The women’s college basketball season just wrapped up, and what a finish—UCLA took home the NCAA trophy, and even Dawn Staley and Geno Auriemma seemed to bury the hatchet. This year’s championship game drew about 9.9 million viewers, making it the third most-watched ever and up 15 percent from last year.
The Final Four also pulled in the biggest audience since ESPN started airing it back in 1996. Still, despite the buzz, women’s college basketball is oddly underfunded when it comes to Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals, even though fans are clearly invested and the numbers point to real economic promise.
Let’s dig into the NIL landscape in women’s college basketball and see where the big opportunities might be hiding for both athletes and investors.
The Rise of NIL in Women’s College Basketball
Since July 2021, college athletes have actually been allowed to make money from their name, image, and likeness (NIL). It’s changed the game, literally and figuratively.
Now, there are three main ways athletes can cash in:
- Commercial dollars: Money from things like merchandise, autographs, and brand sponsorships.
- Collective dollars: Funds chipped in by boosters and donors.
- Collegiate dollars: Payments from schools or conferences that use player appearances to drive engagement.
This season, LSU’s senior guard Flau’jae Johnson became the most valuable women’s basketball athlete, with an NIL valuation around $1.5 million. She’s inked deals with big names like Papa Johns, Doritos, Powerade, Footlocker, Apple, and Puma—pretty impressive, right?
UConn’s Azzi Fudd, another senior guard and likely first-round draft pick, isn’t far behind. Her NIL valuation is close to $1 million, thanks to partnerships with Chipotle, Geico, Doordash, Bose, and Marriott Bonvoy.
Engagement and Economic Impact
Women’s college basketball players have a knack for connecting with fans online. ESPN says the College Sports Commission approved 8,300 NIL deals last year, totaling nearly $80 million.
Women athletes only made up about 32 percent of those deals, but when it comes to digital engagement, they often outshine the guys. Axios found that in the 2021 Elite Eight, eight of the ten most-followed players were women. Fast forward to 2024, and Opendorse reports women’s Sweet Sixteen teams have a social media following over three times bigger than their male counterparts.
That kind of engagement isn’t just for show—it leads to real business. Female athletes, on average, land more NIL deals per person than men, even though football and men’s basketball still get the lion’s share of revenue from schools. Sure, there are more male athletes in those sports, but with women’s hoops players getting so much attention and less funding, the return on investment could end up being even better.
The Profile of Women’s Sports Fans
There’s more to NIL’s potential than just the athletes—it’s also about the fans. Oddly enough, just over half of women’s sports fans are men, but the women who do follow are much more likely to be die-hard supporters.
Of those die-hard fans, 45 percent say they follow a favorite player rather than a team. They’re also more likely to watch behind-the-scenes content on social media. Fans who connect with athletes as individuals tend to engage more with endorsements and are more likely to buy stuff those athletes promote.
So, if you’re a brand or sponsor, targeting these passionate, player-focused fans could be a gold mine—especially when building campaigns around a single athlete.
Economic Influence of Female Fans
Women aren’t just enthusiastic fans—they’re becoming serious economic powerhouses. From 2018 to 2023, the wealth controlled by women jumped by 51 percent.
Bank of America says women’s median deposit account balances were 35 percent higher in January 2026 than back in 2019. With that kind of financial clout and growing interest in women’s sports, it seems like a no-brainer for investors to pay attention to this engaged and expanding market.
The Future of NIL in Women’s College Basketball
The NIL economy is shaking things up, turning athletes into influencers. Women’s college basketball players might be the most promising, yet somehow still overlooked, market out there.
Even with superstars like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese moving on to the WNBA, people are still tuning in. The sport’s momentum isn’t slowing down, and it’s clearly a big piece of the larger women’s sports surge. Investors and sponsors? They’ve got a real shot to get in early on something that’s only getting hotter.
For more detailed insights and analysis, you can read the original article on Yahoo Sports.
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