Roku gives sports fans what they want: better access to live sports for women. The company announced on Wednesday the launch of Women’s Sports Zone, a new centralized hub that makes it easier for users to search, discover and stream women’s sports programming, from live games, contests and events to on-demand and free content.
Women’s Sports Zone features matches from the National Women’s Soccer League, US Women’s World Cup, US Women’s Open, the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA), and more. In addition, fans can watch free female-focused sports content on The Roku Channel, such as the Women’s Sports Network, “The Longshots,” “Prodigy,” and “Bring It!” among other things.
In addition, the newly launched hub comes as the 2023 WNBA (Women’s National Basketball Association) season tips on Friday, May 19, allowing Roku users to stream all games through channels such as ESPN, ABC, CBS, and CBS Sports Network, along with streaming services such as ESPN+, Paramount+, Prime Video and WNBA League Pass.
The Women’s Sports Zone is located in the Roku sports experience. Users can scroll down to the “Sports” tab on the home screen to find the new hub. They can also search for “women’s sports” or a favorite team or league in Roku Search or by using Roku Voice with the TV remote.
Demand for women’s sports is increasing year over year, with 30% of American sports fans saying they watch more women’s sports than they did five years ago, according to a 2022 survey from the National Research Group. In addition, 85% of sports fans – including 79% of men – agree that it is essential that women’s sports continue to grow in popularity. Just watching the WNBA alone has dramatically increased viewership for the league. The 2022 season averaged 416,000 viewers across all networks, making it the most watched full season since 2006.
“The popularity and demand for women’s sports is greater than ever, and at Roku, we remain committed to bringing this important programming to the next level for our customers,” said Kelli Raftery, Roku’s VP of Global Communications, in a statement. “At a time when it’s harder than ever to find what you want to watch, our new Women’s Sports Zone makes it easier for fans to get to the content they love, and it comes just in time for the tip of the WNBA season this Friday.”