The WNBA’s popularity increased significantly in 2024

The Golden State Valkyries and Toronto’s yet-to-be-named team mark the first expansions the WNBA has made of its league since 2008 and signal new opportunities to reach people. They’ll mean more players, new rivalries, and more storylines to follow in the years to come. “Last year, we had peaks in attendance, peaks in sales and tickets, and it just shows that people have been dedicated to this sport,” Washington Mystics center Shakira Austin told NBC News.

“I think we’re just going to continue to elevate and, you know, hopefully our league is able to, you know, back it up and be prepared for the attention we’re about to get.” Such successes are part of a larger surge of growth across women’s sports, including major expansions in soccer, volleyball, and hockey. Collectively, this interest highlights the big business of women’s sports and the hunger from fans for these events.

March 5, 2025 | 5:53 am