Being that 2023 is a year jammed packed with sport, we thought it would be rude not to highlight some of the sports that are riding high and will continue to see growth and success throughout 2023.
The only way to kick off this series of blogs is with women’s football which has grown exponentially across the globe at a rate never seen before. This growth provides endless opportunities for athletes, clubs, FIFA and football in general.
2023 Events
Following the historic victory, which was seen by a peak broadcast audience of 17.4 million people on BBC One, league attendances in the Barclays Women’s Super League and Barclays Women’s Championship broke records. This year should continue to provide entertainment for football fans and with the FA Cup and the World Cup, we won’t be short of things to watch.
The World Cup will see 32 teams travel to Australia and New Zealand to fight for the title. The two previous tournaments only saw 24 teams compete demonstrating once again the extraordinary growth. This event will be another historic occasion for women’s football that is already generating enormous enthusiasm, and maybe record-breaking viewership will follow.
The Vitality Women’s FA Cup will also feature the most amount clubs in the 2022-2023 tournament with a total of 439. The tournament began in September and the final teams will play off at Wembley Stadium on Sunday 14th May 2023. As the interest in women’s football has increased significantly over the past decade, the decision was made in 2015 to permanently move the final to Wembley Stadium. To support the further growth of the sport, the prize fund for the FA Cup has been increased from this season, these funds will be distributed across all rounds of the competition. This provides greater investment in both professional and grassroots football.
Commercial Growth
Prior to the 2021/22 season, the Football Association announced a historic three-year deal with Sky Sports and the BBC for the broadcast rights to the Women’s Super League (WSL). With a value of £8 million per year, it grew to be the biggest broadcast arrangement of any professional women’s football league in the world and acted as a catalyst for the growth of the sport.
Women’s football clubs have claimed a 33% increase in commercial revenue year on year, showing increasing sponsorship interest. In addition to this, 77% of leagues reportedly have a title sponsor, increasing from 11% in 2021. These figures look promising for the future, particularly in the months leading up to the Women’s World Cup, the commercial opportunities ought to significantly increase.
At Nifty, we’re always looking at commercial value in sports and how clubs and organisations can increase their opportunities. If you’re looking to expand your commercials or want to start unlocking revenue through social media platforms get in touch today hello@niftycomm.com.
Be sure to watch out for the rest of the blog series too.
