Women’s Sports Revenue to Pass $1 Billion Mark in 2024, Tripling in Just Three Years

In 2024, women’s sports is expected to hit a monumental milestone: revenues will exceed $1 billion, three times as much as in 2021. According to Deloitte, this increasing popularity will lead women’s sports into a new era, full of more sponsorships, broadcasting, and attendance. 

This global revenue comprises professional leagues such as the WNBA (Women’s National Basketball Association) or NWSL (National Women’s Soccer League) and high-level amateur competitions, like NCAA Division I events and the Olympics. Specifically, this revenue is set to reach $1.28 billion in 2024, a remarkable increase from 2021, marking the rapid growth of the industry. 

However, despite this incredible growth, the $1.28 billion still pales comparatively to the numbers generated by men’s sports. For example, the NFL’s Sunday Ticket package was sold for $14 billion over seven years, a deal made for just one sport in one country. In comparison, the $1.28 billion projected for women’s sports globally reveals a growing but still smaller financial presence.

Pete Giorgio, Deloitte’s global sports practice leader, said, “The total number is interesting—the fact that it’s over $1 billion for the first time—but I think the 300% number is the real story. I’d love that number to be a lot bigger, and I think it’s going to continue to grow.”

Giorgio’s optimism comes from many recent success stories in women’s sports. For example, this year’s NCAA Women’s Basketball Final Four broke viewer records due to many standout players like Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers. Additionally, the NWSL signed an incredible TV deal worth $240 million over four years on broadcasters such as CBS, ESPN, and Prime Video. 

This rising popularity of women’s sports also shows no signs of slowing soon. A newly formed Professional Women’s Hockey League, with teams in major cities such as New York, Boston, Montreal, and Toronto, launched in January 2024, solidifying the rising investment in women’s sports. 

“When women play sports, it shows them as symbols of strength, perseverance, and competitiveness in ways you don’t usually get to see in other aspects of life,” said Anne Blaschke, an associate lecturer at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. “Sports is very public and very exciting, and we get to see people doing this that are remarkable.”

As more fans, investors, and broadcasters begin to support women’s sports, the $1 billion revenue in 2024 is only the beginning. Hopefully, with growing interest, investment, and opportunities, women’s sports will continue to reach even greater heights.