Even with superstar point guard Caitlin Clark sidelined for most of the 2025 season due to an injury, the WNBA still delivered big results for advertisers.
Ads aired during last year’s WNBA season, which ran from May to October, generated 1.2x as much impact as the average spot that appeared on primetime cable and broadcast throughout the same period, according to EDO’s 2026 Women’s Sports TV Outcomes Report.
Ad impact — a metric that measures the amount of brand searches, website visits, and app downloads immediately after an ad airs — climbed to 2.6x the benchmark during the 2025 WNBA Finals, which featured the Las Vegas Aces defeating the Phoenix Mercury.
The WNBA’s stellar performance aligns with the larger trend of women’s sports becoming an essential part of the modern TV media plan. When examining a range of athletic competition — from professional tennis and soccer to collegiate volleyball and gymnastics — the average 2025 women’s sports programming 15% more ad impact than the typical primetime spot.
This feat marks the second year straight women’s sports have delivered results above the norm.
Taco Bell, Carvana, and Sonic cross up the competition
Taco Bell, Carvana, and Sonic Drive-In topped the list of WNBA advertisers for overall ad effectiveness, a metric that captures consumer engagement on a per-person, per-second basis regardless of audience size.
A spot for Sonic promoting 50% off milkshakes after 5:00pm, for example, was 566% more effective than the average 2025 WNBA ad.
Another food-focused ad from Dairy Queen showcasing the restaurant chain’s chicken strip baskets in buffalo and honey BBQ flavors was 1,031% more effective than average, helping lift the brand to 5th place among all WNBA advertisers last year.
Lexus, meanwhile, leaned on an ad featuring a woman in a purple pantsuit ushering a group of Dalmatians into her SUV. The automaker was 212% more effective than the typical brand.
WNBA stars provide an assist
Some brands capitalized on the growing starpower of the WNBA’s biggest names.
Overall, ads starring WNBA players were 59% more effective than the average spot that appeared throughout the league’s 2025 season. Indeed, ads spotlighting female athletes outperformed those featuring male basketball players by 13%.
Among the most compelling WNBA endorsers was the Indiana Fever’s Aliyah Boston, whose ads for Adidas and FanDuel helped the brands achieve an ad effectiveness rate 108% above average.
Likewise, the Las Vegas Aces’ A'ja Wilson assisted partners Gatorade and Nike with winning ads that were 103% more effective.
Dive deeper into the world of women’s sports
For a closer look at the creative elements that persuade viewers to take action in the surging arena of women’s sports, download EDO’s 2026 Women’s Sports TV Outcomes Report. The report uncovers insights across a variety of leagues, brands, and business categories.
The data also reveals the highest-performing women’s sports event of 2025, which delivered 9.4x as much ad impact as the average primetime program. Can you guess it?