Are Women’s Sports Finally Getting Their Due?
Women’s sports are experiencing a groundbreaking moment of recognition and growth, capturing the attention and admiration of audiences and corporations worldwide. This surge in visibility and support is a testament to the incredible strides women’s sports are making on the global stage, as well as with the influx of corporate partners pursuing them.
Corporate interest in women’s sports isn’t just a trend—it's a clear indicator of the commercial potential and cultural impact of women’s sports. Take the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), for example, in its 12th season, it’s doing so with more momentum than ever. Sponsorship fees have skyrocketed, quadrupling since 2021, and the league’s partnerships are now valued at around $24.5 million annually. Big names like Google, Adobe, and EA Sports have recently joined in, showing just how much potential they see in women’s sports.
At the same time more brands are scoring WNBA partnerships according to Modern Retailer and according to Google Trends, searches for “WNBA” spiked more than 1,500% from the beginning of the 2022 season to the beginning of the 2024 season and big name brands are taking advantage of those increased eyeballs.
The data is in, women’s sports sponsorships as a whole have jumped by a whopping 22% in the last year alone (2023-2024) with the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) leading the way with 1,100 sponsorship deals and an increase of 25% year over year.
Unmet Demand for Women’s Sports Merchandise
Corporate partners aren’t the only ones expressing increased interest in women’s sports. Fans are also eager to show their support. But there’s a problem: many fans can’t find the merchandise they want due to the lack of inventory that’s available on the market.
Over the past three years, the Sports Innovation Lab has conducted a study titled "Rep Her: Revealing the Unmet Demand for Women’s Sports Merchandise." This study analyzed fan surveys, Klarna purchasing trends, search engine data, transaction records, and in-store inventory to address whether a market for women's sports merchandise exists. The findings revealed that 60% of women’s sports fans have been unable to purchase merchandise due to insufficient inventory or lack of desired products. Among these fans, 79% said they would buy more branded merchandise if it were available. Imagine if your organization were a team partner and could provide licensed merchandise to meet this demand.
Supporting Growth Through Meaningful Merchandise
At The Promotions Dept. a certified women-owned, values-based organization, we continue to create merchandise that elevates brands, values and impact.