The sports landscape is shifting, and with it, new opportunities are emerging for sporting goods and fitness brands to embed themselves in culture, engage new audiences, and drive brand growth. The Global Sports Properties 2025 – SportOnSocial report highlights a wave of momentum, particularly in women’s sports, athlete-driven narratives, and alternative formats, offering fertile ground for brands looking to remain relevant in an evolving market.

The Rise of Athlete-Driven Engagement

Athletes are no longer just competitors—they are storytellers, influencers, and brand catalysts. The report reveals how Caitlin Clark and Kate Martin fuelled a staggering +322% growth in WNBA search interest, while the Barclays Women’s Super League (BWSL) saw a +145% increase, driven by key players and expanded digital coverage. These numbers aren’t just impressive; they indicate a fundamental shift in how fans engage with sports—through personal connection and digital-first consumption.

For brands, this shift presents a unique opportunity to align with individual athletes who drive cultural relevance. Sporting goods and fitness brands that actively partner with rising stars—not just established champions—can embed themselves in athlete-led storytelling, creating authentic connections with consumers. Whether through collaborations, social media activations, or athlete-specific product lines, leveraging sports personalities can deepen audience engagement and brand loyalty.

Women’s Sports: A Commercial Powerhouse in the Making

The data is clear: women’s sports are no longer a niche category. The WNBA, BWSL, and Frauen-Bundesliga are experiencing record-breaking visibility, translating into growing fanbases and heightened sponsorship interest. The report estimates that revenue generated by women’s elite sports surpassed $1 billion for the first time in 2024, with football alone accounting for $555 million.

Brands that invest in women’s sports now will reap long-term benefits as the industry continues to grow. The key is to move beyond traditional sponsorship models and instead co-create purpose-driven, audience-first content that highlights the unique narratives of women’s sports. Nike, Adidas, and Puma have begun capitalizing on this, but the space remains wide open for more innovative, community-driven brand engagement.

Alternative Sports and Formats are Redefining Engagement

Beyond traditional sports leagues, new and emerging formats are disrupting the industry. Padel’s +282% growth in search interest, fuelled by the Padel World Championship in Doha, showcases how alternative sports can capture attention and drive engagement. Similarly, Ultimate Tennis Showdown (+246%) has demonstrated how shorter, high-energy formats resonate with digital-native audiences.

Sporting goods and fitness brands should take note—these new formats provide a testbed for innovation, product development, and experiential marketing. Whether through specialized apparel, unique equipment, or immersive fan experiences, brands that align with these emerging sports will be able to tap into an enthusiastic, growing audience base.

Digital-First Consumption is the Future

The days of relying solely on traditional TV sponsorships are over. The report highlights how leagues and rightsholders that embrace digital streaming, influencer collaborations, and interactive content are winning the attention war. The BWSL’s move to YouTube tripled its viewing figures, while the NWSL’s record-breaking 2.5 million viewers for its championship game demonstrated the commercial potential of digital-first distribution.

Brands need to rethink their activation strategies, focusing on multi-platform storytelling and direct-to-consumer engagement. TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts are not just platforms for awareness—they are crucial tools for shaping brand perception and driving sales. Partnering with athletes, teams, and leagues to produce short-form, highly shareable content will be key to staying relevant in the digital age.

The Opportunity for Sporting Goods and Fitness Brands

For brands that want to inspire more people to be active, the data from the Global Sports Properties 2025 report presents a roadmap for success:

• Invest in athlete partnerships: Work with rising stars and emerging talents to create authentic brand stories.
• Double down on women’s sports: It’s not just about representation—it’s about tapping into a fast-growing market with strong commercial potential.
• Align with alternative and emerging sports: Padel, innovative tennis formats, and dynamic competitions are expanding global reach and disrupting traditional hierarchies.
• Go all-in on digital-first activations: The brands that integrate seamlessly with social-first sports engagement will be the ones winning attention and loyalty.

At Redtorch, we thrive on helping brands navigate these shifts. Our research and creative expertise allow us to develop bold, insight-driven campaigns that not only capture audience attention but also drive measurable brand growth. If you’re a brand looking to connect with the future of sports culture, we’d love to partner with you.