A survey conducted by Aggregate Sports found Nike to be the top brand respondents felt supported women’s sports the most, followed by Gatorade and Coca-Cola.

The survey of 1,000 U.S. adults who consider themselves avid or casual sports fans was conducted in late September by Aggregate Sports, a sales, consulting, and media rights firm, in collaboration with Suzy, an end-to-end market research software platform. 

Survey respondents were asked to identify brands from 20 that they believe are significant supporters of women’s sports, with Nike cited by 66 percent, followed in the Top 5 by Gatorade, 58 percent; Coca-Cola, 55 percent; Amazon, 39 percent; and Heineken, 27 percent.

Respondents noted that most brands show minimal support for women’s sports. Rounding out the Top 15 were Apple, 30 percent; Target, 22 percent; Budweiser, 21 percent; Dell and Bridgestone, both 14 percent; The Home Depot and Michelon, both 13 percent; P&G,12 percent; Delta, 11 percent; Michelob Ultra, 10 percent; Morgan Stanley and Draft Kings, both 8 percent; FanDuel and Ally, 7 percent; and Aflac, 5 percent.

The survey also found:

  • 77 percent of respondents believe brands should sponsor women’s sports;
  • 74 percent believe brands should sponsor men’s and women’s sports equally;
  • 71 percent believe women’s sports will increase in popularity in the coming years;
  • 62 percent feel better about a brand that sponsors women’s sports;
  • 58 percent believe brands should sponsor women’s Olympic sports more than women’s professional sports leagues;
  • 58 percent agree that “Women’s Olympic sports are more prestigious than women’s professional sports;”
  • 58 percent believe that women competing in individual sports are more challenging than women competing in team sports;
  • 55 percent agree with the statement: “I am more likely to be a fan of a female individual sport athlete than a woman in team sports,” and
  • 54 percent agree with the statement: “I am more likely to be a fan of a woman who is a champion in her sport than one who is not.”

“Some early investors in women’s sports such as VISA, AT&T and Nike fully understood the scope of the opportunity, but many brands are just now realizing that investing in women’s sports goes well beyond doing something socially good; it is good for business,” said Rem de Rohan, COO of Aggregate Sports.

Fifty-eight percent of surveyed respondents agreed that brands should support women’s Olympic sports more than women’s professional leagues.

As part of the survey, respondents were asked if they could identify the associated sport for 13 female athletes recognized as the top-ranked in their sport. Ranking highest was Simone Biles, 48 percent of respondents; Katie Ledecky, 36 percent; Chloe Kim, 30 percent; Mikaela Shiffrin, 27 percent; Sunisa Lee, 27 percent; Sydney McLaughlin, 25 percent; Aitana Bonmati, 25 percent; A’Ja Wilson, 22 percent; Aryana Sabalenka, 22 percent; Sha’Carri Richardson, 21 percent; Sakamoto Kaori, 19 percent; and Lilia Vu, 14 percent.