Summary
Sports viewing is more fragmented than ever, but the audiences growing fastest, like women's sports fans, are also some of the most engaged. This article breaks down what that growth means for advertisers and why chasing reach alone can mean missing the fans most likely to reward a brand with attention and loyalty. The takeaway: pair scale with passion and build campaigns around real viewing behavior across traditional TV, streaming TV, and online.
For years, sports media planning came down to one number: reach. Bigger audiences meant a bigger opportunity, so advertisers chased the largest events and called it strategy. But sports viewership isn't just growing — it's changing shape, and some of the fastest-growing audiences are also the most engaged. Advertisers who still equate biggest games with the best ones may be missing the fans most likely to reward their brand.
Why does fan passion matter more than raw reach?
Passion matters because engaged fans behave differently than casual viewers. On a recent industry panel1 about sports fandom, Elizabeth Lindsay of THE·TEAM noted that 83% of women identify as avid sports fans, yet a larger share say brands and teams still don't understand them. When brands do get it right, panelists pointed out, more than 70% of engaged fans say they'll choose that brand over a competitor. Female athletes also see roughly six times more active engagement on their social channels than their male counterparts, a signal of how much attention is already there for brands willing to show up.
Who are the new fans advertisers might be missing?
More than one in four (28%) of Spectrum households that watched women's sports in 2024 hadn't watched any in the previous two years —“Newbie” fans.2 They tend to be younger, single, and without kids at home, and they favor big-screen devices like smart TVs. These viewers are seeking out a premium viewing experience, and advertisers can meet them where they already watch: on the big screen.
How fast is women's sports viewership actually growing?
Women's sports viewership has surged over the past five years. The share of Spectrum households watching women's sports climbed from 37% to 47% between 2019 and 2024, while total hours spent watching women's sports grew (+2.6X) over the same period. “Longtail” sports like volleyball, gymnastics, softball, and pickleball grew right along with the headline leagues, rising from 37% to 52% of women's sports viewing households.2
What should advertisers do next?
Start by matching media investment to where fan passion runs deepest, not just where audiences are largest. A few practical steps:
- Look beyond flagship events. Longtail sports and emerging leagues are drawing growing audiences.
- Plan across screens. Fans move between traditional TV, streaming TV, and online video, so campaigns should too.
- Weigh engagement alongside reach. A smaller, more passionate audience can outperform a bigger, more passive one.
- Watch the new fans. “Newbie” viewers signal where a category is expanding, not just where it already is.
Brands that show up for that sports passion early and consistently, tend to earn something reach alone can't buy: loyalty. If you're ready to build a sports strategy around real audience behavior, connect with a Spectrum Reach representative.
We can help you find where that passion lives across traditional TV, streaming TV, and online, and put your ads in front of the fans most likely to respond.
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