Understanding the Women's Sports Fan Demographics: A Guide for Sponsors

Source: Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

The landscape of women's sports fandom is rapidly evolving, shattering long-held assumptions and creating new opportunities for brand engagement. Our recent research with SurveyMonkey reveals surprising insights about who's watching women's sports and why – insights that should reshape how brands approach sponsorship strategy.

Breaking Gender Assumptions

Perhaps the most striking revelation is that women's sports fandom isn't predominantly female. Our research shows:

• 75% of men watch women's sports at least a few times a year
• 71% of women watch women's sports at least a few times a year
• Men are actually more likely to be frequent viewers, with 23% watching weekly or more often compared to 15% of women

This balanced gender distribution offers brands unprecedented access to both male and female consumers through a single sponsorship strategy.

Age Distribution and Growth Trends

The fan base is experiencing rapid growth across age segments:

• 54% of current fans began watching within the last three years
• 28% are watching more this year than last year
• The 18-34 demographic shows particularly strong engagement on platforms like TikTok and Instagram
• 55% say they would watch more if they could watch with others, indicating strong potential for community building

Recent attendance records support this growth:

• The 2024 NWSL Championship drew a record 967,900 average viewers on CBS in primetime
• The 2024 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship set an all-time attendance record with 436,055 fans
• Angel City FC averaged 19,313 fans per match in 2024

Source: Sports Business Journal

Geographic Insights

Our international research reveals varying levels of market maturity:

• UK: 36% of fans are watching more this year than last
• Australia: 34% watching more year-over-year
• Spain: 76% of fans are new within the last three years
• US: Highest percentage (38%) of fans likely to purchase from brands supporting women's sports

Motivation and Engagement

Understanding why fans watch women's sports is crucial for sponsors. Top reasons include:

• Desire to support women (41%)
• Quality of play (33%)
• Interest in following individual athletes (32%)
• Finding women's sports exciting (29%)

Social Media Engagement

Platform preferences vary by demographic:

• Instagram leads overall with 61% of followers
• Facebook captures 43% of the audience
• YouTube reaches 38%
• TikTok engages 27%, with higher penetration among younger fans

Consumer Behavior and Brand Impact

Perhaps most valuable for sponsors is understanding the purchasing power and brand loyalty of women's sports fans:

• 32% are more likely to purchase from brands supporting women's sports
• This rises to 44% among US female fans
• Fans are 2.8x more likely to purchase products recommended by women athletes versus other influencers
• Women athletes enjoy a 7 percentage point trust advantage over male athletes in product endorsements

Event-Specific Demographics

Recent major events provide insight into fan engagement:

• 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup final drew 2.45 million viewers in the US alone
• 2023 US Open Women's Final outperformed the men's final in viewership
• 2024 WNBA All-Star Game saw a 305% increase in viewership over last year’s game
• 2024 NCAA Women's Basketball Championship game drew 12.3 million viewers

Marketing Implications

For sponsors, these demographics suggest several strategic approaches:

1. Cross-Gender Marketing: Design campaigns that resonate with both male and female audiences
2. Multi-Platform Strategy: Leverage different platforms to reach various age demographics
3. Community Building: Create opportunities for shared viewing experiences
4. Authenticity First: Focus on quality of play and athlete stories rather than gender-specific messaging

The Revenue Opportunity

While women's sports currently generate just 1% of all sports sponsorship revenue:

• Deloitte projected women's sports revenue to exceed $1.28B in 2024
• Media rights deals are increasing exponentially (did you see the record-setting $110M expansion fee agreement that’s bringing the NWSL to Denver?)
• Merchandise sales show significant room for growth, with only 29% of fans having purchased in the last three years

Looking Ahead

As the fan demographic continues to evolve and expand, early-moving sponsors have the opportunity to:

• Build authentic connections with a rapidly growing audience
• Establish category leadership before competition intensifies
• Create innovative engagement strategies that can scale with the market
• Develop deep relationships with athletes before partnership costs increase

The data clearly shows that women's sports fans represent a diverse, engaged, and growing audience with significant purchasing power. For brands looking to connect with consumers authentically, understanding these demographics isn't just about market research - it's about recognizing and capitalizing on one of the most compelling sponsorship opportunities in sports today.

About Parity, a Group 1001 Company
Minority-founded in 2020, Parity is a sports marketing and sponsorship platform dedicated to closing 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 millions of dollars in the pockets of women athletes, attracting dozens of brands to the movement in the process. The platform connects brands like Microsoft, Morgan Stanley, AdventHealth, and Superfeet to over 1000 women athletes from 75+ sports, including well over 250 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, and Facebook.