Among the Top 10 new sponsors by total spend in the NWSL, three brands—CPKC, United Way, and Sixth Street—allocated more than 90% of their entire sports sponsorship budgets. Expansion clubs certainly played a role, but here’s the headline: half of the league’s Top 15 highest-spending deals came from new partners. At the same time, the WNBA is attracting bold first-timers of its own: Partake Foods became the league’s first-ever rotating jersey badge sponsor with the Phoenix Mercury, Lendistry launched its debut sports partnership with the LA Sparks to support women-owned businesses, and Bumble broke ground as the New York Liberty’s first dating app sponsor with a high-energy playoff activation.

These moves signal a clear shift—some brands aren’t dipping a toe in women’s sports; they’re diving in headfirst. Thanks to the explosive growth of both the WNBA and NWSL, sponsorship opportunities are not only more impactful than ever, but also increasingly attractive for brands looking to connect with passionate fanbases in professional sports.

By leveraging data from SponsorUnited’s SPND platform and our recently released WNBA and NWSL sponsorship reports (download the reports here), we answered three key questions on the minds of brand marketers as they consider making an investment in these leagues.

What’s the Cost of Entry into Women’s Sports?

In 2024, the average cost of a team sponsorship across both the WNBA and NWSL was between $140K and $170K. This figure provides a more affordable—and targeted—entry point for brands compared to the $559K average team sponsorship cost across men’s major pro sports U.S. leagues (NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, MLS). (Note: Deal size varies significantly depending on brand size, category, and rightsholder.)

This pricing advantage presents a massive opportunity for emerging and mid-market brands, as well as category leaders eager to diversify their sponsorship portfolios.

What are Some Untapped Categories in Women’s Sports Sponsorships?

Take spiked/hard seltzer, for instance. In U.S. Major Pro Sports, this category ranks 40th in terms of number of sponsorship deals, with 112 deals across 25 brands. However, within the WNBA and NWSL, only 2 brands are currently sponsoring teams across the combined 27 franchises. That’s a category ripe for growth.

And this is just one example. Many categories such as Insurance, QSR and Auto thriving in the broader sports sponsorship landscape remain underrepresented in women’s sports—creating immediate white space for brands looking to stand out and make an impact.

The Window Is Now

Women’s sports are expanding—fast. With two new NWSL clubs expected by 2026 and five new WNBA teams by 2030, the leagues are scaling to meet demand. But with that growth comes rising costs and increasing competition for sponsorship inventory.

For brands seeking first-mover advantage or a strategic position in a growing market, now is the time to act. SponsorUnited’s SPND platform offers unmatched transparency into pricing, category exclusivity, and inventory availability—empowering brands to make informed investments with confidence.

See our latest reports on women’s sports, including the WNBA and the NWSL.

‍