Women’s sports are captivating viewers. It’s more than just a moment as viewership of several Women’s NCAA basketball games compared favorably to other major events. Savvy brands are capitalizing on the surging popularity of women’s sports.
Now that the results are in, it’s no surprise that the Iowa vs South Carolina NCAA Women’s Championship game had more viewers than the Men’s Championship game –and more than many other major sporting events.
The surging popularity of women’s sports is a trend we’ve been seeing for a while and expect to continue. As Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and other superstars head to the WNBA, emerging stars like JuJu Watkins will be back next season for more March Madness.
It’s not just basketball. Other Women’s sports are seeing tremendous growth in popularity, including volleyball and hockey.
NIL sponsorships of these incredible athletes provide brands with an opportunity to become associated with these rising stars and connect with growing audiences.
As of April 10, Iowa’s Caitlin Clark and LSU’s Angel Reese are among top 10 athletes in terms of NIL valuation, according to on3.com. LSU gymnast Livvy Dunne is ranked #3 overall.
Made for social media
It’s no wonder brands are seeking to partner with these athletes: as members of the ‘social media generation’ they have the ability to reach large audiences without expensive prime-time media buys. A Gatorade commercial featuring Caitlin Clark garnered 2.1 million views on YouTube while a Tampax video with Flau’jae Johnson and Angel Reese reached over 3.6 million views. Nike capitalized on Clark’s record-breaking season by releasing an emotional tribute video on X/Twitter shortly after she broke Pete Maravich’s NCAA all-time scoring record.
Notably, both Clark and Reese gained over 700K social media followers since the March Madness tournament began. As these women transition to the WNBA, it will be worth watching how their audiences grow.
The next big thing
Somewhat surprising is the fact that JuJu Watkins is not currently among the overall Top 100 NIL athletes, according to On3. The USC star is currently ranked #14 on the Women’s Top 100. Although JuJu’s has far fewer social media followers compared to other top-tier women’s basketball players, her visibility is certain to grow as the nation increasingly tunes in to women’s sports.
Photo: Getty via The Sporting News
In her first season, JuJu amassed 920 points, which compares to Caitlin Clark’s 799 points in her first season. Although Clark has a higher shooting percentage, JuJu has more rebounds (248 vs 177), blocks (56 vs 14), and steals (78 vs 38) at this stage in their college basketball careers. This has led some to speculate that JuJu could become the “next Caitlin Clark.”
While much of the recent attention has been (deservedly) directed at Clark, forward-looking brands should also consider endorsement deals with some of these emerging stars. After all, as coach Dawn Staley’s t-shirt says, “Everyone watches women’s sports.”