Women’s Professional Sports Report Increased Snapchat Engagement

Women’s professional sports report increased Snapchat engagement, reflecting growing fan interest and stronger digital connections across leagues and athletes.

Snapchat’s newest research report into the rising popularity of women’s sports reflects a significant cultural movement as women’s sports are arguably connecting with Snapchat audiences in a way never seen before.

The report is based on a survey of 13,500 sports fans across seven countries, conducted in partnership with Ipsos and Dentsu. It provides fresh insights into the growth of interest and engagement in female athletes and leagues.

Cultural Shift Drives Growing Interest

First, the report examines the prevalence of popular sports-related content on Snapchat and how users of this platform engage with it.

While men’s sports and leagues still command the largest share of conversation, women’s leagues continue to grow across platforms and fans.

According to Snap:

“Over the last few years, women’s sports have gone through a major cultural shift. In 2023, FIFA reported 3.2 billion views of social content for the Women’s World Cup, and the U.S. Open women’s final outperformed the men’s final in viewership. In 2024, the Paris Olympics had an equal number of male and female athletes competing for the first time, and the WNBA’s regular season attracted over 54 million unique viewers, a 170% increase from the previous season, and the league was cited as the fastest-growing brand in professional sports.”

This growing interest presents valuable opportunities for leagues seeking to build deeper connections with their audiences and for marketers looking to capitalize on these trends to expand reach and enhance engagement.

This increase highlights a growing fan base and more prominent visibility for women’s sports around the world.

Platforms like Snapchat are crucial to democratizing visibility for women’s sports, chipping away at traditional media walls. Snapchat users, particularly young people, are interacting with content about inspiring female athletes and forming genuine connections within these communities.

Empowering Female Athletes and Brands

The report highlights the importance of brands not only sponsoring women’s sports but also creating communities and genuine partnerships with female athletes, who are increasingly becoming influential as creators themselves.

Female athletes have a powerful influence over their audiences, as 77% of their followers have a positive perception when it comes to browsing or buying products associated with them. This is even higher among Snapchat users who follow women’s sports (83%).

Brands are encouraged to:

• Associate with concepts of liberation, such as social progress, inspiration, and courage.
• Collaborate with athletes who represent authenticity and work to elevate diverse stories.
• Harness social platforms to further engage fans and foster loyalty.

As interest in women’s sports heats up, marketers have a significant opportunity to connect with an emerging segment that’s growing rapidly and culturally relevant.

Consumption of women’s sports content will help establish meaningful connections with Gen Z and millennial consumers, as they look favourably upon brands that rally behind social causes.

Looking Ahead

The surge in women’s professional sports provides brands with an opportunity to drive and define that momentum. Snapchat’s report contains numerous statistics and valuable advice on building brand interest, covering everything from the type of content that works best to effective sponsorship tactics.

You can download the full 49-page report for yourself here.