Is it game over for performative sponsorship in women’s sports?

The Lionesses’ historic EURO 2025 victory was watched by a peak audience of 12.2 million, making it one of the most viewed television moments of the year. By 2030, women’s football is forecast to have a global fandom of more than 800 million.  

But focusing on audience growth alone misses the bigger picture. Women’s sport has historically been shaped around systems, expectations and narratives designed around men, from training structures and media coverage to marketing and product design. 

If organisations want to build meaningful connections with women today, they need to prioritise honesty, empathy and genuine cultural understanding.

Today, the picture looks a little different. Women’s sport has transcended the boundaries of the pitch. It is now a cultural tour-de-force; a platform from which to launch change on a societal level, whether by breaking stigmas around women’s bodies or redefining athletic identities.  

This leaves brands trying to compete within this landscape in an interesting position. For years, they have approached women’s sport using the same playbook they developed for men’s sport - or worse, resorted to blatant performative campaigns that masquerade as ‘empowering’.  

That playbook no longer works - the goalposts have shifted. If organisations want to build meaningful connections with women today, they need to prioritise honesty, empathy and genuine cultural understanding.  

Above: Athletes including Jordan Chiles, Caitlin Clark and Sha’Carri Richardson appeared in Nike’s Super Bowl 2025 challenging assumptions about women in sports.

Progress requires getting personal

Despite progress being made, there is still significant room to improve, particularly at grassroots. By the age of 14, girls are dropping out of sports at twice the rate of boys.. More worrying still is that this can be attributed to multiple causes, from insufficient investment to entrenched social expectations.  

Challenges persist at the pinnacle of women’s sport. Even at the elite level, there is a sense that the industry is still playing catch-up. News broke last week that broadcasters were being provided with a set of guidelines around more respectful, less sexualised coverage for female athletics. 

While these changes were widely welcomed, many would argue that such measures are long overdue. The fact that they’re only being introduced now speaks volumes about an industry that has historically been shaped around male perspectives.  

[The] industry has historically been shaped around male perspectives.

The same pattern can be seen in conversations around women’s health. From then-Chelsea Women’s manager Emma Hayes appointing the world’s first menstrual coach to Wimbledon relaxing its all-white dress code to allow female players to wear dark-coloured shorts - although “taboo” topics are becoming more mainstream, the fact that it’s taken this long reflects how women have been automatically expected to adapt to structures unfit for purpose.   

Athletes themselves are also refusing to wait for change. Take Ilona Maher, one of rugby’s most recognisable stars and prominent social media voices. Alongside championing body positivity, she has used her platform to normalise conversations around periods, whether it’s highlighting the use and availability of menstrual products at the Olympics or encouraging young women to speak more openly about their experiences.  

Together, these aren’t just signals of incremental progress - women’s sport is challenging long-held assumptions around health, identity and performance. And in doing so, it is raising the bar for brands that want to be part of the conversation.   Visibility alone isn't enough; consumers are increasingly expecting organisations to demonstrate honesty and empathy too.

Above: Underwear brand Knix launched the ‘sport your period’ campaign, that saw athletes including Ilona Maher aiming to crush shame around menstrual bleeding in sport.

Actions, not activations, provide credibility

Many brands are wary of sticking their heads above the parapet, fearing they’ll lose control of the narrative and get drawn into conversations where they have little legitimacy to contribute.  However, it’s the brands that don’t simply lecture consumers, but instead create an environment that encourages honest conversations around difficult and sensitive issues, that will position themselves as the allies of the future.  

Nike is a good example. The sportswear giant’s return to the Super Bowl last year didn’t just make headlines because it marked its first appearance in 27 years. Rather, it was the decision to dedicate its 60-second spot to some of its most celebrated female athletes, including Caitlin Clark and Sabrina Ionescu, that captured attention.   

Audiences don’t just want products; they won’t settle for empty slogans. They are looking for advocates, not advertisers. 

 In doing so, Nike used one of the world’s biggest media platforms to challenge long-standing assumptions about women’s sport, confronting double standards around ambition and celebrations, as well as the outdated notion that female athletes can’t fill stadiums.   

Campaigns are only part of the equation, and brands must be more intentional about the platforms and partnerships they invest in. It’s not just about showing up; it’s about showing up in the right places.