As someone with over two decades of experience analyzing media performance, I'm trained to spot the difference between a trend and a transformation. And in 2024, there was one seismic shift that was impossible to miss: a generational cohort of women’s athletes revolutionized how the American public consumes and engages with women’s sports.
Across all televised women’s sports, we witnessed a 131% year-over-year increase in viewership. And ads during these events generated 40% more total consumer engagement than the average primetime program, according to EDO’s sophomore Women’s Sports TV Outcomes Report, which measures ad-driven outcomes like brand searches and website visits that predict future sales.
Yet for all the ratings growth and popular enthusiasm, women’s sports still only accounts for 3% of all live sports TV ad spending — which means there’s plenty of room for growth.
But where, exactly, should brands put their incremental women’s sports TV ad investment? Advertisers looking to make smart spending decisions should be responsive to three key trends that will help define 2025 in women’s sports TV advertising.
1. WNBA stars are becoming household names.
It’s not just Caitlin Clark. As the WNBA continues to expand its cultural footprint with a second straight year of massive ratings growth, its stars are breaking into the mainstream — from league stalwarts like Breanna Stewart and A’ja Wilson to Clark’s fellow rookies Angel Reese and Cameron Brink.
During the 2024 season, ads featuring WNBA players were 103% more likely to generate consumer engagement during WNBA programming than ads that did not feature the league’s stars. Brink, in particular, stands out as a needle mover — SKIMS and New Balance ads featuring the Los Angeles Sparks star were 1,368% more effective than the average WNBA ad last season.
What’s more is that the league’s stars are growing more impactful for advertisers with each year, and we expect this trend to continue into 2025. WNBA ads with players in them were 46% more effective in 2024 than they were in 2023. As the league continues to generate new fans and bigger stars in 2025, WNBA advertisers would do well to take advantage with authentic, contextually relevant ads featuring top players.
2. Watch out for women’s college volleyball.
Looking for the next breakout women’s sports property? Keep an eye on NCAA women’s volleyball. Last year’s NCAA Tournament final between Penn State and Louisville was the NCAA’s second most-watched volleyball title game on record with 1.3 million viewers — and viewership for the entire tournament was up 41% year-over-year.
TV-driven ad impact during the tournament and the regular season has proven to be substantial for advertisers. In fact, a single ad during the 2024 championship game delivered more total ad impact than over three ads in the average primetime program for advertising brands. This trend is further highlighted by the fact that regular-season game ads have so far generated 20% more impact than the primetime average, making them a critical opportunity for brands looking to maximize their reach and effectiveness.
3. Women’s soccer is growing — who will grab the mantle as the league’s next top stars?
The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) is in a period of transition, as recently retired stars like Megan Rapinoe, Alex Morgan, Kelley O’Hara, and Becky Sauerbrunn give way to a new generation of top players — just as a new media rights deal is helping the league rapidly expand its viewership. With greater distribution and an increasingly popular product, the NWSL grew its viewership fivefold year-over-year.
Still, relatively few advertisers included current players in the ads they ran during NWSL programming. Exceptions include Portland Thorns FC’s Sophia Wilson (née Smith) for Ally Financial, Seattle Reign FC’s Jordyn Huitema for TJ Maxx, and the Washington Spirit’s Trinity Rodman for Dick’s Sporting Goods.
As the NWSL continues building on a season of record viewership, savvy brands have an opportunity to seize on the next generation of women’s soccer stars.
When it comes to women’s sports, it’s not enough for advertisers to merely get in the game. Sustained growth depends on smart, data-driven media investments and creative decisions.
What we’ve seen over the past several years is that growth in the WNBA, NWSL, and other sports property is anything but a flash in the pan. Whether it’s new record ratings in those two leagues or women’s NCAA basketball’s gaining media attention on the same footing as the men’s game (complete with an expanded College GameDay focus), women’s sports has well and truly arrived in the cultural mainstream.
The only way to win an increasingly competitive environment is by investing time and resources in the same in-depth analysis and careful planning you’d use to make your men’s sports media buys and creative decisions.