As the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games unfold, something is unmistakable: Women are driving the moment.
They’re leading highlight reels. Headlining broadcasts. Powering the storylines fans are sharing and following in real time. From figure skating to freestyle skiing to hockey, women athletes aren’t a side stage to the Games—they are the main event.
And the data backs up what we’re all seeing.
In new international research from Parity and SurveyMonkey surveying nearly 12,000 adults across the U.S., Canada, the UK/Ireland, and Australia, women’s events are as popular as—or more popular than—men’s events in the majority of Winter Olympic sports. High-profile women athletes, including Lindsey Vonn, Eileen Gu, and Marie-Philip Poulin, account for 55% of named competitors fans say they’re most excited to follow. And 25% of adults who are excited about the Olympic Games plans to follow more women’s events this year than they have in the past.
This raises a more nuanced question: If fans say women’s sports matter, why is the U.S. less emphatic about demanding equal treatment for women athletes? And why is the U.S. defining equality differently than the rest of the world?
FANS AREN’T ASKING FOR PARITY, THEY EXPECT IT
The most striking finding from the research isn’t just interest. It’s expectation.
Across political affiliations and demographics, a majority of U.S. adults say it’s important that men and women athletes be treated equally at the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
That includes everything from sponsorship investment and marketing dollars to media coverage, resources, and overall visibility.
But here’s where the U.S. story gets complicated.
When we compared attitudes internationally, Americans lagged behind their peers in the strength and depth of their conviction. In the UK and Ireland, nearly 80% of adults say equal treatment is important. In the U.S., that drops to 59%. And the real gap is among adults across countries who describe it as “very important” that men and women athletes are treated equally.
That gap matters. At a time when women athletes are delivering some of the most compelling performances of the Games, that hesitation matters.
In Canada, the UK/Ireland, and Australia, adults most often felt that equal funding support from their countries exemplified equality—a structural, institutional commitment that ensures women athletes have the same resources to train, compete, and win. In the U.S., however, the top measure wasn’t funding. It was the amount of media coverage.
Globally, equality is viewed as an investment decision. In the U.S., it’s still often treated as a visibility problem.
Across every country, equal rules or judging criteria and offering the same sports for men and women rounded out the top four ways to achieve equality at the Games.
However it manifests, audiences want equality—and they expect brands to reflect that standard.
Fifty-one percent of U.S. adults say Olympic and Paralympic sponsors should invest marketing dollars equally between men and women athletes. Yet 43% believe Olympic and Paralympic brands aren’t spending enough on women’s sports today.
Consumers see the gap. And when expectations outpace action, trust erodes.
THIS IS NO LONGER A “GROWTH BET,” BUT A GROWTH ENGINE
For years, women’s sports were framed as something brands should support, after the audience showed up. That argument doesn’t hold anymore.
The audience is already here.
Women’s events are matching—and often exceeding—men’s in popularity. Women athletes are generating outsized engagement and cultural relevance. And younger fans, especially, expect brands to reflect their values.
At Parity, we have the privilege of working with more than 1,400 professional women athletes, including hundreds of Olympians and Paralympians, and over 50 of our athletes are in action in Milan-Cortina. We consistently see that partnerships with women athletes drive stronger trust, deeper community connection, and more authentic storytelling.
In a fragmented world where attention is scarce, trusted voices matter more than ever. Women athletes are some of the most credible and relatable storytellers in sports.
Brands that recognize this are gaining share of heart, and share of market.
THE GAMES ARE A GLOBAL STAGE—LEADERSHIP IS VISIBLE
The Olympics and Paralympics aren’t just sporting events. They’re cultural mirrors and megaphones. They show the world what we value, and who we value.
When coverage, sponsorship, and storytelling skew unequal, it sends a message. So does equal investment.
Audiences outside the U.S. are expressing stronger expectations around gender equality.
As the world’s largest sports and advertising market—and with the 2028 Summer Olympics coming to Los Angeles—the U.S. should be setting the standard, not trailing it. Especially when women athletes are already delivering some of the most electric moments of the Games.
THE OPPORTUNITY
Progress doesn’t require patience, it requires priority.
Today, brands can choose to fund women athletes equally, tell their stories more prominently, and show up where fans already are. Because the audience has spoken. The momentum is real. The upside is obvious.
And midway through these Games, one thing is undeniable: Women’s sports aren’t catching up.
They’re leading.
And it’s time for the rest of the ecosystem—especially here in the U.S.—to lead with them.
Leela Srinivasan is CEO of Parity.
