The year 2025 will be remembered as a watershed moment for women in sports, marked by unprecedented expansion, landmark television deals, and a palpable shift in the commercial landscape. From the ice rinks of the Professional Women's Hockey League to the courts of the WNBA, female athletes and leagues commanded attention and investment like never before, signaling a new era of growth and opportunity.
League Expansion and Landmark Deals
The business of women's sports reached new heights across North America. The WNBA solidified its growth trajectory, announcing an expansion to 18 teams. This includes new franchises set to launch this spring: the Toronto Tempo and the Portland Fire. Future expansion plans for Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia, alongside the relocation of the Connecticut Sun to Boston's TD Garden, underscore the league's ambitious vision. A critical test of this momentum lies in the ongoing, and reportedly contentious, negotiations for a new Collective Bargaining Agreement, which will ultimately define revenue sharing and player salaries.
On the ice, the PWHL successfully expanded into two major West Coast markets in its third season, welcoming the Vancouver Goldeneyes and a Seattle-based team. In soccer, the U.S. National Women's Soccer League set a new benchmark, drawing an average national audience of 1.18 million Americans for its championship final—a television record for the league. Meanwhile, Canada's new Northern Super League (NSL) crowned its first champion, the Vancouver Rise FC, in a successful inaugural season.
Record-Breaking Viewership and Global Recognition
The surge in interest was reflected in television ratings. While traditional powerhouses like the NFL, NBA, and MLB saw strong numbers, women's sports carved out significant space. The narrative of growth was further cemented by the historic appointment of Kirstie Coventry of Zimbabwe as the first female and youngest-ever President of the International Olympic Committee at age 41.
In a testament to national passion, the Toronto Blue Jays were named Team of the Year by The Canadian Press. Their thrilling run, culminating in a Game 7 of the 2025 World Series hailed by some as the best in modern history, set viewership records. The decisive game drew over 10 million viewers on Rogers Sportsnet, making it the most-watched sports event in Canadian history outside of hockey and the Winter Olympics. Remarkably, on a per-capita basis, Canadian viewership for the series outpaced that of the United States and Japan.
A Bullish Future on the Horizon
The collective achievements of 2025 point to a sustainable and exciting future. The combination of league expansion, increased media investment, and landmark leadership appointments creates a powerful foundation. The business metrics—from franchise valuations to broadcast rights negotiations—are becoming increasingly prominent, indicating that women's sports are not just a cultural phenomenon but a robust economic sector. The momentum gained in 2025 sets the stage for even greater breakthroughs in audience engagement, athlete compensation, and global influence in the years to come.
