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Instant Intelligence: 71% of women’s sports fans watch content live via CTV

While CTV is their primary channel, women’s sports fans stay engaged well beyond the final buzzer, following along multiple platforms, research shows.

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The 2026 NCAA women’s basketball tournament tips off after several years of record viewership in the U.S. Last year’s championship averaged 8.5 million viewers, peaking at 9.9 million, and the Elite Eight drew 2.9 million viewers per game, up 34% from 2023, per ESPN.1 The tournament generated 8.5 billion minutes viewed, the second-highest total on record.1 

Streaming sits at the center of this growth. New research from The Trade Desk Intelligence and GoodQues shows 71% of women’s sports fans watch live via connected TV (CTV), making it the leading platform for sports content engagement.2 

What we found: Findings from our multipronged study, including interviews and a survey of 1,000 U.S. sports fans, reveal that 74% of women’s sports fans follow NCAA women’s basketball, ranking only behind the WNBA (87%) and the Summer Olympics (75%).2 

How women's sports fans engage with content - data visualization

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What’s more, women’s sports fans stay engaged well beyond the final buzzer, following along across multiple formats2: 

  • 66% watch highlights and recaps online 

  • 34% listen to sports podcasts 

  • 31% read sports articles or visit fan forums 

  • 23% follow fan blogs or fan pages 

  • 72% consume sports content daily 

What it means: Cross-platform behavior underscores why an omnichannel advertising approach matters. Reaching women’s sports fans requires showing up across live events and the content surrounding them. CTV anchors the strategy, but digital audio advertising, display, and premium digital placements extend that reach where fans are spending their remaining time on the open internet. 

Our research indicates women’s sports fans are engaged, loyal, and growing in number. Marketers who meet them across every touchpoint, anchored by premium media, are positioned to build the kind of brand connection this audience rewards. 

This information is provided solely for background and is not a representation or guarantee of any future performance. 

Sources: 
1. NCAA, Record crowds, rising ratings, and resurgent champions highlight 2025 NCAA basketball championships, April 2025.
2. The Trade Desk Intelligence and GoodQues, Women’s Sports Study, n=1,000, October 2025.