This year’s WNBA All-Star Weekend saw record-breaking numbers with nearly 20,000 attendees. Jordan Wood’s iconic orange purse became a part of the New York Knicks’ historic NBA Championship win. And fashionistas brought style and team spirit effortlessly with their FIFA World Cup fits this summer.
Women are having one hell of a moment in sports. But beyond the influence and support they bring not just on the court and field, but on the sidelines, is turning with a monumental shift. Part of that is powered by fanbases made up of Black women, even in male-dominated sports.
When Tasia Johnson went to her first Formula 1 race, she didn’t see many people who looked like her in the stands. That didn’t stop her from falling in love with the sport and wanting to share that love with others, especially other Black women.
“That was the push for me to start my page in general,” Johnson told EBONY. “I knew showing up as a Black woman, queer woman, loudly, very authentically me, that I would attract the same type of person. I didn’t need to come out and say Black and gay people follow me. Just because representation really is so important. And I think it’s me just showing up as myself and never ever shying away from hard conversations as well within the sport.”
Since 2023, Johnson has grown a community for F1 fans to connect through Instagram, TikTok and Discord. She began hosting in-person meetups that have grown to luxury all-women group trips to watch the races. Johnson said that organically attracting 70% Black women attendees to her most recent trip, hosted in Monaco, was rewarding. For several attendees, this was their first time attending a race. And with Monaco being the pinnacle of F1, these women “spared no expense,” according to Johnson.
“There are [other] women hosting female focus group trips, but they chose to go on mine, maybe because they saw someone that they could see themselves in,” the creator said. “If more sports, more brands, if F1 just showed a little bit more of Black women enjoying the sport, think about how much further your sport could go.”
In 2023, Diverse Representation celebrated the first annual National Black Women in Sports Day. The date, which now falls on July 7 each year, is dedicated to celebrating Black women in the sports industry and demonstrating the power of diverse representation. In their 2025 report focusing on sports fans, Diverse Representation and Wasserman found that 73% of Black women only occasionally follow sports, with a lack of representation being a key factor. The report also found that 38% of Black women identify as enthusiastic fans; the NFL, NBA and WNBA are the top leagues for Black women.
Susan Fox, a devout New York Giants fan, created a space for fellow NFL fans like her. After her son died, she fell back in love with watching football, something she used to do with her dad growing up. In 2024, Fox decided to host a meetup for 10 of her friends to watch a game. Black Women Love Football was born. Over the course of two years, it grew into a community of 40,500 on Facebook.
“I didn’t realize how passionate Black women were about the game,” Fox said. “When I started the group, I saw the passion that these women really have for these teams: the traveling, the money spent, the investment for the season — they save all their PTO days for these games. Going above and beyond as fans to support their teams. I said, ‘Oh, y’all are fan fans.’”
Black Women Love Football has a nationwide reach with branches in several cities. They also produce a podcast on their YouTube channel featuring panel discussions on league news and opinions, hosted by Black women. With such a strong network, Fox has worked with members interested in expanding into other sports. Those extensions include Black Women Love Basketball and Black Women Love Tennis. They’ve even created a space for the fellas with Black Men Love Football.
Fox said the moves Black women are making both in the industry and as fans are combating stereotypical narratives about women and sports. She noted that there are times when their podcast hosts have to correct a man who comes on as a guest and assumes that he knows more about the game than they do. Still, Fox said BWLF is also a place for those who want to learn more.
“We used to just be the girlfriends, the mothers supporting the sons, bringing the oranges to the game. That day is over,” she explained passionately. “We’re in the main street. We’re in the media. We’re out on the field coaching now.”
While the exact numbers on Black women’s sports fandom may be limited, the impact is apparent. In Diverse Representation’s report, the organization notes that cultural visibility and understanding play a huge part in winning over Black women’s loyalty. Part of how that can be addressed is through leagues elevating Black women in leadership positions and increasing media visibility.
Many are already breaking the mold there. Autumn Lockwood became the first Black woman to coach in and win a Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles. Sportscasters like Lisa Salter, Monica McNutt and Taylor Rooks are familiar faces that have created an indelible mark on the industry. Hollywood mogul Issa Rae became part-owner of the U.S. SailGP Team in 2023. And New York Liberty CEO Keia Clarke, Chief Brand Officer Shana Stephenson and Senior Director of Entertainment Criscia Long are the masterminds behind Ellie the Elephant, the team’s viral sensation of a mascot, persona and aesthetic.
Nya Lorraine, a sports media freelancer and devout fan of various leagues, said that there’s a “special sauce” that Black women have that consistently makes any sport they’re involved in more enjoyable to watch.
“We have learned how to navigate the world unlike any other. We can lay it on thick, or we can lay it on low,” she said. She pointed to Indiana Fever guard Sydney Colson as an example. “The way Syd says something, even just her mannerisms or the tone in her voice and inflection, it just changes the delivery of everything. Our magic is instinctual, and it’s a flair that you can’t really teach. Other people try to copy it all the time.”
The industry has a long way to go in establishing an equitable space for women on the court, in boardrooms and in the stands. Creating opportunities for Black women to thrive on all sides doesn’t just make for a healthy ecosystem; it’s good for business. Leagues and brands are leaving money on the table by not leaning into Black women fanbases. Especially with Black women as the key drivers of the community’s $2.1 trillion in spending power. Women’s sports, especially basketball, have a particular advantage in leaning further into this fan demographic as growth continues to trend upward.
Johnson, Lorraine and Fox all agree that leagues and brands are only hurting themselves by overlooking Black women as experts and tastemakers.
As Black women, we change the room,” Fox said. “We just take things to another level; we take ownership. We expand things. We grow things. We do what God has created women to do. So, just acknowledge us. Acknowledge us and give us opportunity.”