As March Madness tips off this week, new MarketCast research reveals that women’s college and professional leagues are driving stronger sponsor engagement and consideration than their male counterparts.
Women’s sports brands are more likely to champion sponsor brands, recommending and trying their products and services at higher rates than fans of the men’s leagues:
- 75% of NWSL fans will likely try products from official sponsors (MLS: 64%).
- 58% of WNBA fans are likely to support official league sponsors (NBA: 45%).
- 55% of Women’s NCAA March Madness fans would recommend a sponsor (Men’s: 52%).
Looking at brand impact, major sponsors in women’s sports are also getting to the hoop better than their counterparts in men’s leagues:
- Amazon dominates NWSL sponsorship consideration at 88%, followed by Nike (80%) and Delta (66%).
- The WNBA’s most-considered sponsor, Dick’s Sporting Goods (76%), ranks higher than any NBA sponsor except for Gatorade (76%).
The numbers don’t lie—women’s sports fans are engaged, loyal, and ready to support the brands that invest in their leagues. Contact us to learn more about MarketCast’s industry-leading sports sponsorship tracking study—running for 18 years across 12 leagues and measuring the impact of 300 brands.