FERNWOOD FITNESS - PULSE eMagazine - Issue#16 - Flipbook - Page 43
BY CHRIS RABBA
For decades, women’s
sport has lived in
the “nice to have”
column. Underfunded.
Undercovered.
Undervalued. So, when
you ask people about
the recent global rise
of women’s sport, the
response is usually the
same: 昀椀nally.
This moment did not appear
overnight. It has been shaped
by generations of athletes who
refused to stay in their lane, from
trailblazers like Kathrine Switzer
and Billie Jean King, right through
to today’s athletes who are not
only winning titles, but also shifting
culture, calling out inequality, and
building businesses. Women’s
sport is no longer a side story. It is
becoming the main event.
The billion dollar era has arrived
Women’s elite sport is now a
serious global market. Deloitte
reported that global revenues
in women’s elite sport reached
US$1.88 billion in 2024, and
projected revenues would reach at
least US$2.35 billion.
That growth matters because
money changes infrastructure.
It means better facilities, deeper
talent pathways, more professional
leagues, bigger broadcast
commitments, and more brands
willing to invest long term rather
than treating women’s sport as a
once a year campaign.
Access is the new battleground
As interest grows, one of the
biggest friction points is still simple:
where do I watch it? Women’s
sport is often scattered across
platforms, with inconsistent
schedules and limited mainstream
visibility. That is why the rise
of dedicated women’s sports
coverage is such a big deal.
The All Women’s Sports Network
(AWSN) positions itself as a global
network dedicated exclusively
to women’s sport, with coverage
that includes organisations such
as UEFA, Athletes Unlimited,
FIBA and Australia’s WNBL. In
Australia, Netball Australia has
also announced a broadcast
partnership with AWSN to expand
the reach of Suncorp Super
Netball into new markets.
This shift is not limited to Western
markets either. Reuters reported
AWSN’s move to launch a 24 hour
women’s sports channel in Saudi
Arabia through a local partnership,
signalling that women’s sport
is becoming a global media
proposition, not a regional trend.
Fandom is getting its own venues
(and its own rituals)
One of the clearest signals
that women’s sport is moving
from niche to normal is what is
happening in hospitality. Across
the US, women’s sports bars are
emerging as community hubs, not
just places to catch a game, but
places to belong.
Axios reported that in the
US, six women’s sports bars
opened in 2025, with 17 more in
development, re昀氀ecting a broader
cultural shift in how and where
women’s sport is watched.
The message is simple. When
women’s sport is visible, people
show up. And when people show
up, the whole ecosystem expands.
