Ad Revenue in Women’s Sports Surges, But Will it Lead to Better Pay for Female Athletes?

Advertising spending on women’s sports surged in 2024, more than doubling from the previous year, according to a new report from TV marketing firm EDO. Women’s basketball attracted the largest share of the investment. With more money flowing into the industry than ever before, these gains could also translate into financial progress for female athletes.

Ad Revenue Breakdown

Advertisers spent $244 million on women’s sports in 2024, marking a 139% year-over-year increase. This ad-dollar boom aligns with a spike in women’s sports viewership. For example, over 2 million viewers tuned into game five of the WNBA championship series, making it the most-watched WNBA game in 25 years. And last spring, the women’s NCAA basketball championship game drew a bigger television audience than the men’s title game for the first time.

Ad Effectiveness

As part of the advertising analysis, EDO also examined online activity within 2 to 5 minutes after the ads ran and found that the ads placed during women’s sports broadcasts generated 40% more activity than the average primetime commercial. This engagement with the ads suggests that spending will continue to increase.

Does More Ad Spending Equal More Pay?

The influx of advertising dollars into women’s sports is a game-changer, but whether it will lead to better pay for female athletes remains to be seen. Although the WNBA is one of the most successful professional women’s sports associations, the pay gap between the WNBA and the NBA remains staggering. According to sports betting site WSN, the average NBA player’s salary is $11.9 million, while WNBA players earn a fraction of that – just $119,590 on average. The disparity is even more glaring at the top. Steph Curry, the NBA’s highest-paid player, rakes in $55.8 million per year, while Jackie Young, the WNBA’s top earner, makes just $252,450.

Female Athletes as Brand Ambassadors

As revenue and viewership grow, another key factor in closing the pay gap is gaining momentum – endorsement deals. Female athletes are becoming increasingly valuable as brand ambassadors.

Endorsement Deals

According to the EDO study, ads featuring WNBA athletes were twice as effective as the primetime average, delivering stronger consumer engagement. CarMax saw nearly three times the league’s average engagement in ads featuring WNBA superstars Sabrina Ionescu, Chiney Ogwumike, A’ja Wilson, and Sue Bird. Meanwhile, New Balance and SKIMS ads featuring Cameron Brink of the Los Angeles Sparks outperformed all others, driving a staggering 1,368% more engagement than the average WNBA ad.

New Media Rights Deal

In July, the WNBA announced a new media rights deal that is predicted to increase revenue and viewership. Starting in 2026, Disney, Amazon, and NBCUniversal will distribute more than 125 WNBA regular season and playoff games nationally each season, and the New York Times predicts that “you should expect them to invest serious marketing dollars.” The potential payoff from this media deal is significant. When the National Women’s Soccer League secured a new media rights deal last year, advertising revenue jumped ninefold. If the WNBA follows suit, this investment could also help reshape the financial landscape for the league and its players.

Conclusion

The surge in ad revenue and viewership in women’s sports is a positive sign for the industry, but it remains to be seen whether it will lead to better pay for female athletes. However, the increasing effectiveness of ads featuring WNBA athletes and the potential for more endorsement deals suggest that the gap may be closing.

FAQs

• What is the current pay gap between the WNBA and the NBA?
  The average NBA player’s salary is $11.9 million, while WNBA players earn just $119,590 on average.
• What is the potential payoff from the new media rights deal?
  The potential payoff from the new media rights deal is significant. When the National Women’s Soccer League secured a new media rights deal last year, advertising revenue jumped ninefold.
• Will the surge in ad revenue lead to better pay for female athletes?
  The influx of advertising dollars into women’s sports is a game-changer, but whether it will lead to better pay for female athletes remains to be seen.