The AI Assist: How Tech is Fueling the Boom in Women's Sports

VILNIUS, Lithuania – January 19, 2026 – The roar of the crowd in women’s sports has never been louder. From record-breaking viewership to soaring revenues and landmark media deals, the sector is experiencing an unprecedented global surge. Yet, this explosive growth presents a new, complex set of challenges for leagues, clubs, and rights holders. As audiences expand faster than traditional operational models can support, a new consensus is emerging: technology, particularly artificial intelligence and integrated digital platforms, is no longer a luxury but a critical necessity for converting this momentum into sustainable commercial success.

Digital engineering firms like NFQ Technologies, with experience advising major sports entities like Premier League Productions and Euroleague Basketball, are highlighting this pivotal shift. They argue that as the stakes get higher, the ability to manage growth, engage a diverse global fanbase, and demonstrate clear commercial value hinges on a smarter approach to technology.

A Tidal Wave of Growth

The data paints a clear picture of a market in hyper-growth. According to a McKinsey analysis of the U.S. market, revenues in women's sports grew an astonishing 4.5 times faster than in men's sports between 2022 and 2024. While the sector still has room to grow, Deloitte projects global revenue for women's sports will climb to $2.35 billion in 2025, a significant leap from just $981 million in 2023. North America is leading the charge, expected to account for nearly 60% of that total.

This financial boom is fueled by skyrocketing fan engagement. In the UK, the Women's Sport Trust reported that 2024 was the most-watched year on record for domestic women's sport, with viewing hours hitting new highs again in 2025. This surge in interest is translating into tangible value. The NWSL in the United States, for instance, saw a 40-fold increase in the average annual value of its media rights deal in 2024, while the WNBA’s new media deal effective in 2026 is set to more than triple its current value.

As millions of new fans tune in, their expectations are rising in tandem. They demand high-quality broadcasts, seamless digital access across devices, and relevant, personalized content. Simultaneously, sponsors, who are pouring more money into the space, are seeking clearer, data-driven insights into fan engagement and the return on their investment.

The Challenge of a Fragmented Digital Landscape

Despite the clear opportunity, many sports organizations are struggling to keep pace, hampered by outdated and fragmented technology environments. Fan data - the lifeblood of modern sports marketing - is often scattered across disparate systems: one for ticketing, another for merchandise, a mobile app, a streaming platform, and multiple social media channels. This creates a disjointed and incomplete picture of the fan.

"Sports organisations collect large amounts of data, but much of it remains disconnected," said Ruta Januleviciene, Head of Business Unit at NFQ Technologies. "And the lack of a unified view of the fan makes it harder to personalise engagement and consistently measure what is driving growth and commercial value."

This fragmentation prevents organizations from understanding who their fans are, what they want, and how to best engage them. It makes personalizing the fan experience an uphill battle and complicates efforts to prove commercial value to partners. The solution, according to industry specialists, is not simply to add more technology, but to manage it more effectively.

“Sports organisations don’t need more technology – they need better management of their tech ecosystem," Januleviciene explained. "When everything is connected into a single system, and the product is continuously improved, clubs can cut costs, build personalised fan experiences, and unlock new monetisation models. For women’s sports in particular, this can be a game-changer in proving commercial value at scale.”

AI as the Great Equalizer

This is where artificial intelligence emerges as a powerful and practical solution, particularly for women's sports organizations that often operate with more limited resources than their male counterparts. AI-powered tools are helping to level the playing field by automating complex tasks and unlocking new efficiencies.

"For many women's teams, the challenge is not ambition or competitiveness, but resources," Januleviciene added. "AI helps level the playing field by allowing organisations to produce more content, analyse data and deliver personalised fan experiences without the budgets traditionally required."

Across the industry, AI is already being deployed in several key areas:

• Automated Content Creation: AI algorithms can instantly generate highlight clips from match footage, create engaging social media content, and even draft post-game summaries, freeing up staff to focus on higher-value strategic work.
• Content Localization: For global leagues, AI can quickly translate and adapt content for different markets, helping to grow international fanbases in a cost-effective manner.
• Fan Behavior Analysis: By analyzing data from various touchpoints, AI can identify fan segments, predict behavior, and offer insights into what content resonates most, enabling highly targeted marketing campaigns.
• Archive Monetization: Vast archives of historical footage, once difficult to search, can be automatically tagged and categorized by AI, turning them into easily accessible and monetizable assets for documentaries, social content, and fan features.

Forging a Unified Future

The ultimate goal is to create a single, usable view of the fan. By integrating disparate data sources into one cohesive platform, sports organizations can build a foundation upon which AI can operate most effectively. This unified ecosystem allows for true personalization, transforming the fan journey from a series of disconnected interactions into a seamless, engaging experience.

With a holistic understanding of each fan, organizations can deliver tailored content, recommend merchandise, and suggest future games, deepening loyalty and increasing lifetime value. For sponsors, this integrated data provides the granular analytics they need to measure campaign effectiveness and justify continued investment.

As women's sports continue their meteoric rise, the adoption of these technologies will separate the leaders from the laggards. The ability to harness data and leverage AI will be fundamental to engaging fans consistently, supporting partners with better insights, and ultimately, building a commercially robust and sustainable future.

"In women's sports, the need for technology and AI is no longer optional," Januleviciene concluded. "As audiences and commercial expectations rise, these tools are becoming essential for managing growth, ensuring consistent delivery and demonstrating commercial value at scale."