Women’s Sports Is Paying Off: GroupM Says It “Exceeded” Goal of Doubling Media Spend

Advertisers have bought in to women’s sports.

GroupM, the WPP-owned media buying agency, says that it has “exceeded” its goal to double the annual media spend on women’s sports programming.

The agency had announced its intention to double its spend in the area earlier this year, in connection to the NCAA women’s college basketball tournament, which drew record-shattering ratings. Now it says it blew past that goal in months, with more than 20 major advertisers increasing their commitment to women’s sports, including Adidas, Adobe, Ally, Coinbase, Danone, Discover, Domino’s, DoorDash, Google, Indeed, Mars, method, Nationwide, Target, TJ Maxx, Unilever and Universal Pictures.

And the spend boosted media companies as well, with Disney, NBCUniversal, Paramount and YouTube all offering advertising opportunities for the 2024-2025 year.

“Doubling spend in women’s sports within a matter of months marks a significant milestone for our company and the industry alike,” said Matt Sweeney, chief investment officer of GroupM US. “While some clients have long been pioneers in this space, others are now broadening their commitments or making first-time investments. This surge of momentum reflects more than a passing trend — it’s a full-fledged movement.”

Among the media buys organized by GroupM were Indeed’s presenting sponsorship of college basketball on ESPN and the WNBA on Paramount platforms, a YouTube deal providing access to women’s sports audiences through an AI-powered Spotlight Moment and Google’s presenting sponsorship of the WNBA on Disney and the National Women’s Soccer League on Disney and Paramount platforms.

In addition to the record-breaking ratings for college basketball, the WNBA set its own record ratings this season, thanks in part to superstar rookies like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. And the NWSL says that it too has seen its ratings climb.

The demand for women’s sports is also leading to the creation of entirely new leagues, with the soon-to-launch 3-on-3 basketball league Unrivaled securing commitments from top WNBA stars and a TV deal with TNT Sports.

The success of GroupM’s push and the eager support from major advertisers suggests that there is still more room to grow.