How to Win Over Gen Z by Partnering with Women Athletes

If we were horoscope writers (we’re not), we’d say that Gen Z’s connection to women’s sports was written in the stars. After all, their defining birth years make them the literal Women’s Sports Generation™. 

No, really. 

The oldest Gen Zers were born in 1997, or as we know it around here, the summer the WNBA tipped off. The youngest of Gen Z? Born in 2012, aka the same year the NWSL was founded.

Now somewhere between the ages of 28 and 13, they are the generation:

• Most likely to buy from a brand based on their women's sports sponsorship(s)
• Most likely to trust women athletes believe in the products they promote
• Most likely to trust a brand more based on a women’s sports sponsorship
• Most aware of women’s sports sponsors in 6/10 surveyed brand categories 
• Most likely to strongly agree that they are proud to support a brand that invests in women’s sports 

(Well, those in the oldest decade of Gen Z are; we did not survey minors.)

Like our favorite English teacher and gym teacher getting married (IYKYK): feels like fate.

We hope you think it’s as obvious as we do that brands wanting to connect with Gen Z should make a play in women’s sports.

But how? We ran the data and put it all together for you in a Pocket Marketing Guide, featuring the decision tree of your dreams.

Scroll on for a sneak peak to learn how to create a marketing strategy in women’s sports that just hits different.

About Parity, a Group 1001 Company
Parity is the leading platform for professional women athlete partnerships. With a mission to close the gender income gap in sports and beyond, Parity connects brands with a diverse network of more than 1,100 women athletes from 85 sports. Through sponsorship activations, content collaborations, and strategic advisory, Parity helps brands authentically engage the most trusted voices in sports today. For more information, visit www.paritynow.co, or follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn.