The key challenge for the league is convincing brands that it is worth investing in.
Despite growth in the popularity of women’s rugby since the World Cup, PWR may be missing out on additional investment because of “tough economic conditions”, according to Lisa Parfitt, the co-founder of a sports marketing agency.
In women’s football, Barclays has been the title sponsor of the Women’s Super League since 2019 and in 2024 agreed a new three-year deal worth £45m.
In cricket, Vitality and Metro Bank are title sponsors of the women’s T20 Blast and One-Day Cup, in shared deals with the men’s tournaments.
Parfitt says the current women’s sport sponsorship landscape is “healthy but selective”.
She adds that, while women’s rugby offers investors a “long-term, culturally relevant opportunity”, businesses are focused on short-term certainty that PWR may not yet be able to offer.
