As a seasoned gamer who’s seen my fair share of virtual sports and reality sports alike, this news about the surge in advertising for women’s sports is nothing short of exhilarating! It’s like witnessing the evolution of an MMO game where the underdog guild finally gets the recognition they deserve.
Advertisers have bought in to women’s sports.
According to GroupM, the media buying agency owned by WPP, they have surpassed their objective of doubling the yearly investment in broadcasting women’s sports events.
Earlier this year, the agency declared its plan to double its investment in that particular field, linked to the NCAA women’s college basketball tournament that achieved unprecedented viewership numbers. Now, they claim to have surpassed that target within just a few months, as over 20 significant advertisers such as Adidas, Adobe, Ally, Coinbase, Danone, Discover, Domino’s, DoorDash, Google, Indeed, Mars, method, Nationwide, Target, TJ Maxx, Unilever, and Universal Pictures have all boosted their support for women’s sports.
Additionally, these expenditures also benefited media firms, as Disney, NBCUniversal, Paramount, and YouTube all presented ad opportunities for the period spanning 2024 to 2025.
Matt Sweeney, GroupM US’s chief investment officer, stated, “In just a few months, we’ve seen women’s sports expenditure double, which is a remarkable achievement for both our company and the industry. While some clients have been trailblazers in this area for quite some time, others are now increasing their dedication or making initial investments. This growing wave of interest suggests it’s not just a fleeting fad – it’s a powerful movement.
GroupM arranged various media buys, which included Indeed becoming the presenting sponsor for college basketball on ESPN and the WNBA on Paramount networks. Additionally, a YouTube partnership was established to offer access to women’s sports viewers through an intelligent AI-driven Spotlight Moment, while Google took on the role of presenting sponsor for the WNBA on Disney and the National Women’s Soccer League on both Disney and Paramount platforms.
This year, the WNBA achieved new highs in viewership, boosted by the impressive performances of star rookies such as Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. Similarly, the NWSL reported an increase in ratings as well.
The surge in interest for women’s sports is resulting in the establishment of entirely new sporting leagues. For instance, the upcoming 3-on-3 basketball league named Unrivaled has already secured agreements with prominent WNBA players and a broadcast contract with TNT Sports.
The thriving success of GroupM’s initiative, coupled with the enthusiastic backing from prominent advertisers, implies that there exists ample potential for further expansion.
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2024-10-29 16:27