Aydan Sarikaya, partner at Territorial, has been watching the women’s sports surge with a strategist’s eye. With the Golden State Valkyries reaching a $500 million valuation in their first season and WNBA team values jumping 180% in a single year, she sees more than numbers. She sees a cultural moment where indie agencies and mid-market brands can shape the future of sports marketing—if they act now.
The opportunity is now, not later
According to Sarikaya, the narrow window before women’s sports sponsorships become a “corporate checkbox” is the time for indies to step in. Early movers don’t just slap a logo courtside—they help write the mythology of teams, players and leagues. Brands like Sephora have experimented with playful activations, from in-arena giveaways to live fan engagement, showing how unconventional partners can connect with audiences in fresh ways.
“It’s just such an exciting time for authentic storytelling, for brands to reach female audiences in places they haven’t met audiences before.”
Indies can turn constraints into advantages
While large agencies chase the biggest teams, indie shops can find opportunities in overlooked places. Mid-market brands may not have NFL-sized budgets, but in women’s sports they can be founding partners, shaping leagues and building long-term emotional connections with fans. For indies, resource constraints often translate into agility and boldness—two qualities that resonate with emerging leagues hungry for creative storytelling.
Authenticity is the non-negotiable
Sarikaya emphasizes that partnerships only work when they align with a brand’s values. Performative spending isn’t enough. Ally Financial stands out with its 50/50 pledge, splitting its sports marketing evenly between men’s and women’s leagues, while weaving financial education into WNBA activations. “It’s so much more than a logo moment,” Sarikaya explains. “The story has to resonate with fans, and it has to feel true to the brand.”
“Once you create a fan, they can become a fan for life”
Sarikaya emphasizes that emotional storytelling is the most powerful driver for long-term brand value. “A lot of these are newer athletes, newer leagues, or even new events for established leagues,” she explains. “There’s opportunity to create emotional connection, because ultimately, once you create a fan, they can become a fan for life.” That loyalty is already translating to action—New York Liberty fans are buying merch at Barclays Center on non-game days, a sign of deepening community engagement.
Beyond basketball: soccer, lacrosse, volleyball, and more
Though the WNBA dominates headlines, Sarikaya points out that women’s soccer, volleyball, and lacrosse are also gaining traction. These new or recently professionalized leagues give agencies and brands the chance to get in at the ground floor.
The big question for CMOs
Asked what CMOs should stop buying from agencies, Sarikaya doesn’t mince words: “Videos without placement. Making videos is great, but we should also think about where people are going to see these. They shouldn’t just live in our YouTube.” The better question, she says, is: What strategy are you bringing to bear? Strategic agencies will help brands extend women’s sports partnerships into long-term cultural value rather than treating them as one-off campaigns.
Learn more
Territorial
Aydan Sarikaya LinkedIn
Territorial LinkedIn
Contact: hi@weareterritorial.com
- About the Author
- Latest Posts
