What do Ticket Prices Reveal about the Growth in Women's Sport? The Case of NCAA Division I Women's College Basketball

Product prices convey important messages to consumers. Low prices project affordability, while higher prices indicate greater perceived quality. The current study examines the relationship between ticket price and attendance within NCAA Division I women's college basketball. Advertised single game ticket prices, along with 10 control variables, were collected for 975 games played during the 2021-2022 season. Both highest and lowest ticket prices were significantly related to attendance but in opposite directions. The lowest ticket prices had a negative relationship with attendance, meaning as price went down, attendance was higher. The highest ticket prices, however, had a positive relationship with attendance. Marketers of women's sport, who are often working for properties that are at a different stage in the product lifecycle than many men's sports, must balance these perspectives when growing product popularity and maximizing revenue.