Women's sports viewership and advertising surge in US

A Nielsen report indicates a significant surge in the popularity and commercial value of women’s sports in the United States. During the first half of 2026, viewership reached 28.6 billion minutes, representing an 18% increase compared to the same period in 2025.

Advertising expenditure on women’s sports has grown by 120% since 2022. This commercial expansion is reflected in rising sponsor valuations across various leagues, including an 82% surge for the NWSL, a 71% increase for the WNBA, and a 51% gain for the LPGA.

Nielsen’s analysis shows that 122.5 million Americans, or approximately 52.8% of the population, are now interested in women’s sports. Additionally, women are driving growth in men’s sports leagues, accounting for 9 million of the estimated 16 million new sports fans. This demographic shift has contributed to fan increases in the NFL, MLB, and NBA.