The WNBA’s popularity increased significantly in 2024
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There’s growing demand for women’s sports: The United Soccer League Super League, a new women’s soccer league that already has eight franchises across the country, will play its inaugural season this year. A professional women’s hockey league has also launched in 2024 with six teams, and a professional volleyball federation has launched as well with seven teams. The new leagues reflect increasing demand for women’s sports. According to Nielsen, a ratings tracking company, interest and viewership in women’s sports is up across the collegiate, professional, and international levels, signaling strong audience enthusiasm in these competitions.
This growth has been driven by interest from new fans, the rise of stars like Clark and Reese, as well as prime broadcast placement by television networks. In 2023, the National Women’s Soccer final and the NCAA women’s basketball final were both broadcast during primetime on a major network for the first time in years. Support and excitement for women’s sports have also emerged as there’s been a greater commitment to gender parity across different fields, both in pay and in representation.
