March is a time to celebrate progress and advocate for more. With International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month in full swing, it is the perfect opportunity to reflect on the current state of women’s sport and the direction in which it is headed.

Governing bodies have debated the commercial potential of women’s sport for years and the debate is finally over. Women’s leagues are not just growing; they are leading the global sports industry in engagement, investment and fan demand.

The Redtorch SportOnSocial: Global Sports Properties 2025 report makes it abundantly clear: International Federations (IFs) prioritising women’s sport, investing in athlete visibility and adopting digital-first strategies will be the ones shaping the industry’s future.

All figures and percentages are taken from SportOnSocial: Global Sports Properties 2025 report, unless other stated.

For decades, women’s leagues were underestimated but not today! Five of the top ten fastest-growing global sports properties in 2024 were women’s competitions, outpacing several of the most prominent men’s leagues.

The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) experienced a remarkable +322% increase in search interest, making it the fastest-growing league in the world. A significant factor contributing to this rise was Caitlin Clark, whose influence on women’s basketball has driven unparalleled digital engagement. Her social media following grew by +154% after the WNBA Draft and further amplified the league’s visibility*.

Women’s football is also booming. The Barclays Women’s Super League (BWSL) demonstrated the power of social-first strategies when it recorded 15.9m digital interactions across TikTok and Instagram in 2024. The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) final in the US reached a record-breaking 2.5m viewers.

The UEFA Women’s Champions League and Frauen-Bundesliga are setting new benchmarks, too, and reflects the increasing mainstream appeal of women’s football.

In the US, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Women’s Basketball made history when its 2024 championship game outperformed the men’s final by drawing 18.7 million viewers compared to the men’s final drawing 14.82 million viewers.

This is no longer simply a trend. It represents a permanent shift in the sports industry.

Alternative and emerging sports such as The Ultimate Tennis Showdown (UTS), Padel World Championships and The Hundred are thriving alongside traditional leagues. The UTS saw a +246% increase in search interest, proving that new, dynamic formats are capturing fan attention.

At the same time, the rise of padel (+282%) highlights the demand for fresh, entertainment-driven sports. Unlike the more traditional leagues, these competitions embrace digital-first fan engagement, prioritising viral moments, interactive storytelling and influencer-driven content.

This transition is a warning to IFs still clinging to outdated structures (relying solely on linear TV broadcasting, slow adaption of alternative format or ignoring social-first marketing and engagement, etc). that fans want high-energy, easily accessible sports experiences so IFs, and federations need to adapt to match these expectations.

Women’s sport is not only growing because of better marketing. It is growing because athletes are driving record engagement on and off the pitch.

Clark’s influence on WNBA, for example, extends beyond basketball. She has brought in a wave of new fans to the league, attracting interest from casual viewers and younger audiences. Barbra Banda’s NWSL rise has created a global star, with searches related to her in Zambia reaching record highs.

Athletes are no longer merely players: they are digital-first brands, engaging fans through TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts. Morning Consult, a US business intelligence agency research shows that 57% of Gen Z sports fans prefer highlights over full matches, reinforcing the need for social-first engagement strategies.

The opportunities are IFs are huge … as are the risks. Those that fail to invest in athlete-driven content will miss out on the most powerful engagement tool in modern sport.

IFs previously gauged their success through TV ratings. Women’s sport is proving that streaming and social-first content have become the primary drivers of engagement.

NWSL has tripled its audience since partnering with YouTube and Twitch. BWSL’s move to YouTube has expanded its global audience and achieved record-breaking engagement outside the UK.

Short-form content is playing a huge role here. Women’s sports content on TikTok witnessed a huge increase in engagement, while YouTube and Instagram continued to drive major audience growth for female athletes and leagues.

The message is clear for every IF: if you fail to optimise for digital-first consumption, you will lose fans, sponsors and relevance.

• The SportOnSocial report is more than just about rankings – it’s a wake-up call.
• Women’s sport is no longer a niche – it’s a commercial powerhouse reshaping the global sports industry.
• IFs that invest in athlete marketing, digital-first content and modern sponsorship strategies will become the sports leaders over the next decade of sport.
• Those that hesitate will be left behind.

This March, in Women’s History Month, the question is no longer whether women’s sport deserves investment. Data has already answered that.

The key question now is: which IFs are prepared to be at the forefront in deciding the future of sport?

Ready to unlock the power of women’s sport for your organisation?

Let’s chat about how we can collaborate to create meaningful impact.

Contact Jess
Head of Comms & Women’s Sport Lead
jess.reus@redtorch.sport