Sports Innovation Lab shares data insights on WNBA fans

The GIST: With the WNBA season tipping off tomorrow, we’re seeing an increase in aspirational companies choosing to partner with the W. And according to the latest data insights from Sports Innovation Lab (SIL), there’s a reason why brands like Fenty Beauty are choosing the WNBA, especially teams like the NY Liberty and Golden State Valkyries. Let’s dive in.

🗽 The NY Liberty: NYC is an epicenter of culture and style, and while SIL says W fans are 3x more likely to buy Fenty than average consumers, Liberty fans overindex on spending for Fenty. Compared to the general population, they are 4x more likely to purchase from the Rihanna-owned company.

• And it’s not just beauty brands — this week, luxury suitcase company Away became the latest trendy brand to roll out a partnership with the Liberty.

🌉 The Golden State Valkyries: The first expansion team since 2008, the Valkyries have recorded historic ticket interest and became the first to sell more than 10K season tickets for its home games before its inaugural season. The team has already bagged plenty of local sponsors, from Kaiser Permanente and Chase to its recent multiyear founding partnership deal with PG&E.

• Like the Liberty, the Valkyries are attracting new, innovative sponsors to the league such as Olly, the team’s official health and wellness partner and the first-ever WNBA team partner in the vitamins, minerals, and supplements category.

The takeaway: Luxury brands should consider teaming up with W teams because that’s where their ideal customer base is: WNBA fans are 20% more likely to buy luxury, and 11% of fans shop the category. In NYC and San Francisco, two of the nation’s sports and culture hubs, sponsors are recognizing an engaged, widespread fanbase with a proven interest in aspirational brands.

• That is something that cemented the Liberty partnership for Away: The company noted that among the over 10M Liberty fans across the U.S., an estimated 4.9 million of them plan to travel in the next six months. Ready for takeoff.