Panel of Sports Lawyers Discusses Why Women’s Sports Are Here to Stay and What Comes Next

May 29, 2026

By Brittany Prock

Santa Clara University (SCU) School of Law hosted its third annual Sports Law Conference in March 2026. Legal and business professionals alike joined together in Santa Clara, CA to discuss various trending topics in sports law. Moderated by Katie Steiner (Vice President, Senior Counsel of Business and Legal Affairs – OneTeam Partners), four panelists from across North America joined to discuss why we’re experiencing newfound popularity of women’s sports and how to sustain market growth.[37] The panel featured: Catherine Chow (Chief Legal Officer – Vancouver Canucks Sports & Entertainment); Jen Flynn (SVP, Business Affairs & General Counsel – Professional Women’s Hockey League); Kate Porter (General Counsel – Bay FC); and Derrick Davis, Jr. (General Counsel – Angel City FC).[38]

Women’s sports are no longer “up and coming;” viewership and investment is higher than ever before.[39] As noted by Flynn, it was only in the early 1970s that Title IX and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act were passed, allowing women to participate in education and sports at an equal level, and also apply for credit cards without a male co-signer.[40] These milestones resulted in a larger pool of women in the workforce consuming and participating in sports, and also an increased number of women in positions of power to directly influence investment decisions.

Why the Rise

We’ve seen surges in popularity of women’s sports before, like around the time of the first Women’s World Cup in 1991, to name one example. The current surge was described by Flynn as a “confluence of events,” with a theme of accessibility across the panel.

  1. Women’s leagues and teams maintain a different monetization model. Women’s sports offer unique brand identity. In the NWSL, Porter has observed female athletes willing to stay after games to sign autographs who have a desire to connect with the community. Fans feel a greater sense of personal alignment with female athletes as opposed to unapproachable male superstars. Generally, women’s sports offer a sense of inclusion and connection that doesn’t necessarily exist in men’s sports. Women’s sports offer a different arena experience with different kinds of sponsors and arena activations.
  2. Women’s sports offer a different “product,” as described by the panelists, and that is okay. Although societal standards still view male athletes as tough and manly, women athletes are strong and resilient in a way that men are not, particularly when it comes to taking hits on the field.
  3. As Davis noted, the barrier to entry is lower in women’s sports ownership, but the return on investment is still high. Maybe some don’t have the capital to own a men’s sports team, but they do have the capital to enter the women’s market. Similarly, sponsors might not have the budget for men’s sports, but they can acquire a great placement with women’s teams for a better price.

Whether it’s access to the ownership market, access to athletes themselves, or access to advertising placements, women’s sports increase access across the board and offer fans a more connected experience than can be found in men’s sports.

Sustaining Growth

Historically, we’ve seen surges in the popularity of women’s sports, but those waves came and went. Now, in this “modern surge,” coined by Chow, there’s real opportunity for a sustainable shift. Here’s how the panelists suggest that women’s sports sustain its growth:

  1. Continue the push for a different economic model. The “shrink it and pink it” approach to branding is outdated; women athletes are strong and resilient in a way that men are not, and their on-field product requires a different brand strategy, not just a smaller and pinker approach to men’s sports. This might look like mirroring the NWSL’s acceptance of private equity majority ownership, which brings a different level of professionalism to the league, as noted by Porter, and offers teams greater access to capital. Further, investors must be willing to “go beyond the business case,” as Chow puts it, to support the growth of women’s sports. While women’s sports require a different approach to branding, Davis reminded us of the recent addition of women athletes in EA SPORTS FC™ 24 Ultimate Team™, reinforcing the importance of equal representation and opportunity.
  2. Don’t underprice the product. Women’s sports offer a fantastic product that is worth investment and deals need to reflect that value. Teams that are willing to take less today to guarantee money jeopardize long term growth for all.
  3. Keep sports accessible. As men’s sports become less accessible via contracts with streaming services like Prime and Netflix, women’s sports are becoming more visible and accessible for fans. Likewise, the affordability of attending women’s sporting events offers greater access to fans who otherwise might not be able to attend.

Women’s sports are no longer fighting for attention; they have it. Although accessibility is a driving force, access alone will not sustain growth. With continued buy-in, increased valuation, and a commitment to respecting women’s sports as its own product (as opposed to a byproduct of men’s sports), this moment may represent a lasting shift in the sports industry.

Brittany Prock is a student at Santa Clara University School of Law with an anticipated graduation date of May 2027. Brittany holds her MBA from San Jose State University and is interested in the legal areas of employment litigation, sports, and compliance.

  1. This article provides a summary of the views and opinions offered by the panelists, while also providing additional insight. ↑

  2. For panelist bios, visit https://law.scu.edu/centers/hightech/event-page-links/3rd-annual-sports-law-conference/speaker-bios-and-mcle-materials/. ↑

  3. See Nielsen, Nielsen: 46 Billion Minutes of Women’s Sports Were Consumed in 2025 (March 2026), https://www.nielsen.com/news-center/2026/nielsen-46-billion-minutes-of-womens-sports-were-consumed-in-2025/. ↑

  4. Robin Saks Frankel, History Of Women And Credit Cards: 1970s To Present, Forbes (Oct. 14, 2025), https://www.forbes.com/advisor/credit-cards/when-could-women-get-credit-cards/. ↑

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