Building the Business of Women's sports: The Saga Pledge Launches in the Nordics

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Copenhagen, June 2025 – Inspired by the landmark success of Athena launched by Deloitte, AT&T, Capital One, and Cisco in 2024, a new Nordic initiative, the Saga Pledge, is now rallying companies across Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Iceland to shift 25% of their sports sponsorships to women’s sports.

The Saga Pledge mobilizes companies to benefit from the fastest growing and most underfunded segment of the sports industry: women's sports and the powerful female consumer market.

Athena has pioneered a powerful model for engaging global brands around women's sports investment. The Saga Pledge builds on their groundbreaking work through Nordic community values - companies publicly commit to the movement and manage their own investments transparently based on their values and ambitions.

The launch of the Saga Pledge is exactly the global ripple effect we love to see. It demonstrates that strategic investment in women’s sports is a global opportunity. We fully support this Nordic-led movement and are excited to see its impact grow across Europe.”  - Thayer Lavielle, Managing Director of The Collective®, Wasserman

A Business Opportunity in Plain Sight

Women control almost 75% (€31.8 trillion) in global discretionary spending and represent 684M sports fans (almost 50%) yet remain dramatically underserved by the global sponsorship market. Despite the Nordic region’s leadership in gender equality, less than 5% of sports sponsorships go to women’s sports, and less than 10% of media coverage features female sports and athletes.

The Saga Pledge aims to change that, inviting companies to voluntarily commit 25% of their sports budgets to women's sports and women-led initiatives. This isn't just about doing good, it's about capturing untapped market potential and connecting with the fastest-growing fanbase in sports.

In addition to the sponsorship shift, companies are asked to contribute a minimum of €5,000 annually to support the broader Saga Pledge campaign infrastructure. This investment raises awareness and solidifies the continuous growth in women's sports while empowering the dynamic female fan community that leads cultural transformation in sports, society, and health outcomes for generations to come. Systemic change demands we invest in the future we want to create. This is a movement rooted in vision, trust, and collective action.

About the Saga Pledge

The Saga Pledge was created by Saga Sports Group, a Nordic venture driving commercial growth and cultural transformation in sport. Founded by sports business executive Bettina Kuperman and award-winning women’s sports pioneer Majken Gilmartin, Saga is reshaping how value is built across the global sports economy, with women as key players, decision-makers, and fans.

The Saga Pledge is the first structured Nordic campaign to drive systemic changes in women’s sports investment. It is built on three core pillars:

• Saga Vision – making the business case for change

• Saga LAB – supporting pledgers with insights, community tools, and public engagement formats

• Saga Momentum – scaling the movement across the Nordic region and beyond

Launching in Denmark in 2025, the pledge aims to expand across the Nordics in 2026, backed by a coalition of companies, athletes, federations, NGOs, and civic leaders.

Bettina Kuperman

Co-Founder/CEO, Saga Sports Group

Sports business executive with 20+ years of international experience across Europe and emerging markets. Master’s in Law. Led bids and operations for major events including the Olympics, EuroLeague, and FIBA World Championships. Trusted advisor to governments, sports federations, and professional leagues. Recognized for driving commercial innovation and building strategic partnerships across sectors. 

Brings a sharp, global perspective to the future of the sports economy.

Majken Gilmartin

Co-Founder/Chief Events Officer, Saga Sports Group

One of the world’s leading pioneers in women’s sports and a creative force for change.She has created groundbreaking sports formats like the UN-backed Global Goals World Cup and Sensational Leagues. Her innovations are revolutionizing how women play, lead, and engage with sport, on their own terms. A powerful voice on global stages from the UN to Davos, she blends activism, storytelling, and strategy. Recipient of the IOC Women and Sport Trophy and multiple global awards.

About The Collective®:

The Collective® is Wasserman's women-focused, global impact and advisory business that aims to provide a rationale for investing in women. Thayer Lavielle is the Managing Director and has been recognized as one of Adweek’s Most Powerful Women in Sports. For more information, please visit www.wearethecollective.com.

To learn more or join the Saga Pledge, visit www.sagasportsgroup.com