MarketCast’s latest Sponsor Breakthrough study (in partnership with the Sports Business Journal), revealed that sponsor breakthrough for the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) is up almost 10% on average in 2024 from the previous year, continuing its steady growth as the league continues to attract new fans and sponsors.
Packed stadiums and impressive season viewership numbers (18.7 million according to Nielsen) are drawing high-profile brand sponsors, as engagement for the league and other women’s sports continues to grow.
Nike topped the NWSL’s sponsor charts as the most recognized sponsor of the season, with an impressive 55% awareness (+3% from last season). First-time sponsor Amazon followed closely with an incredible 49% breakthrough, while returning sponsor CarMax more than doubled its awareness from 21% in 2022 to 44% in 2024 despite skipping the 2023 season.
For context, the NFL’s top three sponsors during the 2023-24 season were long-standing partners: Bud Light (12 years) led with 65% recognition, Gatorade (40 years) achieved 62% and, Pepsi (21 years) followed with 46%.
Four of the NWSL’s seven official sponsors were repeat partners, all experiencing growth for two consecutive seasons. This momentum signals the NWSL’s rising influence, with other top sponsors like Delta, Google, Ally, and Nationwide fueling the league’s success.
As North America gears up to host the FIFA World Cup in 2026—with the U.S. hosting most of the tournament—the excitement surrounding soccer is only expected to grow as we set our sights toward the 2025 season.
MarketCast has tracked Sponsor Breakthrough metrics for SBJ since 2007 across the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, MLS, NASCAR, PGA Tour, NCAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball tournaments, NWSL, and WNBA. To learn more about our Sports Sponsorship Research, contact us.