Why Smart Brands Are Betting Big On Women’s Sports
Here's why brands like Dagne Dover and Bobbie are investing earlier in women’s sports through long-term partnerships focused on community, not just visibility and reach.
As women’s sports continue to grow, brands are shifting from traditional endorsement deals to ecosystem-driven partnerships designed to build deeper audience connection and long-term affinity. getty Sports sponsorship long followed a predictable playbook. Brands spent heavily on star male athletes, buying visibility and cultural relevance in a single move.
The approach delivered reach, optimized for exposure rather than connection. In the process, it left women’s sports underfunded, undervalued and often overlooked altogether. That model has shifted.
As investment pours into women’s sports, a new class of brands is entering earlier, thinking longer term, and even scaling alongside the leagues themselves rather than waiting for them to mature. Last year, McKinsey & Company estimated a $2. 5 billion opportunity in women’s sports.
Sponsorship dollars are already accelerating behind it. The WNBA entered the 2025 season with a record 45 sponsors, including 14 added across 2024 and 2025 alone. Meanwhile, increased sponsorship traction across the WNBA and NWSL added more than $250 million to the women’s sports market in 2024.
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