How Brands Like Under Armour Champion Women’s Sports on Hudl

Eight years ago, Caitlin Clark created her first highlight on Hudl. Since then, she’s enjoyed a meteoric rise to become one of the most popular athletes in the country.

Her league—the WNBA—is coming off a record-breaking season that redefined the game’s reach. Viewership on digital platforms soared, with ESPN reporting a 170% year-over-year increase, including the seven most-watched games in the league’s history.

That excitement carried into the leagues' arenas, with in-person attendance hitting its highest level in 22 years. The buzz behind the league drove viewership to such a notable level that it’s been labeled by some as the “Caitlin Clark Effect.”

But the rapid rise of women’s sports isn’t just a trend—or attributable to one player—it’s a powerful shift that’s changing the face of the sports landscape.

This surge of interest is creating a new class of A-list athletes. Players like A’ja Wilson, Clark and Kelsey Plum are all bonafide superstars by measures like name recognition, social followings and, of course, their talent.

And in an environment where female athletes gain more attention earlier in their careers, Hudl is where they start to draw attention to their talents and build their brands. 

The Growth of Women's Sports on Hudl

Over this period since Clark’s first Hudl highlight, Hudl has enjoyed a similar trajectory among women in sports. Engagement has surged by 157%, highlights shared by women have grown by 295% and livestreamed women’s events have skyrocketed by an astounding 8,083%.

These numbers tell a clear story: more than ever, today’s top female athletes are starting their journey to the spotlight on Hudl—and brands are taking notice.

Growing the Game by Owning Gameday

After a dream season in 2022, where she won the All-Star Game MVP and a WNBA championship, Kelsey Plum teamed up with Under Armour to create a custom line of shoes and apparel—an alliance, as the brand describes, formed to “push the game of women’s basketball even further.”

In the spirit of this mission, Under Armour leveraged this partnership on a platform at the forefront of the momentum in women's basketball—Hudl. They launched a gameday takeover, owning all video and display inventory on Hudl during a fall gameday, one of the sports calendar's most impactful (and high-traffic) days.

Under Armour used this exposure to promote its back-to-school clothing and shoe campaign, aligning with an 'Unstoppable Athlete' in Plum. The campaign featured shots of her sporting the brand’s gear, alongside her high school Hudl highlights. Backed by performance metrics, the campaign reached communities nationwide, engaging and inspiring Gen Z athletes along the way.

An Engaged, Influential Audience

Hudl isn’t just where Kelsey Plum started her career. It’s a leading cultural force in amateur sports—not only among female athletes but across the entire landscape—making it the perfect place for such a campaign.

Every year, millions of young athletes rely on Hudl, drawing in over 85 million fans who engage with their journey through livestreams, highlights, player profiles and more. This engaged audience includes family members staying connected, students supporting their peers and communities rallying behind local talent.

It’s where the young athletes who look up to her spend their time—9.3 minutes per session, on average—sharpening their skills and supporting their friends. It’s where the next trailblazing female athlete is on her way to securing her own signature shoe. And they see a brand in Under Armour that supports and amplifies a player like Kelsey Plum. 

Building Trust With Gen Z

The upside for a brand like Under Armour is establishing early affinity with this influential young audience. With 59% of Gen Z trusting brands they’ve grown up with, Hudl provides a powerful opportunity to build that trust with some of the generation’s most impactful members.

For brands eager to throw their support behind women in sports and capitalize on the momentum that shows no signs of slowing, there are plenty of opportunities on Hudl. You can even be a part of the next Kelsey Plum story. 

Here's how to connect with the next generation of female athletes—and their fans.