. Just because you haven’t achieved your goals yet doesn’t mean you won’t someday, or that there isn’t something even better waiting for you just around the corner.
#2 Ilona Maher: Strong is Beautiful
Sep 15, 2024; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Ilona Maher at the 76th Emmy Awards at the Peacock Theater on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024 in Los Angeles. Credit: Dan MacMedan-USA TODAY
Ilona Maher and her teammates brought home the US’s first ever Olympic medal in rugby, earning a legendary investment from mogul Michele Kang and a never ending stream of admirers. But what Ilona Maher has been able to do off the pitch has been equally important and impactful. Things like becoming a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue model and showing up and showing off on Dancing With the Stars help remind us that we can be girly and muscly, strong and beautiful. Thank you, Ilona!
Takeaway for women and girls in sports: No matter what your body looks like, you are powerful and beautiful! Don’t let outdated beauty standards and expectations limit any of your dreams.
#1 Simone Biles: Rest Wins Medals
Aug 5, 2024; Paris, France; Simone Biles of the United States poses for a photo with her three gold and one silver medal after day three of the gymnastics event finals during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games. Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
Simone Biles proved her many haters wrong when, after a tumultuous Games in Tokyo, she vaulted back into dominance at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics. Simone became the most decorated American gymnast of all time, adding 4 medals (3 gold) to her impressive collection this year at Paris. What’s even better? She credits her success with her ability to step away and do what was best for her, creating a healthy environment where she felt confident in her skills and her execution. Thank you, Simone!
Takeaway for women and girls in sports: mental health and taking care of yourself will never make you a worse athlete! It will only make you a stronger, more compassionate and successful version of yourself, on and off the field of play.
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, and Threads.
