Rihanna’s Billion-Dollar Brand Jumps Into WNBA, Backing League’s Growth

As viewership and attendance for women’s sports surge, major brands are investing to capture a rapidly growing audience.

Rihanna’s multi-billion-dollar brand, Fenty, is a prime example. In May, the company signed its first beauty and skin sports partnership with the New York Liberty, the WNBA’s reigning champions. The deal is the latest in a series of corporate investments in women’s basketball, which has become a key target for brands seeking to align with athletes and leagues.

A Broader Trend of Investment

Fenty’s deal joins a growing list of beauty and lifestyle companies forging partnerships with the WNBA. CoverGirl recently became the official sponsor of the Chicago Sky, while Sephora invested in the league’s newest expansion team, the Golden State Valkyries. In 2020, Glossier became the WNBA’s first beauty partner and remains a key league sponsor. Meanwhile, brands like Essie and Pinterest are making their first sports sponsorships with the WNBA, rather than men’s leagues.

These investments are a direct response to the league’s record-breaking numbers. The WNBA saw its most-watched regular season in 24 years, with broadcasts delivering a 170% increase in viewership compared to 2023. The 2024 Finals between the Liberty and the Minnesota Lynx averaged 1.6 million viewers, a 115% increase from the previous year and the most-watched championship round in 25 years. The league also posted its highest attendance in 22 years.

Player-Driven Brand Alignment

This new wave of sponsorship reflects a shift in brand marketing that empowers athletes to blend their professional and personal identities. Isabelle Harrison, a forward for the New York Liberty, told NBC News that the Fenty partnership allowed her to represent “all of who I am, not just being an athlete, not just being a beauty junkie.”

This trend is exemplified by a new generation of players, including Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese, who signed with Mielle Organics, a Black-owned hair care brand. These athletes are using their platforms to showcase both their performance and personal style, often through social media and pre-game “tunnel moments” that have become their own catwalks.

For the league, these deals are about more than just financial investment. “There’s something special about the uniqueness of redefining what a sports sponsorship looks like in the name of women, in the name of sports, in the name of culture,” said Keia Clarke, CEO of the New York Liberty.

Harrison noted that these partnerships demonstrate the value of women’s sports. “We hold value, and we’re always going to make a return on our value. We’ve shown that. We’ve proven that every year.”