Twenty years before women’s sports became a fast-growing priority for brands and media companies, Super Girl made an early investment in female athletes. What began in Oceanside with 16 young surfers and 200 spectators has grown into the world’s largest women’s professional surfing contest, drawing more than 75,000 attendees and nearly 180 competitors.
That growth will be on display Aug. 21–23 as ASA Entertainment opens its 2026 Super Girl Surf Festival Series at Oceanside Pier. The free, nationally televised event combines a World Surf League QS 4000 women’s competition with 750 women participating across 10 sports, 20 live concerts, and more than 60 brand activations.
A 20-YEAR BET ON WOMEN’S SPORTS PAYS OFF
Super Girl launched when female athletes often competed for attention, sponsorship and coverage on the margins of the sports business. Its evolution reflects a broader change: women are no longer waiting for space within traditionally male-dominated sports—they are building audiences, attracting investment and creating platforms of their own.
“The biggest change is that women no longer feel like they need to stand in the shadow of men’s sports,” said Rick Bratman, CEO of ASA Entertainment and founder of the Super Girl Festival Series. “They are demanding the spotlight, and the world has finally caught up to realizing how impressive female athletes are.”
VISIBILITY BUILT THE AUDIENCE—AND THE ATHLETE PIPELINE
Bratman points to representation as a central driver of the category’s growth. As more women succeed at the highest levels—and receive the media exposure to match—young athletes can see a viable path forward. Super Girl’s model extends that visibility beyond competition through athlete mentorship, speakers, panels, and programming designed to connect professionals with the next generation.
“The momentum we are seeing today did not happen overnight,” Bratman said. “It is the result of years of perseverance from female athletes and organizations that fought for greater visibility, investment, and opportunity.”
WHY BRANDS ARE FOLLOWING THE AUDIENCE
Sponsorship has grown alongside athlete visibility and fan demand. For partners, Super Girl offers access to a substantial female audience in an immersive environment that spans sport, music, wellness, and culture. The result is more than logo placement: brands can demonstrate a sustained commitment to women, while building credibility and community relationships through live experiences.
“What has surprised me most is that it has taken this long for major brands and corporate partners to fully recognize the value of investing in women’s sports,” Bratman said. “Women make up more than 50% of the population and have always been incredible athletes. It is encouraging to see the level of interest and investment beginning to match what female athletes have always deserved.”
“For nearly a decade, Nissan has been proud to support the Super Girl Surf Festival because it is about more than sport,” said David Englen, West Region vice president, Nissan North America. “It is about empowering women, inspiring future generations and bringing communities together.
GROWTH BEYOND A SINGLE SPORT: REACHING FANS ACROSS SPORTS AND CULTURE
The Oceanside event is designed to reach fans across interests and generations. Alongside elite surfing, athletes will compete in longboarding, beach volleyball, soccer, flag football, cheer and dance, lifesaving, skateboarding, inline skating and quad skating. The festival village adds 24 fitness and wellness classes, a female DJ showcase, celebrity speakers and panels, youth mentorship, a female art exhibition and local food and beverage offerings.
The 20th-anniversary concert lineup includes Iration, Hippie Sabotage, B.o.B and K.Flay, plus Pearl, Hannah Wicklund, ANORA, Hello Sister, Flailing Idiot, RoZy, The Cherry Bombs and Hannah Geller. New for 2026 are a state-of-the-art skate ramp and premium VIP packages—an expansion of the festival’s free model with an optional elevated hospitality experience. Across the broader series, Super Girl also reaches athletes in basketball, running, lacrosse, BMX and other sports, with tennis, golf, and hockey identified as possible future additions.
2026 OCEANSIDE: THE BUSINESS SNAPSHOT
When and where: Aug. 21–23, 8 a.m.–7:30 p.m. daily, at Oceanside Pier in Oceanside, California
Scale: More than 75,000 attendees; nearly 180 surfers; 750 women across 10 sports
Brand presence: More than 60 activations, supported by national and regional partners
Content: Live digital coverage Aug. 22–23 and television distribution across 28 national and regional broadcast partners from Nov. 1, 2026–Jan. 31, 2027
Consumer experience: Three free days of sports, concerts, wellness, culture and community programming. VIP attendee packages are available at https://supergirl_oceanside.eventbrite.com
The nationally televised event centers around a World Surf League (WSL) QS4000 women’s competition and features live concerts from top music artists as well as a wide range of programming and performances dedicated to empowering and uplifting women. All competitions, concerts, classes, and activities are free and open to the public.
The event will run daily Friday, Aug. 21 through Sunday, Aug. 23 from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
EVENT SCHEDULE & INFO: https://supergirlsurfpro.com/event-schedule/
The Super Girl Festival Series spans three annual sports, music, and lifestyle festivals across the West Coast, Southeast, and Mid-Atlantic with a mission to create athletic, social, cultural, educational, and entertainment opportunities for young women in traditionally male-dominated arenas while inspiring the next generation of female leaders.
