Why Are Brands Turning Their Attention to Women’s Sports?

What once felt like an emerging category has quickly become a major cultural force.
145M U.S. adults now enjoy women’s sports on a regular basis, and the fanbase has grown 2X since 2019. Social engagement has surged by +140%, and ad spend is up +139% year over year, a clear signal that both consumers and marketers are leaning in.

Women’s sports have scale, momentum, and most importantly, are deeply human.  

During Cannes, iHeartMedia was proud to partner with Deep Blue on the Business of Women’s Sports Summit for a morning of conversations around how brands can invest more and help build what’s next in this growing league.

Now, more than ever before, people are gravitating toward stories and experiences that feel real, relatable, and rooted in passion. That shift is exactly what is fueling the rise of women’s sports, and it’s why brands need to be paying attention.

What Makes Women’s Sports Fans Different?

It comes down to connection and authenticity.

• 88% of consumers see women athletes as positive role models.
• 77% say they are positively influenced by women’s sports creators on social platforms. 

This is a fanbase that cares. They are emotionally invested, community-driven, and eager to support both athletes and brands that show up authentically.

That connection translates directly into action. Fans are 2.8X more likely to purchase products recommended by women athletes. That fandom is exactly why the iHeart Women's Sports Network and iHeart Women's Sports Radio channel were created. As the first-ever audio platform dedicated exclusively to women's sports, the iHeart Women's Sports Network celebrates female athletes and gives an in-depth look into their personal experiences in and out of their respective sports.

For marketers, that is the difference between awareness, influence, and real impact.

How Culture Is Elevating Women’s Sports Right Now

During the summit with Deep Blue, the takeaways were clear: the women’s sports space is growing and redefining how brands connect with audiences through purpose, storytelling, and community.

In conversations around the front office, the business of football and fashion, youth sports, and beyond, business stakeholders came together to uncover insights and propose solutions to increase investment and develop infrastructure in the women's sports marketplace and adjacent industries.

Why? Because women’s sports aren’t confined to game-day moments; they are shaping broader culture.

“Having our Women's Sports Network with iHeart, it's given us a platform to connect again. And through connection, we're building community, we're building brand, we're building different conversations of why we do what,” said Ashleyn Harris, 2x World Cup Champion and host of Wide Open with Ashleyn Harris. “Like what is our purpose, what are we driven by? And that is the secret sauce where fans connect and brands want to buy into that connection because it's centered around authenticity, trust.”

From athlete-led storytelling to social-first content, the ecosystem around women’s sports is expanding fast. In fact, 85% of fans say they want more lifestyle and non-sports content from women athletes and creators.  

That demand is turning players into multi-platform voices, and it’s creating new opportunities for brands to show up across more moments in a fan’s day.

Why Audio Is a Critical Part of the Opportunity

As the fanbase grows, so does the need for consistent, trusted connection.

That's where audio stands apart.

Broadcast radio alone reaches 9 out of 10 Americans each month, delivering unmatched scale and daily habit.

At the same time, podcasting continues to deepen engagement, offering long-form storytelling that builds trust over time. 

Within women’s sports specifically, iHeart is expanding access and visibility at speed:

• 57M+ monthly podcast downloads across sports content  
• 500+ broadcast stations delivering national and local coverage
• 4,100+ weekly sports reports keeping fans updated in real time
• 265M quarterly on-air impressions driving consistent reach 

That combination of scale and frequency creates something powerful. It puts brands in the middle of daily fandom, not just major events.

How iHeart Brings Women’s Sports to Life for Brands

The opportunity goes beyond just reaching fans; it's about becoming part of their experience.

Through a full-funnel ecosystem, iHeart connects brands to consumers across every touchpoint:

Influencers and Talent
Top athletes, commentators, and creators bring authentic voices to brand storytelling across audio, social, and video.

Podcasts and Streaming
More than 18 shows dedicated to women’s sports, with 6.5M+ downloads and growing, deliver depth, context, and personality. 

Broadcast and Real-Time Updates
Daily coverage across 500+ stations ensures women’s sports are part of the regular media conversation.

Live Experiences
From the WNBA All-Star Weekend to the Olympics and industry events like the Deep Blue x iHeartMedia panels in Cannes, brands can show up in moments that matter most to fans.  
iHeart offers a connected ecosystem designed to meet fans where they are, across moments that feel immediate, human, and shared.

Why Early Investment Matters for Marketers

The brands winning today are helping shape and build the women’s sports category as it’s growing.

Case studies across iHeart’s women’s sports ecosystem show measurable impact:

• 79% increase in likelihood to consider a brand after activation 
• 83% improvement in brand perception from integrated campaigns 
• 9 in 10 consumers taking action after exposure to purpose-driven storytelling 

These results are rooted in one thing: trust.

“When we think about what could happen if brands paid attention, if the media showed up, investment finally matched the audience…. The commercial limit, quite simply, just doesn't exist,” said Laura Correnti, Founder & CEO of Deep Blue Sports + Entertainment. “And the numbers have made that argument for us. We've watched valuations multiply. Many people in this room, the creators and benefactors of it.” 

When brands show up in spaces that are driven by real voices, real stories, and real fandom, they become part of the story AND see major results.

FAQs

Why is women’s sports a strong advertising opportunity right now?
Women’s sports combines rapid audience growth with high engagement and cultural relevance. With 145M U.S. fans and rising ad investment, it has both scale and momentum.

What makes women’s sports fans valuable to brands?
Fans are influenceable and values-driven. Women’s sports fans are 2.8X more likely to buy products recommended by athletes, and they actively seek deeper connections with content and creators.  

How can brands authentically participate?
Brands can get involved by aligning with trusted voices and showing up consistently across platforms and moments, especially through audio, where connection and credibility are strongest.

What role does live matter in this space?
Live experiences amplify cultural relevance. Events, games, and real-time commentary create shared moments that deepen brand connection and memorability.

Women’s sports are a defining opportunity for brands today.

The audience is here. The engagement is real. The cultural impact is accelerating.
For brands looking to build trust, relevance, and long-term connection, this is a moment worth leaning into now, while the space is still being shaped.

Connect with our team today and find out more about how your brand can partner in an authentic way with the top voices in women’s sports.