The momentum behind women’s sport has shifted from an emerging trend to major commercial force. As we enter 2025, the profile, visibility, and investment in women’s sport have grown. 

Clearly a win for equality—it’s a signal to brands, broadcasters, and investors that the market has matured and is ready for scalable, long-term value. It is one of most significant—and still under-leveraged—opportunities on the global sports stage.

Sponsorship of women’s sports rose from $300 million in 2018 to $1 billion today. With viewership, attendance, and sponsorship revenue all on the rise, women’s leagues and events represent a growing market hungry for bold, fresh narratives. 

Brands, like Visa who signed a 7 year deal with UEFA Women’s Football, are increasingly drawn to the values women’s sports represent: authenticity, equality, and grassroots momentum - sometimes lacking historically.

For Druid, this means helping both rightsholders and brands craft narratives that resonate with new audiences while shaping long-term sponsorship models that are fit for purpose. The increased use of data will play a transformative role in helping women’s sport grow commercially. 

For example, by providing evidence-based insights, enhancing storytelling, improving performance and fan engagement, plus unlocking new revenue streams. Nielsen amongst other agencies have published reports showing that fans of women’s sports are more brand loyal and purpose-driven, which helps justify increased investment.

There’s also room to innovate around media production, content distribution, and fan engagement—especially as women’s sports continue to expand into less discovered markets, globally.

From Underdog to Prime Time: What’s Changed.

In 2020, women’s sport was still fighting for consistent broadcast coverage, equitable pay, and credible sponsorship. Fast forward to 2025, and we’re seeing sold-out stadiums for Women’s Champions League fixtures, record viewership for events like the FIFA Women’s World Cup, and increased media parity across platforms. Social media has amplified athlete voices, while streaming services have broadened access to niche leagues and emerging talent.

Notably, brands such as Nike, Visa, and Barclays have doubled down on multi-year commitments. The commercial proposition has become more data-driven: women’s sports fans are younger, more digitally engaged, and increasingly loyal to the values that women’s leagues and athletes represent—authenticity, community, and inclusivity.

Investment & Sponsorship Outlook: 2025–2030

Looking ahead, the investment landscape is expected to evolve in four key ways:

1. Long-Term Deals: Sponsors will shift from year-to-year activation to multi-year, multi-property partnerships—especially around leagues like the WNBA, Women’s Super League (WSL), and the NWSL.
    
2. Media Rights Growth: Global rights deals will increase as broadcasters recognize the ROI in women’s content, particularly in growing markets across Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
    
3. Private Equity Influx: PE firms are beginning to view women’s leagues as undervalued assets with scalable growth potential—expect to see more stake acquisitions.
    
4. Tech & Wellness Investment: Women’s sport is also opening new categories for brands, particularly in sports science, performance wearables, and athlete health.
    

By 2030, industry analysts project the global women’s sport economy could surpass $25 billion in value, with brand alignment and fan engagement central to its growth.

From Seed to Sapling to Forest

Over the past five years, women’s sports have experienced unprecedented growth, marked by soaring revenues, record-breaking viewership, and significant investments from brands and sponsors. This momentum is expected to continue, with projections indicating global revenues will reach $2.35 billion in 2025, nearly doubling from $1.88 billion in 2024.