Athena Pledge

Women’s sports funding is on the rise—but there’s still work to do

As the spotlight shines on women in sports, we recognize that investing in them can bring value to both business and society. But there is a major investment gap between men’s and women’s sports. Based on new research from Deloitte and Wasserman’s The Collective, more than 80% of brand decision-makers have increased their investment in women’s sports over the past five years. Yet despite this progress, women’s sports funding still falls short relative to men’s sports: On average, less than 10% of brands’ total sports media investment goes to women’s sports¹.

Why Deloitte is investing in women’s sports

The Athena Pledge, supported by leading brands who aspire to mobilize investment, research, and opportunities in the industry, aims to rally other brands to commit to increased spending and support in the women’s sports ecosystem. Founding members AT&T, Capital One, Cisco, and Deloitte are encouraged by comprehensive findings revealing that brand decision-makers are incredibly optimistic about the growth of women’s sports.

The Athena Pledge will serve as a first-of-its-kind platform uniting brands to advance strategic efforts for women’s sports, including media visibility, athlete development, fan engagement, collaboration opportunities and beyond. By joining the Athena Pledge, participating organizations will:

• Collaborate with industry stakeholders and amplify brand presence by gaining unparalleled access to sports league commissioners, athletes, grassroots organizations, and influential media leaders to drive innovation in products, policies, and opportunities in women’s sports.
• Unlock powerful insights through proprietary research to maximize brand's return on investment and strengthen their position within the rapidly expanding women’s sports ecosystem.