Get In The Game

Women and sport continue to be a hot topic and personal passion area for me and so many other brand marketers, and for good reason. I’ve written about the rise of women’s sports for The Roar before, but this Wednesday I had the privilege of moderating a lively and inspiring conversation at the inaugural PRWeek Sports Conference with dynamic panelists Shiz Suzuki from American Express , Excel Sports Management 's Erin Kane and Katrina Cabrera with Verizon :

The focus of our conversation was clear: the rising prominence and burgeoning potential of women's sports is not just about celebrating achievements but dissecting the pathways and potential for brands investing in women’s sports. Here are some takeaways from this terrific panel discussion:

The Resounding Success of Women’s Sports in 2024

We all know 2024 was unprecedented for women’s sports, as games, leagues and players broke records in attendance, and TV ratings and franchise sales across various sports properties grew leaps and bounds. This surge was not incidental but a clear indicator of a well-engaged audience and sponsors now seeing the compelling narrative that women’s sports are simply good business. The dollars are backing this up with the 15 highest-paid female athletes amassing an estimated $221 million – a 27% increase from the previous year. Revenue generated from women’s sports globally surpassed $1 billion for the first time ever last year, a 300% increase from 2021.

However, despite these strides, disparity remains. According to Sportico , women were conspicuously absent from the top 100 highest-paid athletes list for the second consecutive year. This stark contrast highlights the continued need for equity in sports, particularly in terms of financial recognition and media coverage.

The WNBA: A Case Study in Growth and Visibility

A large chunk of the discussion spotlighted the WNBA (Women's National Basketball Association) 's growth, and the stellar debut year of superstar Caitlin Clark, which magnified attention on the league. As Erin, her marketing agent discussed, Clark’s entrance and performance didn’t just “create buzz” – it drove $36 million in economic impact to the city of Indianapolis and almost 27% of the league's financial activity for the 2024 season, inclusive of attendance, merchandise sales and television. Meanwhile, Clark’s WNBA salary will barely eclipse $78,000 in 2025. Upstart leagues like Unrivaled Basketball are helping shift the tide (with an average salary of more than $220,000), and a new CBA for the WNBA should also help. Still, players like Clark remain dependent on brand partnerships and sponsors, versus their player salaries.

Media Evolution and Community Partnerships

From the media lens, Katrina highlighted a positive trend in mainstream media’s coverage of women’s sports, with still quite a ways to go. She also stressed that it’s critical to support newer platforms and media outlets, using Verizon’s Super Bowl partnership with The GIST as a prime example.

I loved hearing from Shiz about American Express’ work to uplift communities and small business. American Express incorporates small businesses into its sponsorships of high-profile events like Formula 1 and U.S. Open women’s golf, all focused on businesses based in locations where those events occur. So many brands talk about the need to support underrepresented communities, businesses, or individuals, but American Express is walking the talk.

As 2025 unfolds, the groundwork laid by these insightful discussions promises a more equitable and financially lucrative playing field in women’s sports. I want to give a huge thanks to all of my panelists and a special shoutout to PRWeek and American Express for hosting a phenomenal event.

If you’re heading to SXSW next week, make sure to stop by the Allison Worldwide Sports Momentum Stage at the Line Hotel, where the women’s sports conversation will continue during a one-hour panel, “Women Shaping Sports: Athletes, Fans & Culture,” hosted by Jacie deHoop , co-founder of The Gist. It’s just one of four official SXSW panel sessions focused on the momentum in sports hosted by our team on Tuesday, March 11.

Hope to see you in Austin, and...

Stay fierce,

Lisa

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