Breaking barriers and shattering stereotypes, women’s sports are on the rise, captivating audiences and inspiring a new generation of athletes.
In the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics, there will be an equal number of male and female athletes, the first time in history this has occurred at the games.
According to Deloitte, women’s sports will generate a revenue that surpasses $1 billion. This number is a 300% increase on the industry’s evaluation from 2021.
The popularity of women’s sports are driven by certain factors: celebrity ownership and young rising stars.
The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) has hundreds of celebrities investing in their local teams.
The local Los Angeles club, Angel City FC, is one of those teams with a celebrity filled ownership group. Alexis Ohanian, Jennifer Garner and Natalie Portman, as well as athletes such as Julie Foudy, Serena Williams, and Mia Hamm make up that group.
Likewise, Kansas City Current’s ownership includes NFL quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his wife Britanny Mahomes.
The Mahomes’ family are not only owners, but are founders of the KC current. The women’s soccer team became the first women’s team to have their own stadium, instead of renting out a stadium primarily used for men’s sports teams.
These celebrities renovate viewers as they are using their following and platform to promote women’s sports.
While celebrities are a large component of attracting new viewers, a new generation of athletes has contributed to drawing in more attention through their impressive performances.
The face of this new wave of athletes is the first overall pick of the recent 2024 Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) Draft. Caitlin Clark was first on the draft board due to her leading the University of Iowa’s women’s basketball team deep into NCAA Tournaments with skill and flair.
Clark broke numerous records in women’s collegiate basketball and has drawn in millions of viewers to watch their games.
Clark’s Indiana Fever jersey sold out in many sizes after just an hour of being drafted, as well as Fever ticket prices skyrocketing in price.
The basketball star agreed to a merchandise deal with Nike that runs for eight years, worth $28 million. The deal includes a signature shoe.
Clark will be making more money from this endorsement alone, rather than from her actual salary in the women’s basketball league.
Victor Wembanyama, the first round pick of the NBA draft, is expected to make a salary of $55 million in his first four years, averaging to about $12.1 million per year. Clark, first round pick of the WNBA, will earn $76,535 in her rookie season this summer.
The salary gap has infuriated Clark fans, considering the impact she has made in women’s sports and the game of basketball alone.
Women’s basketball has other young stars including USC’s Juju Watkins and UConn’s Paige Bueckers, who are game changers for the growth of the game.
While progress has been made, there is still much work to be done to accomplish full gender equality for women in America.
As of 2022, the WNBA reportedly made an income of $60 million. While this is an improvement, the NBA recorded a total revenue of $10.58 billion.
In addition, according to ‘Just Women’s Sports’, salary for an NWSL player during the 2023 season was $36,400. Players in Major League Soccer (MLS) earning the league-minimum generate an income of $67,000 a year. This number is almost twice as much as what the women receive.
The United States Women’s Soccer Team (USWNT), has used their platforms to advocate for themselves and others.
Well known stars Megan Rapinoe, Alex Morgan, and Christen Press have been a symbol of gender equality in sports and beyond as they pave the way for future athletes.
The players were heard by the US Soccer Federation and reached an agreement with the Federation that granted equal pay among US mens and women’s national team players.
While equal pay has made progress, there is still a significant amount of work to do. Viewership needs to excel even more, in order to reach benchmarks for matches in salaries.
League Passes are available in certain sports such as basketball, that allow fans to watch live games through a subscription-based system.
To watch WNBA games, the League Pass is $34.99 a year, compared to $22.99 each month to watch the NBA games.
The WNBA League pass is accessible through web, in-app purchases on mobile devices, or through a Fire TV.
Depending on the game, women’s sports could potentially be aired on ESPN networks, CBS, Paramount, and Youtube streaming services.
The value of women’s sports has made improvements, however, everyone can take part in playing a role to help the growth of the industry.
