Latest news with #sportsgrowth
Daily Mail
19-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Rugby league bosses strike bombshell partnership with one of the world's most powerful individuals - as they look to take the NRL global
The NRL has once again shown it is not sitting still when it comes to innovation. Growing the sport has been a primary objective of the league for some time, with footy bosses reportedly meeting with one of the most powerful figures in the sporting world this week. According to Phil Rothfield of the Courier Mail, Australian Rugby League Commission chair Peter V'landys and NRL CEO Andrew Abdo took a flying visit to meet with NFL boss Roger Goodell in the United States. Amid the success of the NRL's Las Vegas round, the duo spoke with Goodell, who has been the commissioner of the NFL since 2006, on how he can assist to improve and grow the NRL around the world. Goodell, who hails from New York, reportedly banked a jaw-dropping $97million during the 2023 NFL season. As the commissioner of one of the biggest sporting franchises in the world, Goodell oversees the footballing operations of the NFL, and has agreed to collaborate with the NRL on how the league can improve its season-opening matches in the US. According to Rothfield, Goodell is keen to help rugby league chiefs gain greater exposure in the US, and in return, the NRL is will head up their end of the bargain by promoting the NFL's first regular season game in Australia. In February, the NFL announced that the league would be hosting its first-ever match Down Under, with the game set to take place at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in 2026. The Los Angeles Rams are one of the teams who has been announced to play in that game. But their opponents are yet to be revealed. 'Expanding to Australia underlines our ambitions to become a global sport and accelerate international growth,' Goodell said. And V'landys revealed the nature of the talks he has held with Goodell, revealing both leagues are going to collaborate with each other to further their interests. 'We spoke about a lot,' the ARLC boss said, with Rothfield reporting that their meeting with Goodell went on for over an hour. 'We basically made a decision to support each other in what we're trying to achieve in both countries. 'We'll back what they're doing in Australia and they'll back us in Las Vegas from a promotional sense. 'It is a really important relationship that we've been able to establish.' And according to The Courier Mail, NRL chiefs also discussed how the NFL distributes its broadcast rights with some of the world's largest television entities. The NRL has enjoyed success in the US and around the world following the launch of it's annual opening-day fixture in Las Vegas 'We had an hour (chatting) with him. He even invited us back for the Super Bowl,' V'landys said. 'He doesn't know rugby league well but is aware of what we're trying to achieve in Vegas each year.' However, footy supremo V'landys has raised some concerns over the league's next television deal. Their agreement with Nine will extend until the end of the 2027 season, but there are concerns that bosses could sell broadcasting rights to streaming services like DAZN, Netflix and Amazon - all of whom are keen to claim a slice of the pie. Mail Sport reported back in March that the league wants to split the rights up in order to create a bidding war between free-to-air TV stations and subscription services.
Globe and Mail
19-06-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Report shows that 60% of Canadians see improved perception of women's sport
New data on the explosive growth of women's sport in Canada underscores its rising popularity, but also reveals that its structural supports still lag behind. Jessica Doherty, vice-president of strategy and growth at Torque Strategies, presented findings from a new national survey on Wednesday morning at the espnW Summit Canada at Toronto's Evergreen Brick Works. One of the study's main findings is that 60 per cent of Canadians believe perceptions of women's sport have improved over the past three years. 'It has been on quite a rocket ship and one of the things that feeds into that is just the growing visibility in it,' said Doherty, noting that three professional women's sports properties have been launched in Canada in the past three years. 'I think when people see it more, then they're like, 'Oh, yeah, this is a thing.' It becomes normalized, and therefore, other people think, 'Oh, it's OK for me to be a fan of women's sport.'' Commissioned by Torque Strategies, in partnership with IMI, the report surveyed 2,000 people across a wide demographic spectrum that was representative of Canada's population. It found that 80 per cent of male respondents consider themselves fans of women's sport. According to the report, 41 per cent of Canadians see women's sports as a national investment. The surge in popularity across all genders was, in large part, thanks to the founding of the Professional Women's Hockey League, soccer's Northern Super League, and the announcement that the Women's National Basketball Association will expand into Toronto for the 2026 season. However, the report also found that over 30 per cent of fans believe that investment is lacking across media, sponsorship and policy. 'The next step is to sustain that growth, right?' said Doherty. 'You see leagues historically in the U.S. and there's been some stop and start leagues, so we want to find ways to keep the growth, keep the momentum and help sustain them. 'I think forums like this and research like this ... helps back up this excitement with real data that supports a business case.' Since the PWHL was founded in 2023, there has been a 45 per cent increase in female hockey registrations in Canada, a historic record for the sport. Monica Wright Rogers, the new general manager of the WNBA's Toronto Tempo, was also a panellist at the espnW Conference. She said that she hopes the new women's basketball franchise will capture the imagination of young Canadian girls like the PWHL and NSL have. 'We want to inspire a generation to pick up a basketball and be a professional,' said Wright Rogers, who played collegiately and in the WNBA before moving into coaching and was the Phoenix Mercury's assistant GM before signing on in Toronto. 'If you're having fun at the sport, and you're young, and then you see women, professionally, living their lives, having fun and are good, that does something to a young person. 'I wouldn't be here if I didn't have the WNBA to aspire to, or the NWSL, or professional women putting their all on their playing field.' Hosted by ESPN's Sarah Spain, the third annual espnW Summit Canada had a dozen presentations. Some of the panels included Torque Strategies and IMI's presentation on the growth of women's sport, Wright Rogers' panel on women leading professional sports organizations, a discussion of how to build better facilities for women's sports, and an introduction of some of the founders getting support from Toronto Metropolitan University's Future of Sport Lab. 'This year, you'll see it's a lot more about grassroots and infrastructure and investment, really trying to expand the conversation and broaden that,' said Doherty during the lunch break. 'That's what we hope to continue with, year on year, when it comes to the research. 'Our agency is very, very passionate about women's sport, as is IMI, so we are going to continue to follow up on the report, new releases, new ideas, new insights that will come out on a biannual basis.'
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Report: 60% of Canadians say perception of women's sport has improved over 3 years
TORONTO — New data on the explosive growth of women's sport in Canada underscores its rising popularity, but also reveals that its structural supports still lag behind. Jessica Doherty, vice-president of strategy and growth at Torque Strategies, presented findings from a new national survey on Wednesday morning at the espnW Summit Canada at Toronto's Evergreen Brick Works. One of the study's main findings is that 60 per cent of Canadians believe perceptions of women's sport have improved over the past three years. "It has been on quite a rocket ship and one of the things that feeds into that is just the growing visibility in it," said Doherty, noting that three professional women's sports properties have been launched in Canada in the past three years. "I think when people see it more, then they're like, 'oh, yeah, this is a thing.' It becomes normalized, and therefore, other people think, 'Oh, it's OK for me to be a fan of women's sport.'" Commissioned by Torque Strategies, in partnership with IMI, the report surveyed 2,000 people across a wide demographic spectrum that was representative of Canada's population. It found that 80 per cent of male respondents consider themselves fans of women's sport. According to the report, 41 per cent of Canadians see women's sports as a national investment. The surge in popularity across all genders was, in large part, thanks to the founding of the Professional Women's Hockey League, soccer's Northern Super League, and the announcement that the Women's National Basketball Association will expand into Toronto for the 2026 season. However, the report also found that over 30 per cent of fans believe that investment is lacking across media, sponsorship and policy. "The next step is to sustain that growth, right?" said Doherty. "You see leagues historically in the U.S. and there's been some stop and start leagues, so we want to find ways to keep the growth, keep the momentum and help sustain them. "I think forums like this and research like this ... helps back up this excitement with real data that supports a business case." Since the PWHL was founded in 2023, there has been a 45 per cent increase in female hockey registrations in Canada, a historic record for the sport. Monica Wright Rogers, the new general manager of the WNBA's Toronto Tempo, was also a panellist at the espnW Conference. She said that she hopes the new women's basketball franchise will capture the imagination of young Canadian girls like the PWHL and NSL have. "We want to inspire a generation to pick up a basketball and be a professional," said Wright Rogers, who played collegiately and in the WNBA before moving into coaching and was the Phoenix Mercury's assistant GM before signing on in Toronto. "If you're having fun at the sport, and you're young, and then you see women, professionally, living their lives, having fun and are good, that does something to a young person. "I wouldn't be here if I didn't have the WNBA to aspire to, or the NWSL, or professional women putting their all on their playing field." Hosted by ESPN's Sarah Spain, the third annual espnW Summit Canada had a dozen presentations. Some of the panels included Torque Strategies and IMI's presentation on the growth of women's sport, Wright Rogers' panel on women leading professional sports organizations, a discussion of how to build better facilities for women's sports, and an introduction of some of the founders getting support from Toronto Metropolitan University's Future of Sport Lab. "This year, you'll see it's a lot more about grassroots and infrastructure and investment, really trying to expand the conversation and broaden that," said Doherty during the lunch break. "That's what we hope to continue with, year on year, when it comes to the research. "Our agency is very, very passionate about women's sport, as is IMI, so we are going to continue to follow up on the report, new releases, new ideas, new insights that will come out on a biannual basis." This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 18, 2025. John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press
Forbes
17-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Women's Soccer Set To Be Fifth Most Popular Sport In The World By 2030
A new report by Nielsen Sports and PepsiCo suggests that women's soccer is on course to reach 800 million fans by 2030 and become the fifth biggest sport in the world. Undervalued to Unstoppable – leverages data from Nielsen Sports, the global leader in fan intelligence and sponsorship analytics, and PepsiCo, one of the leading investors in women's sport. They predict a 38% increase in the reach of women's soccer in the next five years and highlight the opportunity for sponsors to capitalise on a unique opportunity to tap into an affluent new market based on the demographics of that audience. Over the course of six years, the study noted down respondents who replied 'interested' or 'very interested' in women's soccer. Currently the sport has, according to Nielsen Sports, the tenth largest global fanbase behind men's soccer, basketball, swimming, Formula One, Track and Field, tennis, volleyball, cycling and badmint. The study concludes that, based on the currently trajectory of growth, women's soccer will enter the top five by the end of the decade. The projected growth is expected to spike in every other year, coinciding with major women's international tournaments. In 2029, the year of the next UEFA Women's Euro, they predict the global fanbase for the game will exceed 800 million before levelling off in 2030. While in terms of numbers, women's soccer has the potential to rival Formula One and tennis, it currently lags behind those sports in terms of global sponsorship deals. There is greater fluctuation in activity betweem major tournaments and this season there has a decline in attendances in the Women's Super League and UEFA Women's Champions League. The report states that "turning growth into permanence will require investment across the entire ecosystem." Europe is seen as the powerhouse in driving the growth of the women's game. Within the United Kingdom, fan interest in the women's game doubled between January and July 2022 ahead of the UEFA Women's Euro hosted by England. With Switzerland staging the competition this year, there has been a 22% increase there in appreciation of the game. In terms of participation, player numbers in France have surged by 150% in the past five years and 95% in Spain. In China there has been a staggering 300% rise in girls participating in the sport with an estimated 186 million new fans of the game over the last five years. The research shows those who play the sport are 26% more likely to be dedicated fans. However, none of the five countries believed to have the largest proportion of women's soccer fans amongst their demographics are European. With 50% of their population following the women's game, Colombia, quarter-finalists at the last Women's World Cup, lead the way ahead of the United Arab Emirates, Mexico, Brazil and India. Half of all women's soccer fans are also aged between 25-44. This is above the 44% average for other sports and data indicates that 47% of that group belong to the top income bracket (against 37% of the general population). All of this suggests that sponsors have the potential to capture the most commercially valuable audience in sport. Back in 2019, 57% of women's soccer fans were male. However, the research indicates that the split equalised in 2024 and by the end of the decade will skew in the opposite direction with 60% of the sport's fans expected to be female. PepsiCo became the first sponsor of the men's Champions League to support the women's game in 2019. From next season, Pepsi will, for the first time, replicate it's glitzy 'kick-off show' for the showpiece men's game at a UEFA Women's Champions League final in Oslo. This will be expanded into the UEFA Women's Euro in 2029. They hope to utilise the cross-over interests of women's soccer fans. The data indictes that two-thirds of them are also dedicated fans of music and video games, compared to less than half of general sports fans. This opens the door for brands in these adjacent markets to reach the women's soccer market. 'At PepsiCo, we see women's football as more than just a sport,' said Jane Wakley, EVP & Chief Consumer Marketing Officer & Chief Growth Officer, International Foods at PepsiCo. "It's a cultural force with the power to connect, inspire and grow our brands. As a business, we're proud to partner with UEFA Women's Football, the FIFA Women's World Cup, the WNBA and leading athletes across the world, because we know these platforms unlock powerful passion points for an increasingly engaged and influential audience.' Samantha Lamberti, Head of International at Nielsen Sports, concluded that "we have long believed in the potential of women's football, and today, we're no longer just tracking progress, we're witnessing a breakthrough. From media rights to sponsorship and fan engagement, this is no longer a case of future promise but present value.'
Japan Times
17-06-2025
- Business
- Japan Times
Nielsen projects women's soccer to become top-five most popular sport
Women's soccer is set to become one of the world's top five sports by 2030, according to a report by Nielsen Sports in collaboration with PepsiCo, with a global fan base projected to grow by 38% to reach more than 800 million people. Some 60% of those fans are projected to be women, according to the report "Undervalued to Unstoppable" released on Tuesday, creating one of the few sports which is followed by more females than males. The global broadcast audience is also expected to rise by 30% across major tournaments by 2030. While sponsorship deals tripled for the 2023 Women's World Cup from the 2019 tournament, only a small fraction of global sponsorship budgets are allocated to women's soccer, according to the study. It presents a significant opportunity, the researchers argued, considering women are projected to drive over 75% of household purchasing decisions by 2028. "We have long believed in the potential of women's football, and today, we're no longer just tracking progress, we're witnessing a breakthrough," said Samantha Lamberti, managing director of Nielsen Sports International. "From media rights to sponsorship and fan engagement, this is no longer a case of future promise but present value." Women's soccer is already one of the top 10 most followed sports globally, and momentum appears to be building. Viewership of the U.S.-based National Women's Soccer League championship last year had an 18% increase over the previous year. Disney+ announced last month a deal to broadcast Women's Champions League matches across Europe, while Alexis Ohanian, the Reddit co-founder and husband of tennis great Serena Williams, acquired a stake in Women's Super League champions Chelsea that same month. Deloitte recently reported that WSL revenues climbed by 34% during a record-breaking 2023-24 season, and are forecasting WSL clubs' total revenue will reach a record 100 million pounds ($135.93 million) in the 2025-26 season. WSL attendance, however, has dropped after it peaked in 2023-24 on the heels of the 2023 Women's World Cup, but is expected to have another rise after the European Championship next month in Switzerland. Nielsen reported a surge in interest around major tournaments. Switzerland grew its women's soccer fan base by 22% in 2024 ahead of the Euros, while interest in the UK rose 15% over the two years after England's victory at Euro 2022. Women's soccer has enjoyed a 60% rise in female fans over the past five years, according to Nielsen, with momentum strongest in China — with 186 million new fans over that period — followed by Brazil and India. Growth in participation echoed the increase in interest, with China seeing a 300% rise. Participation has also climbed in Europe, with France — with a 150% jump — Spain (95%), the Netherlands (25%) and the UK (24%) seeing the highest increases since 2019.
