The Impact of Women's Sports: Drawing in New Participation, According to Data
Despite a slight drop in overall viewing figures for 2023, the Women's Sport Trust Visibility Report reveals a surge in participation in golf, cricket, and netball, highlighting the expanding reach and popularity of women's sports beyond football
Source: LinkedIn/Christopher Lee/UEFA
People in the UK spent more time watching women’s sport in 2023 than ever before, making it another record breaking year.
Viewers watched an average of nine hours and 58 minutes in 2023, compared to eight hours and 15 minutes in 2022, and three hours and 20 minutes in 2021, according to new research conducted by the Women’s Sport Trust.
Source: Women’s Sport Trust
However, the viewership numbers for 2023 have declined, as 36.2 million individuals watched at least three minutes of women's sports programming between January and 22 October, whereas in 2022, this number stood at 38.9 million. These figures also fall short of the peak viewership in 2019, which reached 39.8 million.
"Monitoring viewing figures is crucial," says Laura Weston, trustee of the Women's Sport Trust. Nevertheless, she emphasizes the need to delve deeper and pose more nuanced inquiries.
“We also need to acknowledge that progress isn’t ever a straight line,” says Weston.
We’re now at a point where we need to also drill down and start asking more sophisticated questions.
In 2023, there has been a decline in the viewership of domestic women's sports, specifically football and cricket. The Women's Hundred cricket tournament experienced a 15.5% decrease in viewing figures compared to 2021. Similarly, football has also witnessed a decline in audience numbers.
When delving deeper into the data, it was discovered that cricket matches during The Hundred had a higher probability of being featured as the main event if they were broadcast earlier in the week. Tuesday had the highest likelihood at 100%, followed by Monday at 89% and Wednesday at 83%.
However, the figures dropped significantly for the weekend, with only 31% of matches being designated as the main event on Saturdays and just 20% on Sundays. On average, women's cricket games that did not overlap with men's matches saw a significantly higher audience attendance, with a 259% increase compared to games that had scheduling conflicts.
The viewing figures for the first 10 games of the current Barclays Women's Super League (WSL) season have decreased by 25.8% across BBC and We compared to last season. It should be noted that one less game was broadcast this year.
Although our viewing figures have declined by 20.5%, the BBC has experienced a slight increase due to broadcasting the second most-watched WSL game ever, which was the match between Arsenal and Aston Villa.
Sports beyond football
"In our current phase of testing and learning for women's sport, it is crucial to grasp that broadcasters are actively figuring out the most suitable placement of content to establish a regular viewing time, ensuring it becomes a habitual practice," explains Weston.
Source: Women’s Sport Trust
Apart from football, which has traditionally been seen as the main driving force behind women's sports participation, other sports like golf and cricket have also witnessed a surge in popularity this year. The 2023 FIFA World Cup is not the sole reason behind the increase in numbers; these sports have also successfully translated their momentum into record-breaking figures.
The Solheim Cup, a biennial golf tournament for professional female golfers in Europe and the US, achieved a record-breaking viewership of 95 million hours, surpassing its previous best of 6.3 million in 2021.
In a similar vein, England's women cricket players garnered the highest recorded audiences during the summer, with 7.4 million viewers tuning in for three minutes or more. This figure exceeded the previous record of 6.2 million.
Likewise, the Netball World Cup witnessed an increase in viewership, with 5.6 million people tuning in this year compared to 4.5 million in 2019.
The Women’s Six Nations on UK television attracted 10.4 million viewers, an increase from the 7.7 million in 2022. Weston expresses enthusiasm regarding the growth of these sports, stating that it is fantastic to witness a range of sports and role models receiving significant screen exposure.
The success of various sports can also bring advantages to brands and sponsors. Weston explains that these sports not only have a significant audience, but it is also a potentially younger and more diverse audience, who have disposable income.
According to previous data by the Women's Sport Trust, fans of women's sports are often the decision-makers when it comes to household finances. This audience demonstrates a higher affinity and likelihood to purchase from brands that support women's sports, as Weston points out.
This is a demographic that FMCG and female lifestyle brands, who may not have previously considered sport as a platform, can now tap into. They also have the opportunity to contribute to the development of women's sports culture. Weston states, "Fashion, music, and beauty all have a part to play, and combining them will shape the future for years to come." However, the true measure of success is witnessing this visibility result in profitability.
Laura Weston, from the Women's Sport Trust, suggests that fans of women's sport have a distinct identity from those who support men's sport. Rather than mirroring the same preferences, supporters of women's sport may exhibit a different approach, possibly by emphasizing inclusivity and involving their families more in watching the games. Additionally, women's sport enthusiasts may be less inclined to display intense tribal loyalty often associated with men's sports.
"This aligns with the observation that there is a decline in the number of women's football fans who support a specific team, and instead, they express a general interest in women's football," she remarks.
Moreover, the recent Women's World Cup attracted 11.5 million viewers, out of the 29.9 million who did not watch the 2022 Men's World Cup. Additionally, 33% of the audience for the Solheim Cup did not watch the men's Ryder Cup. "This marks the first occasion where we can truly emphasize the significance of this, and it is thrilling to witness women's sports attracting new individuals to the field," Weston expresses.
The ultimate gauge of success, however, lies in the transformation of this visibility into sustainability," she concludes. "Hence, drawing in greater investments will enable women's sport to thrive in the long run and duly recognize the incredible dedication exhibited by our athletes on the global platform."
