The unique potential of women’s sport

Whether it’s a last-minute winner, a record-breaking run or a sublime piece of skill, most fans don’t care who they are watching – they just love sport. In fact, according to Sky Sports, 80% of UK sport fans are interested in at least one men’s sport and one women’s sport.

But zooming in further reveals a shift away from the ‘traditional’ sports fan. Women’s sport fans tend to be younger, more diverse and more socially conscious. Many are newcomers to sport, drawn in by values such as community, inclusion and representation.

Take football. Although there is already a ‘traditional’ fanbase to tap into, SPORTFIVE’s Women’s Fan Football Survey revealed there is a 5.1% increase of female fans in women’s football compared to the men’s game – 47.5% in comparison to 42.4%. In addition, 64% of women’s football fans are between 16 and 44 years old.

Meanwhile, 80% agree that inclusion and diversity are key values associated with women’s football and 75% of fans have a strong interest in sustainability, highlighting a values-driven audience that goes beyond the typical sports demographic.

In contrast to football, netball does not have a ‘traditional’ fanbase to lean on, but this creates an opportunity to cater specifically for the unique audience found in women’s sport.

This is certainly the case for Netball Super League (NSL), the UK’s top-level elite netball competition which relaunched in 2025.

“Traditionally, sports fandom is driven by habit,” explains Claire Nelson, NSL managing director. “You’re born into it – your family, your community all support a specific team, and so you do too. It gives you that innate sense of belonging.

“We’re trying to build something new by learning and understanding the habits and motivations of women and girls. It’s about understanding societal triggers, how women want to spend time and money, and what prevents them from doing so.”

Netball is one of the most played team sports among women in England. This doesn’t always convert into fandom, but it means a large percentage of the population already has a connection to the sport, and crowds at matches are predominantly female.

“Our Sky viewing audience is 75% female and half of them are under 35,” Nelson adds. “That’s unmatched. We might not have the number of eyeballs that others do, but the power and uniqueness of our sport’s viewing audience is huge.

“We’re creating a great product, building emotional connections, telling athlete stories and offering great entertainment value. We’re starting to unlock new habits and behaviours.”

Netball has also embraced innovation over imitation. Without a men’s equivalent to follow, it is free to shape matchday experiences around its audience.

“We’ve got great action on court,” Nelson says. “Our set-up is colourful and vibrant, we have screens, pyros, music, DJs, live entertainment. Off the court, you can sample skincare, test your physical skills, buy merchandise, meet players. It’s an amazing day out, from the moment you arrive.

“We’re not bound by tradition or putting on a female version of a men’s sport. We’re not guided or ruled by what that product must look and feel like, and the expectations around it. We try new rules, experiment and innovate, learning what people actually want and enjoy.”

This tactic is working. NSL has seen a 59% increase in TV viewing figures and 40% increase in attendance over the past year. This recent success shows how embracing the distinct nature of women’s sport can be beneficial.

With a unique audience comes new commercial opportunities. Women’s sport has historically experienced underinvestment, but it is now presenting high-growth opportunities for brands – especially for those wanting more than just visibility.

In a survey by the Women’s Sport Trust, 69% of participants were current sponsors of women’s sport. When asked what drove this, 77% said showcasing community or social responsibility, and 68% said changing or reinforcing brand image.

They were also benefitting financially – 86% of brands said their women’s sport sponsorships had met or exceeded ROI expectations.

“Investing in women’s sport allows brands to reach diverse, engaged, and often underrepresented audiences,” explains Tammy Parlour, CEO of Women’s Sport Trust.

“This includes families, younger demographics and communities passionate about gender equality and social progress. There is also an opportunity to start to grow female fandom, offering brands a chance to connect with new consumers in authentic and meaningful ways.

“Ultimately, brands investing in this space are not just supporting sport – they’re engaging with a movement, and that creates powerful connections and long-term brand loyalty.

“With many women’s sport properties offering lower initial investment, there’s also opportunities for smaller brands to be bold and position themselves as leaders in a space that is still underrepresented.”

NSL managing director Claire Nelson, who is regularly in conversation with brands, agrees that women’s sport offers unique and valuable commercial opportunities.

“Our audience is loyal,” she says. “Some fans have been with us for decades. We’re a safe sport, a community where people belong.

“We give brands the chance to reach, engage and resonate with the true decision-makers and influencers in the home – women make 75% to 99% of the decisions in the home. The power of our audience is like no other.

“We’re in control of our sport and what it looks and feels like. There are no different levels of bureaucracy. That means we can work with our brands and partners to really innovate around the product, to try new things.

“All our partnerships are different, but everyone is excited by what we’re bringing to the table – the unique power of our sport, our amazing athletes, the longevity of our audience and the fact we have the whole sport, from international to elite domestic to grassroots.”

Women’s sport often attracts progressive audiences – and consequently offers commercial partners a unique chance to reshape or reinforce a brand image – because female athletes are often at the forefront of social change.

From Billie Jean King’s fight for equality in tennis to the USWNT’s battle for equal pay in football, activism is embedded in the DNA of women’s sport – setting it apart from men’s sport.

Tottenham Hotspur defender Amy James-Turner agrees: “Women’s football has always had to fight to exist. I believe that’s why we have so many great advocates for social change in the game – brave players, with an authentic voice who can empathise with the outside world.

“We will always continue to push the needle. The motivation to ‘leave the shirt in a better place than we found it’ will always exist in all of us.”

James-Turner is actively contributing to the conversation on climate change and sport, recently leading a pioneering report titled Women’s Football and Climate Change.

“This report is a call to action for the football industry to enact positive change in the environmental space,” she explains. “It was the first of its kind because it came from within – it came from the players. That’s what makes it so powerful.”

For years, women’s sport has struggled to secure equal coverage and visibility in traditional media. In response, female athletes are increasingly turning to social media to take control of their own narratives and tell their stories.

Compared to their male counterparts, female athletes are often perceived as more open, relatable and authentic online. They regularly offer behind-the-scenes access and commentary that feels fresh. As mentioned earlier, their willingness to speak out on broader social issues only deepens their resonance with modern audiences.

The outcome is striking. In 2024, women accounted for 61% of all TikTok views among the SportsPro 50 most marketable athletes in the world.

The five most-viewed UK athletes on TikTok were all women – BMX Olympian Charlotte Worthington, track stars Lina and Laviai Nielsen, and footballers Mary Earps and Ella Toone.

Clubs are finding similar. Chelsea Women launched a TikTok account in January 2024. According to the Women’s Sport Trust, from July to December, the Women’s Super League team generated 139 million views – more than 14 Premier League clubs.

In general, leading leagues and federations have been experiencing remarkable engagement across YouTube, TikTok and Instagram, showing how women’s sport is being consumed in less ‘traditional’ ways.

For athletes, teams and competition organisers, this phenomenon presents an unmissable chance to grow audiences and build deeper fan connections. Georgie Lack, social media lead for the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 in England, is well aware of the opportunity.

“We are at a pivotal time for content in women’s sport, and athlete personality is at the forefront of the game’s growth,” she says. “There are countless stats at the moment which demonstrate the power of social media in driving athlete awareness and engagement.

“Something that we are championing across the Rugby World Cup is the notion that players can be unapologetically themselves and unapologetically rugby. TikTok gives a really authentic platform for them to show that.

“We’re aiming to create icons during this World Cup, and the very nature of the audience of women’s rugby lends itself well to this – we can put player personalities at the heart of what we do, and if we do it well, fandoms are born.”

The remarkable rise of Ilona Maher shows just how powerful social media can be in raising the profile of women’s rugby.

Through her humorous, bold and inspiring content on topics such as body positivity, Maher has cultivated a following of 5 million on Instagram and 3.5 million on TikTok.

Although she normally plays rugby sevens, Maher has recently switched codes in a bid to represent the US at the Rugby World Cup. Her preparation for the tournament included a period at Premiership Rugby team Bristol Bears.

“The stats from Ilona’s three-month stint at Bristol Bears speak wonders,” Lack says. “Bristol Bears Women had a 300% increase in their social media followers over Ilona’s short time in the West Country.

“However, some could say that her biggest impact was on her fellow teammates in encouraging them to be stars in their own right. There’s been quite a noticeable increase in the Instagram and TikTok output from Ilona’s Bears teammates, and they have been open about how Ilona’s influence has helped and inspired them to create their own brand and content.

“Most significantly, something Ilona has made abundantly clear is the need for more stars within rugby. Our intention over the Women’s Rugby World Cup is to build up many more stars, not just Ilona, through highlight reels, personality driven content, podcast presence, behind the scenes access and much more.”

If current trends are any indication, leveraging social media to spotlight the personalities of female athletes during tournaments such as the Rugby World Cup isn’t just effective – it’s essential for the growth of women’s sport.

While female athletes are no longer provided with men’s kits and hand-me-downs to compete in, there remains a significant gap in understanding the intricacies of women’s bodies and how these nuances directly affect athletic performance.

This gap has sparked the emergence of new, often female-led companies offering tailored solutions. Among them is PEBE, a sports bra company co-founded by Lucy Horsell, which not only designs products but also educates girls and women on the importance of a proper fit.

“Every brand will tell you their sports bra is the right one,” Horsell says. “But the fit is unique to the person. That’s what we’re aiming for – that feeling when something fits perfectly and just works.”

Whether it’s a young girl who doesn’t consider herself sporty or an elite athlete at the top of her game, the benefits of a well-fitted sports bra are the same.

“Wearing a properly, well-fitted sports bra can increase your stride length, reduce your injury risk, improve your posture, make exercise feel easier, and make your breathing optimised,” Horsell explains.

“There’s some very real, tangible gains to be had from wearing kit that is fitting you well and has been designed to perform and deliver.

“You wouldn’t run a marathon in a pair of Converse shoes. You wouldn’t have a girl wear her astro boots to go and play netball. But it’s amazing what we’d accept as suitable for a sports bra, just because it’s athleisure brands that are driving that conversation.”

The lack of understanding about the importance of a well-fitting sports bra – as well as other products designed for women’s bodies – is having an impact on commercial conversations.

“Often clubs will say, ‘if you provide 100 free sports bras, we’ll get our athletes to do a photoshoot for you and we’ll use your logo for the campaign’,” Horsell says.

“That’s just how commercial partnerships have worked for years – a company such as Nike will send free T-shirts to a club because they get so much brand visibility.

“But what’s the point of me sending 100 bras to a club in a size range that I think is going to work, and not help the women with the fitting or help them find that solution?”

Instead, Horsell advocates for a more thoughtful, sustainable model – one that includes both funding and education.

“I’ve found some great environments and clubs that will work with me in the way that I need to work, which is parting with a bit of cash,” Horsell says. “It doesn’t have to be a lot, but it has to be a bit of cash for us to sustainably be able to come in and deliver this service, and be able to do it year on year, season after season.

“Not just so you can get a nice LinkedIn post out of it – let’s do this properly, and let’s make this change for good. Let’s get the women fitted. If they want a sports bra, let’s help them buy one.

“Clubs and organisations need to be prepared to come at this differently, invest in the education, invest in bringing time into the picture, so that we can have time with women to help them find the solution and appreciate that it’s important.”

Horsell’s experience highlights the wider challenge in women’s sport – the tendency to treat it as a mirror of the men’s game, overlooking what makes it distinct. But when its unique needs are acknowledged and addressed, the results speak for themselves.

This article is part of Women’s Sport Insider, our monthly newsletter on the latest developments in women’s sport. Subscribe here.