The WNBA is evolving into a league with significant financial backing. The New York Liberty, who won last season’s championship, is now valued at an estimated $450 million following a recent round of investments. High-profile individuals such as Jack Ma, Karen Finerman, Thasunda Brown Duckett, Karlie Kloss, Gabrielle Rubenstein, and Samantha Lasry are among the investors, making it clear why brands are eager to participate.
Partnerships With the WNBA
The list of partnerships is growing rapidly. The New York Liberty has Off-White as its “official style and culture curator” (announced in September 2024), Away as its official luggage partner, Essie as its official nail polish partner, and Fenty Beauty and Fenty Skin as its beauty partner. Most of these deals were announced just before the season began on May 16.
Other teams and the league itself are also drawing interest from fashion and beauty brands. After an incredible 2024 season, the WNBA is gearing up for its biggest year yet in branding and partnerships. In April, Coach was announced as the official handbag partner of the WNBA. That same month, Sephora became a founding partner of San Francisco’s Golden State Valkyries. In May, CoverGirl became the first cosmetics sponsor of the Chicago Sky.
More Potential Partnerships for the League
Kimberly Wallengren, Coach’s VP of Marketing for North America, mentions that Coach has been interested in the WNBA for some time, and that the partnership took over a year to develop. She believes it’s a fantastic opportunity to help merge fashion, sports, and culture, highlighting that the WNBA and its players have played a crucial role in driving change.
WNBA Products Selling
Traditional merchandise is also gaining popularity. In May, 68 percent more WNBA products were available compared to last year, according to the retail intelligence firm EDITED, which highlights that maximizing the variety of products helps meet demand. An analysis of WNBA products available on May 26 showed that the Indiana Fever had the most products, accounting for 13 percent of all products, followed by the New York Liberty (nine percent) and the Las Vegas Aces (eight percent), according to EDITED. Senior retail analyst Krista Corrigan notes that Caitlin Clark has the most products stocked by online retailers, followed by Paige Bueckers and A’ja Wilson.
A Growing Platform
The benefits of a link-up with the WNBA extend beyond the financial for Coach. “WNBA athletes are integrating more into the fashion and pop culture world.” Angel Reese — the most followed WNBA player, with 4.9 million Instagram followers.
The more the league integrates into fashion, the more attention will be directed toward the league and its talent. The recognition that the WNBA has received continues to grow the platform and open doors for women in basketball around the globe.
