Despite a 35% year-over-year (YoY) drop in average broadcast audiences for the Women’s Super League (WSL), women's sports are thriving on social media platforms. The WSL and its clubs have seen significant audience growth on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram.
According to the Women’s Sport Trust (WST), WSL's in-stadium attendances also fell by 10% YoY. However, this decline was offset by a surge in online engagement. The official WSL YouTube channel has gained an impressive 39.6 million views since launching in July 2024, making it the second-most viewed women’s sports competition globally.
On TikTok, the WSL account averaged 417,000 views per video over the past year - more than any other major women’s sports property during that period. Furthermore, WSL clubs recorded a staggering increase of 154% in TikTok views and amassed over 154 million Instagram engagements. Chelsea Women led all English women’s clubs with an astounding total of 258 million TikTok views and garnered around 42 million Instagram engagements for the season of 2024/25.
Comparisons with other sports properties
The decline experienced by WSL wasn't unique; rugby's Women’s Six Nations also saw a fall in TV reach from last year's total of approximately eight million viewers to about six million this year due to a decrease of coverage hours for women's sport between January and May.
Similarly to the WSL league, which reaped benefits from broadcasting games on YouTube and amplifying its presence on social platforms, other global women's sports properties also witnessed substantial online growth.
For instance, the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) experienced a remarkable 75% YoY increase in YouTube views, reaching a total of 63 million views. Meanwhile, the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) outperformed other leagues in terms of TikTok views by amassing a total of 131 million views.
UK's women's sports scene
In the UK, Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR) saw its average TV audiences on TNT Sports grow by an impressive 86% YoY. The Bristol Bears' signing of Ilona Maher boosted the league's engagement by 9.3 times to reach a total of 2.5 million. The relaunched Netball Super League also experienced significant growth, with viewing hours on Sky Sports increasing by an astounding rate of 229% YoY and a massive gain in TikTok views to reach a total count of 4.5 million between January and May - marking an increase of over five times from last year.
Despite the decline in traditional broadcast viewership, women's sports are finding new ways to engage audiences through social media platforms. The WST anticipates that upcoming events like the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 tournament and the Women’s Rugby World Cup will help boost broadcast viewership for women’s sport in the UK during the second half of this year.
While there has been a shift from traditional broadcasting towards digital platforms for audience engagement, it is clear that women's sports are far from losing their appeal; they're simply engaging fans in new ways.
