Sports Business

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The GIST: On Monday, the Sports Business Journal (SBJ) and the Wasserman Group released a study highlighting the dearth of women’s sports merch, especially when it comes to soccer. The lack of women’s soccer merch is heavily juxtaposed by fans’ rapidly growing interest in repping women footballers. Receipts don’t be looking like phone numbers.

The background: The study was conducted as part of Wasserman’s The Collective Think Tank initiative, which was launched in 2020 to share research from professors and education professionals at academic institutions and sports organizations. It surveyed American, English, and Aussie fans about merchandise for their countries’ national teams and pro leagues.

The results: The survey found (surprise, surprise) more demand than supply for women’s sports merchandise. It also captured complaints from fans about available merch, citing undesirable styles, fits, and sizing. Respondents also mentioned wanting to financially support their teams but being unable to do so, exposing a massive roadblock in the growth of women’s soccer. Road work ahead.

Fan support: Despite these issues, recent numbers show that fans are still trying to support their favorite teams where they can. The USWNT’s home kit became the top-selling soccer jersey on Nike.com during their 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup (WWC) title run and the Lionesses’ online merch sales increased 710% (!!!) after this year’s tournament.

• The 2023 WWC also saw Matildas jerseys outsell older versions of the kit 13 to 1, surpassing sales of the men’s.

Zooming out: The results of the study emphasize an issue that could be remedied through market research, upgrading production quality, and ramping up distribution. Improving these aspects would require more investors in the space, but the numbers promise a high return — women’s sports fans are 25% more likely to buy than fans of men’s sports.

• And the promising returns of investing in and supporting women’s sports doesn’t just apply to brands that sell merch, it holds true for companies across the board. There is room for everyone at the table, no RSVP needed.

14.4M: The number of UK viewers who watched England in the WWC final on BBC and ITV, setting a women’s soccer record in the country and becoming the second most-watched UK TV event this year behind the inauguration of King Charles III. Queen sh!t.

1.6M: U.S. viewership of the WWC final on Fox, making it the most-watched non–USWNT WWC final on U.S. English-language TV.

956M: The number of social impressions generated by this year’s tournament. Multiple teams’ followings skyrocketed, with the Lionesses notably surpassing 1M followers on Instagram last week. Rawr XD.

$28M: The total social value of the 2023 WWC. Cue Fifth Harmony.

$200M: The amount Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has vowed to invest in women’s sports.

1.98M: The total attendance of this year’s WWC, which shattered the previous record. That’s a lot of women’s soccer fans!

On Tuesday, the women’s golf league and Fenway Sports Management (FSM) announced an alliance dedicated to developing tour marketing partnerships. FSM hopes to help the LPGA speed up its growth by giving the league access to an impressive set of brands, like the Boston Red Sox and Liverpool F.C.

• The LPGA has put up impressive numbers all season, garnering a 19% increase in social engagement YoY and setting a viewership record for the month of July. It’s giving The Lorax.

On her Telemundo and NBC podcast My New Favorite Futbolista, former USWNT player (and friend of The GIST) Meghan Klingenberg interviews changemakers in the women’s game. During this year’s WWC, the podcast reported a 77% (!!!) increase in downloads compared to last year’s men’s World Cup (WC).

PGA commissioner Jay Monahan said Tuesday that the league's deal with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) will be worked out by EOY, noting that the proposed agreement would allow the PGA to keep full control of its circuit.

• The proposal has many wondering what this means for the LPGA. Could the women’s tour be the next to seek out PIF backing? When it comes to tennis, at least, Billie Jean King and the WTA believe the equal pay ends would justify the morally-questionable means.

⚽️ USWNT general manager Kate Markgraf stepped down this week, but the decision reportedly pre-dates this year’s WWC.

✌️ USC hired Jennifer Cohen as its new athletic director (AD) after former AD Mike Bohn left due to “health concerns” amid reports of inappropriate behavior.

🏈 Fresno State made history by announcing a Spanish-language football broadcast for the upcoming season.

📺 In some positive college TV deal news, Harvard and NESN partnered for a first-of-its-kind agreement.

💸 Sports podcast company Blue Wire is the latest to open a “community round” of fundraising, allowing podcasters and fans to invest directly.

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