How female athletes are changing the game

Social media as the equalizer

For decades, coverage of women’s sports lagged far behind men’s. Airtime was rare, interest often dismissed. Then came Instagram and TikTok. Suddenly, players had direct access to fans not just through highlights, but through their own personalities.

During the Paris 2024 Olympics, women made up 69% of Team GB’s TikTok content and drove 67% of the views, according to Women’s Sport Trust. Across the year, SportsPro reported that female athletes accounted for 61% of all TikTok views among the world’s 50 most marketable athletes.

And the momentum isn’t slowing down. WSL players now generate more engagement on Instagram than Premier League footballers. Meanwhile, research from YouGov Sport shows that over half of avid sports fans (52%) follow a female athlete on social media, with Serena Williams, Simone Biles, Alex Morgan, and Angel Reese topping the list.

It’s no surprise then that nearly half of avid sports fans (47%) say individual athletes influence whether they watch women’s sports and 61% of women’s sports fans overall agree.

Athletes owning their stories

What makes this moment powerful is how athletes are telling their stories. Fans aren’t just seeing games. They’re seeing people. And that authenticity is changing the way women’s sports are consumed and celebrated. As one YouGov study revealed, 1 in 3 avid sports fans believe female athletes have a bigger social media impact than their male counterparts.

Organizations are catching on. The IOC relaxed its rules at the Paris Games, letting athletes post behind-the-scenes content. Starting next season, WSL players will even be able to share match footage on their own channels. Rights holders are beginning to understand that giving athletes freedom online isn’t just a nice-to-have it’s a growth strategy.

The opportunity ahead

Fans are ready. According to YouGov’s favorability ratings, eight of the top 20 most positively rated current athletes in the U.S. are women, from gymnastics to basketball to tennis. That’s 40% of the list, proof that there’s a genuine appetite for women’s sports.

The lesson? Female athletes don’t just bring skill to the pitch, court, or field. They bring personality, connection, and cultural weight. And in 2025 and 2026, with more major events on the calendar and social media continuing to amplify their voices, the stage has never been bigger.

At IngagerSports, we see this shift as a unique opportunity to bring businesses, advertisers, and brands closer to the momentum in women’s sports. The demand is already there. Fans want authentic content, sponsors want real connections, and athletes are eager to tell their stories. By acting as the link between players and partners, IngagerSports can help brands tap into this wave in a way that feels natural and valuable. Whether it is through creative campaigns, social-first storytelling, or long-term partnerships, we make sure companies do not just show up in women’s sports, they become part of the movement driving it forward.