It’s been almost a week since this year’s Madness and I can’t stop thinking about what a shift we got to witness in women’s sports.
π₯ We saw impressive records broken by players, coaches, and fans. As a basketball fan, you love to see it.
π We saw a shift in how the media covered women’s sports, with headlines and stories that started giving female athletes the attention they deserve. As a woman, I love seeing other women succeed in the spotlight.
π° And, more than that, we saw huge growth in the business of sports: the economic potential (now proven impact) of women excelling became undeniable. As marketing nerd, I am maybe MOST excited about this!
TOGETHXR pulled together a great summary of some big numbers from this year’s dance that put into frame how impressive it really was:
π 1.9M average viewership for ESPN’s Selection Sunday (52%+ from 2023)
π 18,300 fans sold out the Championship Game
π Nearly 100 advertisers + 30 sponsors sold out ESPN’s lineup for the Championship Game
π $25M estimated economic impact for the city of Cleveland, according to the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission
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In another study, Deloitte forecasts that the “revenue generated by womenβs elite sports will surpass US$1 billion for the first time” (US$1.28 billion total projected), with over half of this being driven by commercial revenues.
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The opportunity is there. I can’t wait to see momentum grow in other arenas for women in the business of sports.