The popularity of women's sports is undeniably growing, both in the world of sponsorship and among the general public. The proof is all around us, especially with sports brand ambassadors. Deals with teams and leagues increased 21% in the previous year, while athletes signed 18% more partnerships. 5,650 sponsorships or media partnerships were purchased by 3,500 brands from the 15 professional women's leagues. Female college standouts have sold 680 agreements across more than 350 brands since the NCAA started offering "name, image, and likeness" (NIL) deals, engaging 30M followers in the process.

The ability of female athletes to captivate audiences is undeniable, and their established influence on social media is granting them long-overdue financial recognition. Brands succeeded better with women's tennis players for the third year in a row. Female stars engaged 53M followers with sponsored posts, compared to 38.5M for male players. This may prompt brands that typically favor men's sports to rethink their marketing plans.

Athletes Leading Women’s Sports in 2022

According to a recent survey from SponsorUnited, Alex Morgan was the woman sports athlete with the most endorsements just this year! With partnerships for teams and individuals expanding 20 percent compared to 2021, Morgan was one of many women athletes who expanded their brand deal with Rolodex during the previous year.

Between September 2021 and September 2022, the USWNT and NWSL standout had 27 endorsement deals, including ones with Coca-Cola, Google, and Chipotle. This figure was higher than any player in the NFL, NBA, MLB, MLS, or NHL, not just in women's sports.

Serena Williams came in second on the list for women's sports with 26 deals, followed by Naomi Osaka with 23. Leylah Fernandez (20) and Venus Williams (17) are other tennis players in the top 10, while Lexi Thompson (21) was the only golfer.

With 940 sponsor relationships in 2022, the LPGA outnumbered other women's sports leagues, a 30 percent increase from the year before. With a 22 percent rise in endorsements, the WTA came in second. The report, which examined brand partnerships in collegiate and professional sports, included the news as part of its 2022 Women in Sports Report.

To book women’s sports brand ambassadors, contact Athlete Speakers today! We have worked with many of the top athletes and brands in the world over 20 years in business. To get started, fill out our Online Booking Request Form or 1-800-916-6008.