The rising popularity of women's sports is changing the game of sports facilities. With recent sold-out stadiums and record ratings, the numbers speak for themselves: demand is rising, and so is the need for facilities that support the level of competition and growing fandom associated with women’s sports.
Women playing sports at an elite level is not new; what has changed is the surge in fandom for female athletics. For the first time ever in 2024, the NCAA Women’s Basketball National Championship game drew more viewers than the men’s – and by no small margin. While the men’s game received 14.8 million viewers, 24 million tuned in to watch the South Carolina Gamecocks defeat the University of Iowa Hawkeyes. This growing audience is driving the need for modernized facilities designed to enhance both the player and fan experience.
Record-breaking viewership and the power of the female fan
Dale Koger, vice president of PCL’s sports division, has seen this surge in popularity firsthand.
“There has been a massive rise in viewership of women’s sports in the past few years,” says Koger. “Fans are seeking games, and we’re seeing a stronger effort to promote women’s sporting events from the media and the team and venue stakeholders.”
While both men and women watch women’s sports, this rise in viewership can largely be attributed to female fans. More women than ever are watching sports, thanks to movements like the “Caitlin Clark Effect.” Arguably one of the most famous female athletes of all time, Clark was a record-breaking basketball star at the University of Iowa before being picked up by the Indiana Fever in the 2024 WNBA Draft. Much of the female fandom who have been loyally following Clark do so because they relate to her. No, there aren’t millions of once-in-generation basketball players out there, but there are millions of women who resonate with Clark’s symbolism of resilience and breaking barriers.
These fans are demonstrating their buying power by pushing for equal coverage and better facilities, and venue and team owners are taking notice by building or renovating facilities specifically for female athletes and fans.
Tiffany Whipple, a PCL senior project manager with extensive experience in building and renovating sports facilities, has seen the influence of female fans firsthand. “More women than ever are buying tickets,” says Whipple. “They’re going to games, supporting their favorite teams, and buying food and merchandise. Team and venue owners are recognizing this and are building and renovating facilities that serve female fans in ways they haven’t in the past.”
This includes diverse and better-quality food options and merchandise that is trendy, aesthetically appealing, and available in various shapes, sizes and styles. The “shrink it and pink it” approach is no longer feasible – female fans want to attend games and represent the sports and players they support with gear and amenities that supports their style of fandom.
“The growth of women’s sports is a transformative movement, driven by athletes who use their platforms to champion causes bigger than themselves, like gender equality and mental health awareness,” says Ally Forster, a project manager with PCL who has worked on multiple sports facilities. “These women are not only excelling in their sports, but they are also leading with purpose and driving viewership to inspire the next generation of young girls and aspiring fans.”
Building better spaces for female athletes
In addition to new and upgraded stadiums, there is a significant surge in professional teams building practice and training facilities specifically for their female athletes. These facilities are incorporating wellness spaces, childcare areas and amenities tailored to the needs of female athletes. Advancements in sports science are being integrated, offering physical therapy and strength training that support new research focused on women's bodies.
A 2021 study from Northumbria University highlighted that from 2016 to 2021, only 6% of published sport and exercise studies focused on female athletes, leaving a large information gap. As researchers work to address this disparity, team owners and supporters are pushing for better training and treatment facilities for women.
Similarly, PCL constructed a temporary practice and training facility for the San Diego Wave while the team looks for a site to build a permanent facility. The facility includes fitness and training areas, a locker room, a player's lounge, a film room and coaches' offices. Facilities like this are incorporating female-driven sports medicine care by focusing on anatomical, hormonal, nutritional and physiological factors unique to women in sports.
Other projects are currently underway or in development, with several teams announcing the construction of new practice and training facilities. According to Sports Business Journal, new or renovated practice and training facilities have been completed for the National Women’s Soccer League’s Angel City, and the WNBA’s Golden State Valkyries and Phoenix Mercury. Other teams are constructing or have announced plans to build new facilities, including the NWSL’s Bay FC, the WNBA’s Chicago Sky, and a shared facility for the NWSL’s Portland Thorns and the yet-to-be-named WNBA Portland expansion team. All of these facilities are being designed and built with the needs of female athletes in mind.
Danielle “Danny” Colaprico, a midfielder for the NSWL’s Houston Dash, has witnessed this surge in popularity throughout her career, having played professional soccer for a decade.
“Early in my career, I felt like we didn’t have the resources we needed to perform on the field. We didn’t have the facilities to take care of our bodies and ensure we were fully prepared for a game,” says Colaprico. She explains that during the beginning of her career, she and her teammates often had to share fields with professional men's teams or even college teams and frequently lacked access to private locker rooms. While Colaprico acknowledges that the facilities available to NWSL players have improved exponentially, she is looking forward to further advancements.
“Fans want to see us at our best, and we can’t always be at our best if we don’t have the proper facilities. What I’m seeing now with teams getting their own training centers and designated spaces is so important and such an improvement.”
Follow the money: The rise of private investment in women’s sports
The growth of construction and renovation of stadiums, arenas, practice and training facilities, and other spaces specifically tailored to female athletes is being supported by private investors that were not previously engaged in women's sports. This has contributed to the valuations of professional team to skyrocket.
In 2023, private equity firm Sixth Street invested $53 million to establish Bay FC, an NWSL franchise team in the San Francisco Bay Area. Just two years later in early 2025, the NWSL announced a franchise expansion in Denver with a $110 million investment from IMA Financial Group. This is the highest fee ever paid solely for a women’s expansion team, across any sport. The investment is already paying off, with thousands of fans purchasing tickets to the team's inaugural season within weeks of the expansion announcement. The group of investors have announced plans to build a stadium and a training facility for the new team.
The WNBA is also experiencing a significant increase in franchise valuations. In 2023, the Golden State Valkyries were established with an investment team paying $50 million for the team. Just a year later, the league announced a franchise expansion in Toronto, with Kilmer Sports Ventures paying $115 million for the Toronto Tempo and a new practice facility. In early 2025, Serena Williams, one of the world’s most successful athletes, joined the Tempo ownership team.
“The growth potential for women’s sports over the next decade is tremendous,” says Koger. “We’re only seeing the beginning of this trend.”
These investments are being incentivized by proven data showing their profitability. In October 2024, AT&T, Capital One, Cisco and Deloitte announced the establishment of the Athena Pledge, a platform dedicated to investing in women's sports. The platform shares data and investment success stories that highlight the financial benefits of supporting women’s sports.
Female investors are a major part of the driving force financing teams and facilities in professional women’s sports. The Monarch Collective, founded in 2023 by two female venture capitalists, focuses solely on investing in professional women’s teams. They have so far invested in the NWSL’s San Diego Wave, Angel City FC and the franchise expansion set to debut in Boston in 2026.
“As a former competitive athlete, I’ve experienced firsthand the challenges of trailblazing a path in a space that lacked opportunity and proper funding,” says Forster. “Investing in these new facilities is about more than just creating equal opportunities; it’s about building spaces where women can thrive, compete at the highest levels, and have the resources and support they need to break barriers and redefine what’s possible.”
With increased funding and rising demand, the women's sports industry is poised for continued expansion and financial success.
Kicking off a new era for women’s sports
As the landscape of women's sports continues to evolve, the investment in modern facilities and the surge in dedicated fanbases highlights this transformative era. PCL Construction excels in sports facility construction and is dedicated to advancing women's sports by building world-class facilities for world-class athletes. The commitment to building state-of-the-art venues and training centers not only enhances the experience for athletes and fans alike but also signifies a broader recognition of the value and potential of women's sports. With increasing viewership, substantial private investments and a growing community of passionate supporters, the future of women's sports and the facilities they practice and play in, is brighter than ever and PCL is looking forward to help build it.
