Women’s sports are no longer just a cultural signal for brands — they’re becoming a strategic cornerstone of the modern media mix. As investment accelerates and audiences scale, marketers are discovering that these environments deliver more than goodwill or alignment; they drive measurable business outcomes. WPP Media, in partnership with EDO, Adverteyes, and VideoAmp, has released the Women’s Sports Playbook, a data-driven guide showing how brands can maximize impact in women’s sports environments. Martin Blich, Executive Director and U.S. Head of Sports Partnerships & Investment, WPP Media, explains why women’s sports are emerging as one of the most effective platforms for building brands and boosting performance.
How has the role of women’s sports evolved within the broader media mix for brands?
For a long time, investment in women’s sports was framed primarily around equity or cultural alignment. What the data now shows is something more compelling: women’s sports deliver real, measurable marketing performance. Audiences in these environments are highly attentive, emotionally engaged, and responsive to brands that show up authentically. That combination of context, attention, and cultural relevance creates a multiplier effect on advertising impact. In other words, women’s sports are no longer simply a cultural moment — they’re one of the fastest-growing and most effective performance environments in media today.
What makes the women’s sports audience effective for brand building?
The real power here isn’t just the creative — it’s the environment. When a brand shows up in women’s sports, the context itself does the heavy lifting. You’re reaching an audience that isn’t just watching — they’re deeply invested, which leads to higher attention and a stronger emotional tether. We see the proof in the numbers: the exact same ad often performs significantly better within women’s sports than it does elsewhere. Beyond that, you’re capturing a premium, hard-to-reach demographic who are showing up specifically for the live experience.
What were the most surprising results in the study?
The consistency of the performance lift was one of the most striking findings. Across multiple industries and more than 200 ads, placements in women’s sports delivered an average of 20% higher engagement and ad impact than comparable placements outside of live sports. The pace of growth was also notable. Year over year, women’s sports impressions increased 79%, while ad investment rose 69%, signaling rapid momentum from both audiences and marketers.
Perhaps the most compelling takeaway was the role of the environment itself. Even when brands ran the exact same ad across different placements, engagement was stronger within women’s sports. That reinforces the idea that the context around the ad can meaningfully amplify performance.
