Report: Women’s sports on track to earn over $1 billion for first time

Women’s sports have been on the rise for years, but 2023 saw viewership and attendance records shattered.

The NCAA women’s basketball championship game brought in almost 10 million viewers, the most ever for a women’s college basketball game and the most for any college basketball game on ESPN+. The NWSL signed a record-high $240 million media rights deal, and a record 3.4 million viewers tuned in to ESPN to watch Coco Gauff take down Aryna Sabalenka in the U.S. Open, the most ever for a women’s tennis final. Nebraska volleyball packed a 90,000-seat stadium for Volleyball Days, the most ever for a women’s volleyball game.

That growth is happening on the revenue side as well, with a report from the research firm Deloitte indicating that women’s sports are forecasted to bring in nearly $1.3 billion in revenue in 2024. It would be the first time women’s sports have collectively brought in over a billion in a year.

The sports leading the way are soccer, set to bring in $555 million in revenue, and basketball, set to bring in $354 million. This comes on the heels of the 2023 women’s World Cup and a breakthrough season for college basketball led by superstars like Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark as well as the highest WNBA Finals ratings in 20 years.

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Global leagues and competitions, like the women’s World Cup, Women’s Tennis Association, and LPGA, are expected to generate $425 million. Not every year will have tentpole events like the World Cup, but the growth across the board shows women’s sports are gaining an even larger share of the current market. Along with continuing expansion of TV packages, the Professional Women’s Hockey League begins its inaugural season in January, and the Paris Olympics are set for summer 2024.