Why Women’s Sports Fans Are the Most Loyal in the Game

Oct 11

Written By Kari Mills

People keep asking me if women’s sports are a fad. The short answer? No. And the fans are the reason why.

The Loyalty Factor

When you look at the numbers, women’s sports fans stand out.

74% of women’s sports fans say they’re more likely to support a brand that sponsors women’s sports.
Nearly 60% say they’ll pay more for tickets or merchandise if it supports women’s programs.
Engagement on women’s sports social media is often 2–3x higher than men’s programs of similar size.

This isn’t casual fandom. This is loyalty.

Why That Matters for Athletic Departments? Revenue.

Loyalty equals revenue.

A loyal fan doesn’t just buy a ticket — they bring their kids, their friends, their community.
A loyal fan isn’t one-and-done — they come back season after season.
A loyal fan amplifies your program online — free marketing you can’t buy.

For athletic departments, investing in fan experience is the fastest way to grow revenue.

Proof in the Stands

Women’s sports fans don’t just show up — they show up in record numbers.

Nebraska Volleyball filled a football stadium with 92,003 fans in 2023, setting the all-time U.S. attendance record for women’s sports.
The Women’s College World Series (WCWS) consistently outdraws the Men’s College World Series, averaging 2.7 million TV viewers and packing stadiums every June.
The 2024 NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship drew 18.9 million viewers — higher than the men’s title game — proving that demand isn’t limited to one program or one star.
In soccer, Bay FC of the NWSL shattered attendance records in 2025, drawing 40,091 fans to Oracle Park — the largest NWSL single-game crowd ever.
The WNBA hit a 25-year high in attendance in 2024, with average crowds over 9,000 per game and sellouts in multiple cities.
Globally, momentum is undeniable — the 2023 Women’s World Cup broke records with over 1.9 million fans in stadiums and 2 billion viewers worldwide.

These aren’t one-offs. They’re signals of a fan base that is both loyal and growing.

Point of View

The most undervalued asset in college athletics is the women’s sports fan base. Programs that invest in these fans today will be the ones selling out stadiums tomorrow.

The Takeaway

If you’re an athletic director or coach, the smartest play you can make this year is simple - invest in your highest visibility women’s sports programs.