New report from the Women’s Sports Foundation highlights a potential pipeline disruption

The GIST: The Women’s Sports Foundation (WSF) dropped its inaugural WSF Sport Report™ 2026 to provide an in-depth look at whether the current pipeline can sustain the women’s sports boom. The answer was not ideal.

• On one hand, 93% of industry experts surveyed said they saw progress toward gender equality in professional women’s sports but only 35% agreed those improvements carried over to collegiate athletics and 37% noted a decline at the college level.

• Pro women’s leagues rely on the NCAA as its primary system for scouting and drafting talent, so disruptions and decreased participation have potentially far-reaching consequences.

Nearly half of those experts cited Title IX enforcement and regulatory rollbacks as the single greatest threat to future gender equity progress in sports. Still, when asked who held the most power to affect growth, policymakers and legislators only received 2% of the vote, athletes held 7%, governing bodies like the NCAA had 8%, but sponsors and corporate brands received a whopping 30%.

What does this mean for college athletics and the future of women’s sports? It shows that brands have the greatest power to shape the next phase of the industry since they control the capital driving the current growth. Brands and sponsors are uniquely positioned to demand equitable conditions at the collegiate level and fund grassroots initiatives that protect the pipeline.

That’s why these types of reports are funded. Yes, they provide scroll-stopping, number-forward social media posts, but the purpose goes far beyond likes. Data from this report or giants like Nielsen and Stats Perform provide the backbone for legal and policy updates, economic planning, grant applications, and more.

• Expect to see the WSF’s findings addressed in future initiatives to increase equity and strengthen the pipeline. If girls continue to drop out of sports by age 14, whether it’s from rising costs, body insecurity, or lack of opportunities, the women’s sports boom will become a bust.

The best way to reverse that trend is to bring more women into the sports industry's workforce. When women hold positions of power at brands and in leagues, agencies, and athletic departments, they bring the experience necessary to build a stronger foundation that keeps the next generation of girls in the game. There’s never been a better time to get more women in the sports industry.