The WNBA partners with New Balance to expand the brand's presence in women's sports.

• New Balance has signed a multiyear deal with the WNBA.
• The partnership between New Balance and the WNBA will feature broadcast, digital, and retail content featuring Los Angeles Sparks rookie forward Cameron Brink.
• At a time when women's sports are experiencing unprecedented popularity, New Balance is counting on the women's category to drive its growth trajectory.

On Tuesday, New Balance announced a multiyear agreement with the WNBA, becoming the latest to support women's sports.

The partnership between New Balance and the WNBA will feature broadcast, digital, and retail content featuring Los Angeles Sparks rookie forward Cameron Brink.

New Balance has become a league partner of the WNBA, joining Adidas, Nike, Puma, and Under Armour in this capacity. Unlike the NBA, the WNBA does not have an exclusive footwear partner. However, only league sponsors are allowed to display their logos on court. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

New Balance aims to expand its market presence in basketball and establish itself as a top brand in women's sports through a new deal.

New Balance's global head of partnerships, Jessica Vassall, expressed excitement about the company's small role in advancing women's sports growth and progress towards parity.

Last year, New Balance signed Brink, a standout player at Stanford University, as the first female basketball player on their roster. The brand also endorses several NBA stars, including Kawhi Leonard.

Despite my parents' long tenure at Nike, transitioning to New Balance was effortless. I immediately felt at home with the company and the work environment was exceptional, as shared by Brink in an interview with CNBC.

Brink, the Sparks' top draft pick, sustained a season-ending ACL injury in June. She will miss the rest of the 2024 season and the Paris Olympics while recovering.

New Balance announced that she will be included in their lifestyle and performance campaigns, as well as collaborate with their teams to shape future products.

Despite being the top brands in the women's basketball market, Nike, Jordan Brand, Adidas, Puma, and Under Armour only account for 6% of the total pro market, according to market research firm Circana. However, men's basketball sneakers are experiencing sales declines, while the women's business is growing at a double-digit rate.

According to footwear industry analyst Beth Goldstein at Circana, New Balance is recognized for running, walking, and training but has demonstrated their ability to participate in various new sports they've entered, such as tennis and baseball.

In 2023, New Balance signed both top-ranked tennis player Coco Gauff and Los Angeles Dodgers phenom Shohei Ohtani.

Last year, the 118-year-old Boston-based company generated $6.5 billion in sales, representing a 23% increase from the previous year, according to New Balance. Over the past three years, the brand has experienced double-digit growth worldwide in both footwear and apparel, as stated by the company.

During a May 30 earnings call, Foot Locker CEO Mary Dillon highlighted the brand's former reputation for "dad shoes."

Dillon stated that New Balance is maintaining consumer excitement on a large scale, as they are experiencing positive trends with consumers worldwide, including women, men, and children.

In 2024, the privately held entity plans to expand its presence with 90 new stores.

The company is now focusing on the women's sports category to maintain its growth trajectory, which has never been more popular.

Colie Edison, the chief growth officer for the WNBA, stated that they are exceeding every metric.

The WNBA has experienced a 16% increase in attendance and an average of 1.2 million viewers per game, thanks in part to the popularity of Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark.

Edison stated that the influx of fans and partners enables the league to establish a new economic model, ensuring long-term business sustainability.