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May 21-22, 2025 • New York
The WBC Women’s Capital Summit aims to provide valuable insights into the world of capital, offering a deep understanding of its dynamics, strategic relevance at different stages of a company’s growth, and the effective utilization of capital resources.
OUR INSIGHTS
February 5th marked National Women and Girls in Sports Day in the United States, a singular day each year where we come together to celebrate the achievements, face the challenges, and scknowledge the potential of women and girls in sports.
It is clear that girls who stay in sports become women who lead. A study by EY and ESPNW found that 94% of C-suite women played competitive sports, with 52% competing at the collegiate level. However, according to the Women’s Sports Foundation, girls are dropping out of sports at twice the rate of boys by age 14, facing challenges such as limited access to facilities, reduced school sports budgets, and a lack of exposure to female role models.
Women are also the largest consumer base in the world, driving over 75% of the world’s discretionary spending. Additionally, according to a recent study from The Collective, 72% of women surveyed considered themselves avid sports fans.
So women play sports, watch sports, and spend on sports.
As human rights are increasingly challenged, we must remain steadfast in pushing for equity and opportunity for women and girls. The Collective – the women’s advocacy and advisory group within global agency, Wasserman—is singularly focused on helping organizations drive investment to women and girls. We challenge brands, rights holders, and media companies to view women’s sports as a key way to empower women.
There are several ways to support women and girls in sports.
The Importance of Visibility and Representation
Sports have the power to teach valuable life skills including teamwork, leadership, and perseverance. For women and girls, these lessons often extend beyond the field or court, helping to forge resilient identities and confident personas that navigate many societal challenges. Yet, despite the growing participation of women and girls in sports, visibility and representation remain significant hurdles.
Today, more than ever, it’s crucial that media coverage, sponsorships, and leadership roles reflect the diversity and talent of women in sports. As media buyers, brands can play a significant role in pushing broadcasters for better broadcast times, more storytelling, and ways that help amplify women’s voices and stories, ensuring they receive the recognition they deserve. How can you help support women storytellers, podcasters, and content creators who are showing us the power of women through sport?
Empowering the Next Generation
Investing in the next generation of female athletes and leaders is critical. It’s about creating pathways for young girls to see sports as a viable and rewarding aspect of their lives. This involves supporting grassroots programs, offering scholarships, internships and providing mentorship opportunities to help young women dream big and achieve bigger.
In America, youth sports travel is a $15 billion industry, creating a pay-to-play environment that limits kids, especially girls from engaging in sports. With ongoing changes in NIL and Title IX, it is even more urgent to push for stronger enforcement of existing laws and increased support through grassroots programming.
This February for National Women and Girls in Sports Day, organizations can lend their support at every level of community, by investing in programs that support grassroots teams and leagues or solving the biggest issues keeping girls out of sports like lack of equipment and transportation.
Look at how UConn star Paige Bueckers partnered with Chegg and Goodr to address childhood hunger and food deserts by opening a free grocery store in Hopkins West, a middle school in her hometown of Minnetonka. Brands engaging in solving problems alongside rising star athletes is exactly what we want to see more of on NWGSD.
Similarly, Gatorade’s star athlete, Caitlin Clark, launched a limited edition capsule collection, featuring a custom GX water bottle and towel. This collaboration inspires young girls and showcases Gatorade’s commitment to expanding basketball access, with a $22,000 donation to the Caitlin Clark Foundation after her NIL signing.
DICK’S Sporting Goods also continues to support female athletes, and as the Official Sporting Goods Retail Partner of the WNBA, DICK’S launched a girls’ apparel collection in 2024 —marking the first-ever collaboration between the two brands. This is the kind of milestone partnership we’re excited to see more of on NWGSD.
The Continued Role of Community and Collaboration
As we celebrate NWGSD 2025, we look ahead to a future where the achievements of women and girls in sports are the norm, not the exception; where girls who play sports become women who create, who invent, who lead. At The Collective, we are excited about the role we play in this journey and remain committed to elevating women and girls in sports.
For National Women and Girls in Sports Day, let us all recommit to pursuing parity and celebrating progress. If you aren’t sure where to start or how to help, there are dozens of global organizations committed to this change. Let’s turn intention into action.
Here’s to the power of sports to change lives and to the unstoppable women and girls who are just getting started.
