The Women’s Super League (WSL) recorded a 258 per cent increase in online searches in 2023, more than any other sports property, according to Redtorch’s Sport on Search 2024 report.
- WSL was ranked well ahead of Major League Soccer (MLS), which was the subject of 87 per cent more searches than in 2022
- World Athletics’ Diamond League recorded the third highest search increase with 85 per cent
- Basketball’s EuroLeague Women (76 per cent) and the Uefa Women’s Champions League (70 per cent) were included in the top five properties
- WWE was the biggest mover in Redtorch’s rankings, moving up 27 places
- Athletics was considered the sport with the biggest search increase, ahead of basketball and soccer
Redtorch noted that six of the top ten properties racking up the biggest increases in online search volumes were women’s sport properties. Events such as the debut of Ireland and Haiti at the 2023 Fifa Women’s World Cup helped drive interest among fans, and led to more searches for major club competitions like the WSL.
Meanwhile, athletes like New Zealand golfer Lydia Ko and Polish tennis player Iga Swiatek are hugely popular in their home nations, leading to greater interest and more searches.
The WSL and MLS’ surge in interest can be accredited to greater visibility, with the latter league having a global rights deal worth US$2.5 billion with Apple. MLS has also benefited significantly from the arrival of Argentine soccer icon Lionel Messi at Inter Miami.
Meanwhile, basketball continues to grow its global appeal, with the emergence of Victor Wembanyama, the growth of women’s competitions and the Fiba World Cup all credited for its increase in searches.
ProSpoert Media
