Women's sports gaining momentum in US, but long road to equality remains

NEW YORK: Women’s sports in the United States are enjoying unprecedented momentum, driven by rising viewership and commercial interest.

However, experts caution that gender parity in visibility, sponsorship and prize money remains a distant goal.

While forecasts suggest the US women’s sports market could be worth billions of dollars by the end of the decade, analysts say sustainable growth will depend on building deeper and more consistent fan engagement.

Much of the current boom has been fuelled by athletes who dominated global events and have become household names.

At the 2024 Paris Olympics, for example, around 30 million Americans tuned in daily to watch stars such as gymnast Simone Biles, basketball player Diana Taurasi and footballer Sophia Wilson.

TV ratings for women’s sports have also grown significantly.

In 2024, more Americans watched the final of the women's college basketball national championship than the men’s, a success which could boost commercial opportunities for the sector.

At New York's Brooklyn FC – which was founded two years ago and plays in the newly launched USL Super League, a Division One women’s professional competition – players say that brands are showing greater interest in partnering with them.

“There's so much more opportunity,” said defender Kelsey Hill.

“I think the fans and getting all the noise around it and everything on social media, having the TV deals - there's so much more.”

“The time for women’s sports has arrived, and I think the time for it to go exponentially larger is here,” said Tom Lyons, the club’s chief marketing officer.

He added that he feels the excitement among sports fans, crediting the surge in interest to the strong “tailwinds” created by women’s basketball and the US