Women’s sports viewership reaches 28.6 billion minutes in H1 2026: Nielsen

NEW DELHI: Women’s sports are winning more eyeballs and more advertising money. Viewers in the US consumed 28.6 billion minutes of women’s sports in the first half of 2026, an 18 per cent increase from the same period last year, according to new research from Nielsen.

The growth is also showing up in advertising. Ad spend on women’s sports has risen 120 per cent since 2022, signalling that the category is moving from an emerging opportunity to a more established commercial proposition for brands.

The findings come from Nielsen’s report, More Fans, More Often: The Commercial & Cultural Evolution of Women & Sports, which examines changes in the audience, media and commercial landscape around women’s sports.

According to the report, 122.5 million Americans, or 52.8 per cent of the US population, now actively engage with the women’s sports ecosystem. That gives broadcasters, rights holders and advertisers a sizeable audience base to target.

Sponsor valuations have also climbed across major women’s sports properties. Valuations have risen 71 per cent for the WNBA, 82 per cent for the NWSL and 51 per cent for the LPGA, highlighting the growing commercial appeal of women’s leagues.

The audience opportunity extends beyond women’s competitions. Nielsen estimates that women account for 9 million of the 16 million new sports fans identified in its research.

Female fandom has also contributed to audience growth across major men’s leagues. The report attributes 54 per cent of new fan growth in the NFL, 50 per cent in MLB and 45 per cent in the NBA to female fans.

Female viewership of men’s sports is growing too. Between 2024 and 2026, women’s viewership increased 55 per cent for the NBA and 44 per cent for the NHL.

The growing audience is also commercially engaged. Nielsen found that 60 per cent of women’s sports fans have switched brands they buy based on a company’s values or actions, compared with 45 per cent of sports fans overall.

That suggests the relationship between women’s sports and brands goes beyond logo placement and sponsorship deals. Audience behaviour increasingly gives companies an opportunity to build loyalty through how they support athletes, leagues and wider social issues.

“The rise in popularity of women’s sports isn’t just a fleeting trend; it is a cultural re-alignment where access to games, storytelling around athletes and ongoing investment from brands are changing the economy and energy of global sports,” said Nielsen vice president, inclusive insights Charlene Polite Corley.

The report points to a sports ecosystem in which growth in women’s competitions is spreading across viewing, sponsorship, advertising and consumer behaviour.

For broadcasters and rights holders, the numbers underline the expanding value of women’s sports audiences. For brands, the message is equally clear: women’s sports are no longer simply an emerging media opportunity, but an increasingly influential part of the wider sports economy.