WNBA viewership across its national television partners \u2014 ABC, CBS, ESPN and ESPN2 \u2014 this season was up 21 per cent on 2022, while social media views surged by 96 per cent to 373 million, according to the association. Beauty brands have an eye on players\u2019 hyper-engaged online communities and aim to benefit from the buzz around the sport. \u201cThe partnership allows us to reach more of our Gen Z community, in an area we now know our consumers are passionate about. Athletes are the kind of people they look up to,\u201d says Diana Valdez, head of consumer engagement for Nyx Professional Makeup US. \u201c[New York] Liberty had a great season and we were present during those games. It\u2019s great to be in a category that\u2019s not so obvious and have such a positive reaction.\u201d<\/p>\n
It took a while for beauty brands to respond to the opportunity. \u201cWhen people think about women\u2019s sports, before, they didn\u2019t think about beauty. They didn\u2019t realise that they go hand in hand,\u201d says Taylor Burner, an agent for the Women\u2019s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA), who works across its spectrum of talents. \u201c[Former All-Star player] Sheryl Swoopes has been wearing red lipstick on the basketball court since the 1990s.\u201d<\/p>\n