The business of women’s sports

Rising viewership, deeper engagement and accelerating investment are powering rapid growth in women’s sports.

Headshot of Taylor Bowley

Taylor Bowley

Headshot of Lynelle Huskey

Lynelle Huskey

March 2026

Key takeaways

  • Women's sports are evolving into a high-growth segment of the broader sports economy. BofA Global Research expects more than a 250% revenue growth in U.S. women's sports by 2030 — a trend reinforced by major sports like soccer attracting institutional and venture capital at increasing speed.
  • Women's sports viewership in the U.S. has nearly tripled since 2020. Younger, affluent and highly digital consumers are driving greater live attendance, merchandise sales, and social-media fandom, according to BofA Global Research. Women's leagues in areas like soccer, basketball, rugby and cricket are positioning the sector to grow rapidly.
  • According to BofA Global Research, as viewership and engagement increase, women's sports are being met with increased sponsorship to cater to growing fanbases. And with women's discretionary spending growth outpacing men's in Bank of America credit and debit card data — this underscores women's ability to shape long-term economic opportunities.

Read our full analysis for a more in-depth look at these trends.

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