When Justine Siegal and Keith Stein envisioned the United States' first professional women's baseball league in 70 years, they wanted to do it right.So they examined the blueprints of successful women's leagues and studied the pitfalls that caused promising ventures to fail.Their research helped shape the Women's Professional Baseball League, launching next year, the latest in a wave of ventures looking to capitalize on the unprecedented rise in popularity of women's sports.
For such a startup to be sustainable and profitable, mainstream recognition is key.Good salaries and financial incentives may attract star players who could draw crowds and all-important TV deals.
But analysts warn that exposure on television doesn’t guarantee success, and that a solid social media presence, strong branding and community development are imperative — along with a dose of good luck.At least eight women’s pro leagues have launched in the past three years, including the WPBL, Unrivaled — a fast-paced 3-on-3 women's basketball league that debuted this year — and the Professional Women's Hockey League, seizing on rising viewership, bigger sponsorship deals and a fan base more eager than ever to support female athletes.Basketball is leading the surge, with college standouts like Caitlin Clark becoming household names and drawing record audiences for the WNBA.“There is a pipeline of women from around the world who are at the elite level and ready to showcase their abilities,” said WPBL co-founder Siegal, the first woman to coach an MLB team, the Oakland Athletics, "and there’s a fan base ready to watch and ready to receive and cheer them on.”Among the recent women's pro circuit additions are the PWHL, which wrapped up its second season in May, and soccer’s Gainbridge Super League, which debuted last August.
Volleyball entered the spotlight in 2024 with the launch of the Professional Volleyball Federation and League One Volleyball.Unrivaled, co-founded by WNBA star...