Dentsu and Snap's Global Study Reveals Women’s Sports as a Cultural Powerhouse

​dentsu and Snap revealed new insights into the rising popularity of women’s sports and the powerful opportunities for brands to connect through media moments in the space.

The research finds that women’s sports are no longer a niche interest but a cultural movement: fuelled by fandom, amplified by social platforms, and reshaping the future of sports engagement.

Dentsu’s media investment team and Snap worked with Ipsos to conduct the research and understand how fans are driving this momentum and where brands can authentically join the conversation, surveying 13,506 sports fans (13-44yo) across seven markets (US, CA, UK, FR, NO, AU and IN), and interviewing over ten experts across three regions.

Among the findings: 62% of all sports fans surveyed follow women’s sports, and almost three in five of those fans say their interest continues to grow.

Key study findings include:

• Women’s sports fandom is built on a powerful connection to values like empowerment, social progress, and inspiration, creating a uniquely passionate and loyal community.
  

o 69% of women's sports fans want brands to support communities built around women's sports or teams (70% among Daily Snapchatters)

o 70% agree that sponsoring women's sports demonstrates a brand's
commitment to diversity and inclusion.

o 70% of women’s sports fans agree ‘‘Brands have a responsibility to support
women's sports and promote positive social change.'’

• Social platforms are the primary engine for this growth. It's where fans discover the sport, where communities thrive, and where direct, authentic connections with athletes are forged.
  

o 54% of women’s sports fans agree ‘Women's sport is seen as better positioned to utilise the power of social platforms’

o 58% of women’s sports fans feel closer to women's sports and athletes thanks to social platforms’

o 58% of women’s sports fans on Snapchat agree ‘Snapchat allows athletes/sports creators to be more authentic through sharing more real parts of their life compared to other platforms.’

• Female athletes are power-house influencers, admired equally for their on-field talent and their off-field values. This makes them incredibly trusted voices whose recommendations drive both culture and commerce.
  

o A striking 71% of those who follow women's sports athletes/creators on social platforms report being positively influenced to discover, consider, or purchase items. This number goes up to 83% among daily Snapchatters.

o 85% of followers are also interested in seeing content that isn’t related to sports from these athletes/creators

“Women’s sports aren’t just having a moment - they’re shaping a movement, and with this research we have uncovered how this fandom is growing in both scale and influence” said Cara Lewis, chief investment and activation officer at dentsu. “Now is the time for brands to lean in, lead with authenticity, and connect with these passionate fans to drive both cultural impact and business growth.”

“At Snap, we see every day how fans, especially younger audiences, use our platform to celebrate athletes, share their passion, and connect with one another. This research confirms what we’ve long believed: Women’s sports are fuelling a new era of fandom, and brands that show up authentically in this space can create powerful, lasting connections.” said Anmol Malhotra, head of sports partnerships, Snap Inc.

The full report outlining this research can be found here.