Americans interest in women's sports increasing

The New York Liberty took home the WNBA Championship for the first time in 28 years, in front of a packed arena of women’s sports fans.

In fact, according to a new survey from LendingTree, nearly 4 in 10 Americans say their interest in women’s sports has increased in the past year. And the more money you make, the more likely you are to say so.

Full report: https://www.lendingtree.com/credit-cards/study/womens-sports/

Key findings

Interest in women’s sports is growing, especially among high-income Americans. 56% of Americans say they enjoy watching women’s professional or collegiate sports, and 38% say their interest has increased over the past year.

High-profile talent and current events boost popularity. Among those who’ve gained interest in women’s sports in the past year, 68% say it’s due to growing talent and stars. Separately, 37% of Americans say their recent interest has increased due to Caitlin Clark.

Sports fans are putting their money where their mouth is on women’s athletics. More than 1 in 4 Americans have spent money on women’s sports in the past year, with 58% of this group spending on merchandise, 54% on event tickets and 52% on TV or streaming packages.

Women are evening the playing field, even on pay expectations. When asked which gender they enjoy watching more, 46% of Americans said both equally, followed by 43% opting for men’s sports and 11% for women’s sports.

“Sports leagues at all levels need money to survive,” says LendingTree chief credit analyst Matt Schulz. “Social media buzz and watercooler talk is great, but cold, hard cash is what matters. Our survey shows that a significant number of Americans who earn the most are spending theirs on women’s sports.”