WASHINGTON (AP) — When Meghan visits Providence Park to watch Oregon’s professional women’s soccer team, she encounters a diverse crowd.
The doctor’s assistant, a lifelong sports enthusiast and former softball player, states that she enjoys a wide array of sports, including both collegiate and professional women’s events, with sales occurring right in front of her. Fan base This newfound visibility is a promising opportunity for teams and advertisers eager to boost interest in women’s sports, offering more choices than ever before.
A recent survey indicates that about one-third of U.S. adults are “very,” “somewhat,” or “closely” following women’s professional or collegiate sports according to the Associated Press-NORC Civil Service Research Center. Although this figure lags behind men’s sports (approximately half), it highlights that interest is on the rise.
With an increase in interest and investment in women’s sports over recent years, there’s also a broader entry point for fans. The meteoric rise of Kate Linklark, a University of Iowa standout turned WNBA star, has attracted more viewers to women’s basketball. Improvements in streaming options, international success, and name, image, and likeness deals have significantly elevated the value and viewership of women’s sports.
“Growing up, I felt the only sports I saw on TV were men’s,” Sels mentioned. “That’s okay; I enjoy men’s sports. But I find women’s sports exciting too… The more I see them on TV, the more interested younger audiences become.”
Surveys indicate that female sports fans (individuals who “closely” follow women’s sports) differ notably from their male counterparts. Although women’s sports fans are not predominantly female, they exhibit a more balanced gender profile than men’s sports fans. Those who follow women’s professional sports tend to engage more casually than male fans and are more inclined to attend games sporadically rather than regularly. Conversely, male fans often express a stronger attachment to their teams rather than individual players.
The survey was conducted just before the launch of the 2025 WNBA season, which is an expansion year for the league. With attendance records already soaring and the league introducing a new franchise (Golden State Valkyries), the number of regular season games will increase from 40 to 44.
In 2026, two new teams, including one in Portland, Oregon, will join the league. A seller who has lived in the city for nearly a decade expressed excitement about obtaining season tickets.
Various Fanbases
Polls reveal that men’s sports, at both collegiate and professional levels, continue to attract more fans than women’s sports. Approximately one-third of U.S. adults report following men’s college sports “somewhat” closely, with over 40% indicating they follow men’s professional sports. In contrast, about 20% show similar interest in women’s college sports, with a comparable share following women’s professional sports.
While a higher proportion of men than women follow sports overall, the gender balance is better within female sports fan communities. Research shows that nearly half of female sports fans are men, compared to about two-thirds of male sports fans.
This could be attributed to overlapping fandoms. Around 90% of U.S. adults who are at least somewhat invested in women’s sports also follow men’s sports, while roughly half of those who follow men’s sports also keep an eye on women’s sports.
As women’s sports grow in popularity and accessibility, a significant portion of their fanbase remains casual. Nearly 90% of both male and female professional sports fans engage with their respective sports frequently or occasionally, but a larger percentage of female sports fans fall into this casual category.
Individuals like Matthew Baer, 58, a dedicated fan of Wisconsin’s Green Bay Packers and Milwaukee Brewers, highlight this trend. Though he doesn’t closely watch basketball, he follows sports news and discovered Clark during her final season at Iowa, connecting with new viewers in the sport and now watching her play for the Indiana Fever.
“I saw her on MSNBC,” he recalled. “I don’t typically watch basketball, but regardless of gender, I’d tune in if she was playing in the women’s football league.”
Engaging in the Game
Men’s sports benefit from more substantial leagues, lucrative TV deals, and an expansive media ecosystem, attracting a more devoted audience. About two-thirds of male sports fans attend professional events “frequently,” while only about half of female fans do the same.
One factor contributing to this disparity is that female sports fans often have less attachment to specific teams. Only about one-third of female fans consider their supported teams “very” or “extremely” important in their sports following. For male fans, this figure hovers around 50%.
However, a comparable proportion of both male and female sports fans indicate that the particular athletes they support are “very important” in their engagement with women’s sports.
Bernard Seltzer, a mathematics and science teacher and high school administrator in Tampa, Florida, identifies as a typical sports fan who appreciates skilled athletes, regardless of gender. He is particularly impressed by the finesse displayed by female athletes, even at the high school level.
“Sometimes, it’s more impressive than watching men slam into each other,” he noted.
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The AP-NORC survey included responses from 1,260 adults conducted from April 17-21, utilizing samples drawn from NORC’s Amerispeak panels, which are designed to represent the U.S. population. The margin for sampling error for adults is +/- 3.9 percentage points.
Source: apnews.com