The cultural momentum behind women's sports has reached a tipping point, and it’s particularly evident in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL).
The NWSL is coming off a record year that kicked off its $240 million distribution deal with CBS Sports, ESPN, Amazon’s Prime Video, and Scripps. As the 2025 NWSL season kicks off, savvy media agencies and advertisers aren't asking whether to invest — they're looking for where and how to optimize their planned buys.
Let’s take a look back at last season’s TV outcomes performance and winning playbooks that advertisers can use to capitalize on women’s soccer this season.
The first season of the NWSL’s new media rights deal dramatically increased the league's visibility, and advertisers responded enthusiastically. Ad spend grew by nearly 9x year-over-year, bringing women's soccer firmly into the mainstream of sports marketing opportunities.
This exponential growth reflects a broader surge in women's sports viewership. According to EDO’s latest Women's Sports TV Outcomes Report, estimated investment in women's sports grew 139% from 2023, totaling $244M in 2024. More importantly, these women’s sports ad investments generated 40% more impact than the average primetime ad, as measured by consumer behaviors that are highly predictive of future sales, such as brand searches and site visits.
As the audience grows for NWSL programming, so has the diversity of advertisers finding success in its high-impact games and live coverage.
Our analysis found top-performing brands across several major categories, from daily purchases in retail, food and beverage, and clothing to high-consideration purchases like a home or car.
Amazon led the pack with ads that were 677% more effective than the average NWSL advertiser. Close behind were Taco Bell (+425%) and Sketchers (+330%), followed by Sleep Number (+293%) and Zillow (+284%) to round out the top five.
TV advertising success isn’t just about audience reach, but developing authentic connections with consumers. One of the most compelling findings from our analysis was the significant advantage gained through contextually relevant advertising.
Ads featuring NWSL players during NWSL programming were 39% more effective than those without NWSL players during the 2024 season. Ads also outperformed by finding natural connections with female sports fans. Two brand stories illustrate this point particularly well:
These success stories underscore that authentic connections between brand messaging and the context of women's sports lead to powerful engagement.
The 2025 NWSL season launches this weekend (March 14-15) with matches featuring all 14 clubs, including a headline contest between Temwa Chawinga's Kansas City Current and Sophia Wilson's Portland Thorns FC. Games will air on Amazon’s Prime Video, ABC, Ion, and ESPN 2.
This season represents another growth opportunity for advertisers looking to connect with the league's passionate and engaged fanbase. Beyond the regular season, key dates to plan for include:
Now is the time for brands to develop strategies that capitalize on the contextual relevance, growing viewership, and exceptional engagement of women's soccer.
Download our Women's Sports TV Outcomes Report for a complete analysis across all major women's sports properties, from NCAA basketball, volleyball, and lacrosse to the WNBA and U.S. Open. Learn which events, athletes, and brands are driving ad engagement and where there is room to grow.