March is Women’s History Month and is the ideal opportunity to reflect on how women have played an ever-evolving role in sports throughout time.
Recent research from YouGov indicates that major events such as the Olympic Games and the FIFA World Cup are generating interest in female athletes and teams; but are these efforts enough?
original
In the 1800s, women were encouraged to participate in recreational sports such as horseback riding and swimming; their ability to compete did not necessarily depend solely on physical strength. Women who were considered successful by their peers at these sports were often praised for their beauty rather than their strength or athleticism . Historian Susan Cahn writes in her book Coming on Strong that Victorians admired women who competed in “gentlemanly” games such as croquet and other gentle sports because these activities required elaborate attire that projected femininity onto the contestants. Although other women competed in archery or equestrian events , their performances were seen as girlish achievements rather than feats of strength.
Women’s participation in competitive sports was further limited by Victorian beliefs that exercise could harm reproductive capacity, based on pseudoscientific eugenics and medical folklore that claimed women were designed with weak bodies for reproduction.
In the early 20th century, it gradually became socially acceptable for women to participate in sports. Women began to break through barriers of exclusion with the introduction of track and field and golf to country clubs, as well as cycling and walking (competitive walking). This in turn led to the growth of women’s athletic clubs, as well as the organization of intramural and intercollegiate athletic competitions for women.
These new opportunities were often met with discrimination and misogyny. Challenges included discrimination based on race, age, religion, and sexuality—it took 48 years for an African-American woman to win an Olympic gold medal! Alice Coachman became known for both her athletic prowess and her activism for civil rights causes, while fighting racial prejudice in the US.
The passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 helped to better integrate women into sports, but there were still many obstacles to overcome. Gender discrimination continued to pose problems for female athletes, while role models for young women who wanted to get involved were rare.
challenge
Even as interest in women’s sports grows, many challenges remain. Gender equality in sports remains an insurmountable obstacle; society often views men as superior to women, and this bias is reflected in the way sporting events are promoted and marketed to consumers.
Gender equality is an issue that affects both athletes and government officials, as gender bias and discrimination can hinder performance levels while discouraging women from seeking leadership roles in sports. Sexism, heterosexualization of sports participation rates can serve as barriers that women must overcome to achieve success in sports.
According to a recent YouGov report, 42% of respondents indicated that watching major events is their preferred method of engaging with women’s sports. But for marketers hoping to drive sustained engagement with female audiences, a different approach may be necessary – for example, focusing on leagues or annual events with more sustainable potential may offer deeper engagement opportunities.
35% of respondents in the same report also highlighted childhood sports participation as an important component in women’s sport involvement, which is very good. But to truly promote women’s involvement in sport in adulthood, it is necessary to open up additional pathways for girls as they grow up; for example, it is necessary to ensure that schools offer physical education classes with adequate sports facilities that allow girls to pursue amateur and professional levels in adulthood.
A cultural shift needs to take place if women’s sport is to be treated on an equal footing with men’s. This involves a shift in television coverage and media influences, moving away from a patriarchal system that privileges men over women and views female athletes as inferior. FIFA should lead this change by providing education on why celebrating and supporting women’s sporting achievements is so essential.
successes
Today, female athletes can be found both on the field and in the boardroom – thanks to both increased success in sports and the efforts of leaders campaigning for greater equality within the industry.
The proverbial glass ceiling has almost completely disintegrated. While it takes courage and dedication to manage a large-scale organization like a professional sports team, women are increasingly occupying leadership positions in industries like sports. We can celebrate the progress that is being made every day!
Athletes, coaches, journalists, and policymakers are pushing for more equitable treatment—not just in sports, but in all aspects of life. These leaders serve as proof of how sport has the power to transform cultures and change lives.
Sports also help children develop resilience. They teach children how to win and lose gracefully, without taking any of their experiences personally; these lessons can then be applied to many aspects of their lives, such as schoolwork, work relationships, or personal friendships.
Many women find that participating in sports helps them have more confidence and self-esteem, as well as being more assertive and able to defend themselves more.
Women’s sports have had an incredible effect on society at large. Studies show that girls who play sports have better academic results and are more likely to graduate from high school than their counterparts who don’t participate. Women-specific sporting events also attract more spectators and sponsors than men ‘men-specific ones, making investing in them a good business practice.
Larry Mann, EVP of Media and Business Development for sports marketing agency rEvolution, noted that until now, advertising dollars have been channeled exclusively to men’s sports, rather than investing more in women’s. Now, however, with the increased attention being drawn to this funding gap and the growing awareness of how to address it, it’s possible that advertisers are finally paying attention and investing more in women’s sports; let’s hope this trend continues!
The future
Although women in sports continue to face the proverbial glass ceiling, progress has been made both on and off the field. This can be seen in the increased seriousness of female athletes; more women pursuing professional sports or coaching careers; and the increased involvement of women in club or league offices or teams.
However, more needs to be done for women’s sports to truly flourish. First and foremost, it’s about effective marketing – the recent surge in interest has seen many brands take notice and seek sponsorship opportunities with women-centric teams and events.
Financially, women’s sport needs increased support. This will require rights holders and brand sponsors to allocate a larger portion of their budgets to promoting it; rights holders could also invest in innovative ways to help women’s sports communities grow, connect and evolve – such as technologies that enable better monetization of fan bases, rather than relying on infrequent social media payments or unpromising sponsorship deals to generate revenue.
There is a growing movement among female athletes to use technology to better monetize their fan bases, rather than relying on pitiful payments from social media platforms or unpredictable sponsorship deals – a growing movement among female athletes to use technology to better monetize their fan bases, rather than relying on pitiful payments from social media or the unreliability or uncertainty of sponsorship deals, or infrequent and uncertain sponsorship deals from unpromising social media platforms or uncertain sponsorship deals, which is underway in terms of financial support from rights holders or brand sponsors who could commit more of their budget to helping women’s sports communities grow, connect and evolve, rather than relying on pitiful payments from social media platforms or sponsorship deals Uncertainty from uncertain sponsors is occurring and there needs to be a commitment from rights holders/brand sponsors to commit more budget for women’s sports communities to grow together and connect and evolve through innovative means, such as this movement of female athletes using technology tools that help monetize fan bases, rather than relying solely on them.
Women’s sports could benefit from adopting a more similar approach to top men’s sports when it comes to marketing and promotional strategy. WPP agencies such as Two Circles and iProspect have recently undertaken efforts to maximize the value of women’s sports while delivering real impact through data, insights and creative solutions that drive fan engagement.
Mindshare recently conducted a study that showed that advertisers are showing increased interest in women’s sports; however, to truly change the situation, publishers need to demonstrate that there is a sizable audience for these games outside of television networks and daily bulletins; doing so will ensure a bright future for women’s sports.
