RESEARCH REPORT
Gender parity in sports: Research powered by SurveyMonkey
Discover new data on the state of women’s professional sports—from the loyalty of fans to the impact of brands.
IT'S TIME TO INVEST IN
Parity is a sports marketing and sponsorship platform focused on closing the gender income and opportunity gap in professional sports.
We partnered with Parity to uncover new insights on the landscape of women’s professional sports*. See what we learned about fans’ habits, athletes’ visibility, and the opportunities brands have to get in the game.
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WOMEN'S SPORTS TODAY
Globally, women’s sports viewership is on the rise
Interest in women’s sports is growing at a healthy rate, with the UK, Australia, and Spain leading the charge.
Women’s sports fans in the US watch the most hours per week
Women’s sports fans in the US are logging the most weekly viewing hours, followed by Canada and Australia.
Many don’t know that the Paris Olympics will reach gender parity
Most people are unaware that the 2024 Summer Games will have equal gender representation among athletes. Awareness is highest in France, where the Games will be held.
“As a Summer and Winter Olympian, I'm overjoyed by strides towards gender equality in sports. It's crucial we keep advocating for parity across all levels, shaping a fairer, more inclusive world.”
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Dr. Seun Adigun
First African to compete in both a Summer and Winter Olympic Games
WOMEN'S SPORTS AND BUSINESS
Sponsorships and brand support are good for business
Nearly one in three US adults say their purchasing decisions are positively impacted if a brand aligns itself with women’s sports.
Women athletes are trusted influencers
Most US adults trust women athletes as brand ambassadors—and are 2x more likely to purchase products promoted by them versus other influencers.
Ties to women’s sports may boost brand image
A majority of US adults believe that a brand’s support of women’s sports signals its values.
“As a racecar driver, I've always relied on data to optimize performance. Seeing the compelling statistics backing investment in women's sports fuels my drive to push for equality on and off the track.”
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Sabre Cook
Professional racecar driver
WOMEN'S SPORTS AND SOCIAL MEDIA
Social media is raising the profile of women’s sports
Australians are the top followers of women’s sports accounts on social media, while French fans trail behind.
Around the world, fans are active and engaged
On average, nearly half of people who follow women’s sports accounts on social media are liking, commenting on, or resharing content on a daily or weekly basis.
Women athletes are making their mark on Instagram
Across all countries, Instagram is the leading social media platform for fans to keep up with specific women athletes, followed by Facebook and YouTube.
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*This poll was conducted March 28-April 10, 2024 among a national sample of 5,408 US, 1,972 UK, 1,251 Australian, 1,743 Canadian, 1,290 German, 1,193 Spanish, and 1,517 French adults aged 18+. Respondents for this survey were selected from the more than 2 million people who take surveys on the SurveyMonkey platform each day. We define women’s sports fans as those who watch professional women’s sports at least a few times a year.