With the WNBA season tipping off tomorrow, we’re seeing an increase in aspirational companies choosing to partner with the W. And according to the latest data insights from Sports Innovation Lab (SIL), there’s a reason why brands like Fenty Beauty are choosing the WNBA, especially teams like the NY Liberty and Golden State Valkyries.

This week, vaginal care brand Vagisil announced a new partnership with the NY Liberty that bonds the NYC–based brands over a shared message of empowering women. Additionally, athlete-focused tampon company Sequel will serve as the Indiana Fever’s official tampon in a deal that includes Lexie Hull as a player ambassador and free tampons at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Last Friday, the NWSL and Alex Cooper’s Unwell — the league’s new hydration partner — announced Unwell FC, an interactive fan program at select NWSL games this season. This follows the trend of beverage brands getting into women’s sports sponsorships, something marketers should lean into as they look for creative ways to stand out.

On Wednesday, the NY Liberty announced a partnership with Rihanna’s billion-dollar Fenty Beauty empire. The collab is the latest example of a popular, celeb-driven brand carefully curating its sports sponsorships, namely by working with teams and athletes that have prestige and influence.

Last Friday, 10.5K fans showed up at Kansas City’s CPKC Stadium to watch the USA Rugby women’s 15s take on Team Canada. While the bout resulted in a loss for the Americans, the game set a new U.S. attendance record for the sport fueled by its recent surge in popularity.

Last Friday, sports data insights platform SponsorPulse made the case for why Canada is primed for women’s soccer fandom. The latest data affirms that even though Canadian interest in the sport is surging, the North remains an oft-overlooked market for American companies looking to reach soccer fans.

Yesterday, Athletes Unlimited (AU) Pro Volleyball revamped its volleyball championship with an exclusive, invite-only tournament featuring 44 of the world’s top players. For the first time ever, AU is splitting up its season across two cities known for their love of the game: Omaha, Nebraska and Madison, Wisconsin.

WNBA ticket demand is at an all-time high: This year’s All-Star Game sold out within a day, and according to ticket sales platform StubHub, the W is much more popular this season. At a time when the industry needs to know where W fans are showing up, here’s more insight from StubHub’s data as we approach May 16th’s season tipoff.

Yesterday, the WNBA made history (again) by announcing that all games in its expanded preseason slate will be broadcast or streamed this year. The move comes as the W continues to monetize its product, and with this whole new chunk of games, brands can reach WNBA superfans like never before.

A new data report from Sky Sports — the UK’s largest investor in media rights across women’s sports properties — proves women’s sports are very mainstream, with 80% of UK fans expressing interest in at least one women’s sport.

Last week, it was announced that the NWSL, per CBS Sports, formally applied to the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF) to create a new Division II league in 2026. The timing is interesting, as it comes on the heels of big shake-ups in the U.S. soccer pyramid. Let’s recap and dig into the business opportunity for brands and owners alike.

It’s only been a few weeks since Paige Bueckers was drafted to the WNBA’s Dallas Wings, but the entire ecosystem is already benefiting from the “Bueckers Effect.”