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DEFINITION
The term “WAGs” refers to the wives and girlfriends of professional athletes and is the focus of this subculture study.
SUMMARY
Every game puts athletes’ careers and identities at risk—but when things fall apart, their wives and girlfriends are the ones holding it together, even as they’re dismissed as accessories.
WHAT KEPT IT INSPIRING
I’ve grown up around this world—friends who are athletes, and friends who love them—and I’ve watched them all get reduced to clichés or left out of the story entirely. That quiet hurt, that constant “this isn’t us,” is what pushed me to help rewrite how their lives are seen.
Origin
​The term WAGs was popularized during the 2006 World Cup, when high-profile partners like Victoria Beckham dominated tabloids and defined the image of the athlete’s glamorous other half. Since then, women like Ayesha Curry have evolved that role into full-fledged personal brands and cultural influencers in their own right.
RESEARCH METHODS
1
Direct
Surveys
To WAGs, Athletes, Family & Fans to explore all perspectives.
2
Onsite
Research
Sideline Access at a Liberty Football Game including participation in the "Hype Walk."
3
1 On 1 Interviews
With WAGs, Athletes & Family Members to gain further insight.
4
Focus Group
With two WAGs of Liberty University Football Players and their families.
WAG's Challenge
WAGs get treated by the public like arm candy — but behind the scenes, they're basically running the whole operation.
This stereotype dismisses the real work of sustaining high-stakes partnerships, erasing recognition for their essential contributions.
Case Study
Kiersten (@kmalec12)
10k+ Followers on TikTok
The most attention goes to the glamorous posts like “getting ready” posts, instead of the quieter, personal wins—like hitting a new workout goal.
What Gets Engagement:​
VS.
19.2k+ views
Game day outfits, getting ready videos,aesthetic/fashion elements
*19x more engagement*
What Doesn't:​
882 Views
Personal accomplishments, BTS relationship support,emotional aspects of the partnership
WHAT IT MEANS
There’s a gap between the image of a WAG and the reality.
Outsiders view WAGs for who they're dating and not who they actually are.
Insight
Being his biggest fan doesn't mean she's not the main character of her own story.
WAGs are fully invested in their partner's success, but that support doesn't come at the cost of their own ambitions — they're simultaneously building careers, degrees, and identities. The world sees the fan. It misses the protagonist.
3 KEY HIGHLIGHTS
01
WAGs move in sync with their partners by sharing daily routines—like early wake-ups for practice, matching workouts and diets, and prepping for road trips—all behind the scenes.
Parallel Play
02
WAGs often take on unseen caretaker roleslike;managing schedules, prepping meals, or taking care of little siblings—so their partners can perform at their best.
True Team Captain
03
WAGs bond with each other, partners’ families, and coaches—building a tight-knit community that feels like home on the road.
Roster Roots
A WAG'S IMPACT
Being a WAG means navigating the pressures of a partner’s career while balancing your own identity—revealing the invisible labor, unequal spotlight, and need to challenge stereotypes.
Beyond the WAG Stereotype
"Being a WAG isn't just dressing up and looking pretty for games. The sport your man plays is basically his job and income so whether he performs good or gets hurt can really turn things around for your situation."
Individual Identity
Gender & Labor
Invisible emotional/domestic labor that supports high-performers
Brand's Way In
Validate labor that goes untracked. Acknowledging hidden contributions builds loyalty with the people doing that work.
Structual
Media Literacy
How stereotypes persist despite contradictory evidence
Brand's Way In
Show a different version and trust the audience with it. Honesty about the gap between narrative and reality is a differentiator, not a risk.
Cultural
Relationship Dynamics
Modern Relationships
Dual-ambition couples navigating unequal spotlight
Brand's Way In
Design for both people, not just the one with the title. Reflecting shared ambition feels more honest than celebrating individual wins.
Identity
Women maintaining selfhood while supporting partners' dreams
Brand's Way In
Give people permission to reclaim space for themselves. Speaking to quiet sacrifice — without dramatizing it — earns trust with an audience that rarely feels seen.
WHAT IT MEANS
Being a WAG exposes a bigger cultural blind spot: we glamorize the visible wins and ignore the invisible emotional labor, unequal spotlight, and identity work it takes to support someone else’s dream while still holding onto your own.
What I Learned
This project let me explore a personal passion while getting a deeper look into sports culture—and the friends I have in it. It showed me how easy it is to rely on surface-level assumptions, and how much you miss when you do. For brands, real connection comes from looking past stereotypes and digging deeper.