Viewership Growth Fuels Higher Ad Engagement

In 2024, television viewership of women's sports grew by 131%, led by surging audiences across NCAA basketball, volleyball, gymnastics, lacrosse, tennis, and the WNBA. This expansion translated directly into commercial outcomes, with advertising during women's sports programming generating a 56% increase in measurable consumer response compared to 2023. These responses include brand searches, site traffic, and social media activity linked to individual spots.

EDO's analysis shows women's sports ads outperforming the average primetime commercial by 40%, a clear indicator of both rising fan interest and deeper audience-brand engagement. The data reflects not only broader reach but also higher relevance.

Specific Events Set New Effectiveness Benchmarks

Ad performance was especially strong during major women's sports events. WNBA playoff spots achieved a 24% engagement premium over the primetime average, a double-digit gain compared to the prior year. NCAA women's basketball tournament placements delivered 18% higher effectiveness, while NCAA women's volleyball finals led all programming in 2024 with a 350% premium. Other strong performers included NCAA lacrosse at 25% above baseline and women's gymnastics at 18% above average.

These results underscore the commercial depth across a broad set of sports properties, not only headline events.

Athlete-Driven Creative Drives Commercial Lift

Contextual alignment between creative and programming drives measurable returns. Advertisements featuring women athletes during women's sports games achieved more than double the engagement of typical primetime ads. Spots that included WNBA players were 103% more effective than similar ads without player appearances.

Star power correlates with measurable ROI. SKIMS' "Everybody" campaign featuring WNBA athletes Candace Parker, Kelsey Plum, and Skylar Diggins-Smith delivered a 3,716% improvement over the category average. CarMax campaigns featuring WNBA athletes achieved 185% greater effectiveness. Rolex outperformed other Grand Slam advertisers by 227% with tennis-focused athlete creative.

Caitlin Clark's presence alone lifted ad effectiveness by 7% during NCAA broadcasts. Current college basketball star JuJu Watkins drives State Farm advertisements that are 20% more impactful than average State Farm commercials.

Brand Diversity Validates Category Breadth

Both established and emerging brands are seeing measurable returns. Direct-to-consumer companies including Poppi, Bombas, Oura, and Vuori ranked among the top advertisers by engagement in 2024. Traditional male-facing brands also delivered. Bosley Hair Restoration ads during WNBA games achieved 341% higher effectiveness than the league average. Old Spice exceeded peer benchmarks by 134% and Hims by 51%.

Automotive, insurance, financial services, telecommunications, and health care were among the top spending sectors. Leading advertisers included State Farm, AT&T, Allstate, and AbbVie's Skyrizi. This signals that institutional buyers are treating women's sports as a core media opportunity rather than a niche campaign.

Strategic Considerations for Media Planners

The data highlights several strategic implications. Women's sports programming offers predictable, repeatable ad performance advantages across properties and seasons. Contextually relevant creative and athlete endorsements deliver compounding returns. Cost efficiencies relative to men's sports properties still exist, but pricing is expected to climb as viewership and advertiser demand grow.

For modern marketers facing increased pressure to demonstrate ROI from their TV investments, women's sports offers a compelling proposition: higher engagement rates, passionate audiences, and media costs that remain attractive despite rapid growth.