Why women’s sports are reaching new heights in popularity and revenue

John Yang:

Interested in women's sports has never been higher than it's been this past week during the NCAA women's basketball tournament, which ends today, at least two of the games were the most watched women's basketball games ever, more viewers even than last year's World Series or NBA Finals.

Earlier, I talked about what's behind this boom in women's sports with Claire Watkins, she's hosted the podcast, the late sub for the website, Just Women's Sports.

Claire, we've seen such a growth in the popularity and even revenue for women's sports in the last few years, what's behind this boom?

Claire Watkins, Just Women’s Sport:

Yeah, I think it's twofold. I think we're seeing investment off of the field off of the court, where people are realizing that this is an opportunity, not only on the business end, but also just in that we're seeing the rise of the parity in sports themselves.

I think if you look, for example, at the NCAA tournament this year, we're seeing rising parity in the league or across the NCAA. And that is turning into more local and national interest. And we're also just seeing larger media properties like ESPN seeing this as a valuable part of their assets. And so we're seeing more investment in making women's sports more accessible as well.

John Yang:

You're talking about parity, there doesn't seem to be interest parity between the men's tournament, the women's tournament this year seems that there's a lot more excitement, a lot more interest in the women's tournament. Why do you think that is?

Claire Watkins:

Some of it is just purely logistical. I think in some ways, it's the norm in women's basketball for players to stay for an entire four years. So for example, if you have a really exciting freshman like, for example, Paige Becker's four years ago, or Caitlin Clark, four years ago, they stay at those programs for their entire college career. So you get attached to them. And those jerseys, you get local fan bases get attached to these players.

And so I think the iconography of women's college basketball has more opportunity to grow or surrounding players themselves, than perhaps we see in the men's game with the more one and done structure.

John Yang:

Since 2022 the women's tournament has had 68 teams just like the men's tournament, do you think that has had any effect on the quality of play?

Claire Watkins:

Absolutely. I'm a big believer that more programming raises parity throughout. I think you see this, not only in college sports, but also in professional sports. So I think if you give the greater opportunities, if you treat it like that premier event that it deserves to be treated as and you give more schools an opportunity to participate in it, that encourages those schools to then invest in their programs recruit a little bit deeper, it encourages players to maybe not chase certain schools and maybe stay closer to home.

And so those greater opportunities to play on the big stage or to do go to the big dance, I do think makes a huge impact in seeing higher talent levels further to the fringes of the sport.

John Yang:

It also seems like the women's game has evolved. Over the years, you're seeing more three-point shots, you're seeing more physical play, you're seeing more on court taunting sort of getting more like the men's game used to be, do you think that's a factor to the rise of the popularity?

Claire Watkins:

Absolutely. I mean, basketball is a personality driven sport. It's one of the most personality driven sports that we have in this country. And again, once you get to know these players, and they get to know each other, and the women's college game is a little bit more based in traditional post play, you do see players drive to the rim, you see big blocks, maybe like a past era of what we saw in the men's game, and it does it drives competition, we're seeing these players be encouraged to express themselves.

And this is a big deal, right? Like as you do see more investment into the sport, there are high stakes and you're seeing players respond to that as well.

John Yang:

You're talking about more investment into the sport, you know, 2021 the picture of the women's weight room at the NCAA tournament compared to the men's wait room went viral. The NCAA wouldn't until then wouldn't allow the term March Madness to be used with a women's tournament.

Do you think you're going to see colleges and schools put more money into women's programs now?

Claire Watkins:

I would like to think so. I mean, as we know, college athletics is in sort of a state of flux every year right now. I do think NIL opportunities have changed the commercial viability of women's sports dramatically. I think a lot of that is being done outside of traditional avenues. I mean, I think we see a lot of brands investing in these players, we're seeing a reach on social media that has an impact for these players.

I would like to think that that will be followed by further and traditional investment from athletic departments. But I think there's so much in flux, just with NCAA sports in general, that it's a lot of wait and see. But I do think again, when you see — are seeing the output and you're seeing the exponential growth of not only popularity, but just the quality of play. I would like to think that that's encouraging to see more traditional resources. Absolutely.

John Yang:

Talking about the exponential growth. What do you see as the future in the next few years or even beyond for women sports?

Claire Watkins:

Oh my gosh. I mean, I think what we're seeing in terms of television numbers will only go up. I think we're seeing obviously a rising tide, I think in sports in general. And people are really excited about new properties. And I think it's underrated just how young women's sports are in terms of traditional leagues.

Or in that, like we said that traditional march madness for the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament is so new, you're going to see allegiances get built lifelong fandoms. You're going to see people respond to women's sports less like something they're being introduced to, and more like something that they've always had in their lives. And I think that's just going to continue to grow up this in this equity space, versus what's been pretty overpowered by men's sports traditionally,

John Yang:

Claire Watkins hosted the podcast The Late Sub, thank you very much.

Claire Watkins:

Of course, thanks for having me.