The Case for Commercial Investment in Women's Sport
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Prime Time Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation The case for commercial 3rd Floor, Victoria House, Bloomsbury Square, London WC1B 4SE Supported by: Tel: 020 7273 1740 investment in women’s sport Email: [email protected] www.wsff.org.uk Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation Company Limited by Guarantee. Registered in England No. 3075681. Registered charity No. 1060267 Contents 1 Introduction 1. Introduction When the Commission on the Future of Women’s Sport began 2. Executive summary looking at the issue of investment in women’s elite sport in the 3. The case for investment UK in 2009, we asked the question: “Is there genuinely the opportunity to grow this market?”. Based on the research and 3.1 State of play analysis compiled by Havas Sponsorships Insights for this 3.2 The opportunity 3.3 Realising the potential report, it’s clear that the case for investment is compelling. 3.4 Case studies 4. Working with the WSFF The Commission was created by the Women’s As the spotlight of 2012 approaches, the This report is for rights holders, sponsors, Sports and Fitness Foundation (WSFF) to numbers of women playing sport and being broadcasters and government. Using the and the Commission unlock the exceptional potential of women’s active are actually falling, risking a raft of findings, the Commission and the WSFF sport, by bringing together leading figures from immediate and longer-term health, socio- will work closely with them to encourage, Appendices sport, business and the media to address the economic and reputational repercussions. endorse and help realise the benefits of the problems of leadership, investment and profile commercial investment that women’s sport so It’s our conclusion that the acute discrepancy i. Research sources and methodology in the sector. Our first report, Trophy Women? richly deserves. And as we do with leadership in investment levels is not necessarily a made a business case for balanced boards and media coverage in the sector, we’ll report ii. Acknowledgements consequence of deliberate discrimination, but in sport and set a benchmark for the annual annually on the progress we make together. exists for historical reasons: it’s just the way iii. Havas Sponsorship Insights assessment of the representation of women in it’s always been. Women’s sport has been senior roles in the industry. iv. Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation viewed, all too often, as an inferior version Baroness Grey-Thompson DBE v. The Commission on the Future Having started at the top, we now turn our of its male counterpart, supposedly without Chair, Commission on the Future of Women’s Sport attention to the foundations. Investment is a the product, stars, audience or demand July 2010 of Women’s Sport critical issue for the sector. The exceptional from which to generate a sufficient return on gulf between commercial investment in men’s investment. However, as our findings show, and women’s sport is compromising not there’s a valuable audience that believes, only the opportunity for success for our best as we do, that it’s prime time for potential female competitors at home and abroad, but investors to look at what’s a high-quality, the whole existence of a sporting culture for in-demand product in a new and different light. women in the UK. 3 1 2 Executive Summary Working with the WSFF State of play The opportunity Corporate responsibility Realising the potential and the Commission According to UK sports fans, women’s Women’s sport receives in the region of just Women’s sport represents a persuasive In addition, women’s sport is an area of Rights holders, sponsors, broadcasters and The WSFF will work pro-actively with sport is exciting, skilful, internationally half to one per cent of total sponsorship commercial opportunity. It is in demand significant public and government concern, government will realise the potential of the stakeholders to make the recommendations successful and growing faster than men’s. expenditure in the UK. Its share of broadcast with an audience that’s highly attractive to making it prime territory for corporate market by working together, developing innovative in this report a reality; sharing data, insight Some of the best of women’s sport is fees is even less. While it is tempting to sponsors and advertisers, providing incentive responsibility investment and recognition. strategic partnerships to build long-term value, and access to a social movement that will already attracting sizeable audiences assume that these low levels of investment for rights holders and broadcasters to invest in Women’s and girls’ physical activity levels rather than seeking short-term return. influence women’s involvement in sport and and wide media interest, and there is merely reflect what the market’s worth, the developing and televising events: in the UK are critically low and falling, as exercise on a national scale. The Commission Quality, not quantity is paramount. Sports clear demand from sports fans for more. findings of this report tell a different story. men’s and boys’ are rising, with major on the Future of Women’s Sport will report • Viewing figures for the best women’s events fans want to be entertained by exciting events Yet it attracts just a tiny percentage of health, social and economic implications. The annually on progress made by all stakeholders Anecdotally, women’s sport, on the whole, compare very favourably with many men’s and skilful competitors. Rights holders should sponsorship and broadcast expenditure: legacy promises of 2012 are at risk, putting in the market. hasn’t been considered of sufficiently good events work closely and creatively with sponsors hundreds, if not thousands of times less reputations on the line. To invest in women’s quality to command the kinds of audience to and broadcasters to develop the high-quality than men’s sport. • The people watching are predominantly sport is to invest in a national sporting culture make significant and sustained investment television productions that sports fans want male sports fans, who are particularly for women; an investment in the well-being New, independent research and analysis worthwhile. As a consequence, rights holders to see. Sponsors should be selected for their sought-after of not just half of the population, but of the provides strong evidence to suggest that have tended not to prioritise the development ability to promote and build the sport, as well nation as a whole. women’s sport is being overlooked and of women’s events for broadcast and sponsors • Sports fans think women’s sport is as as for their financial contribution. under-valued. There is a compelling case haven’t looked closely at the sector. exciting and skilful as men’s, that our This unique combination of commercial Innovative use should be made of social for increased investment in a market international standing is high and that and corporate responsibility potential makes However, audience numbers, profile and media and community activity. As women’s that’s different to men’s sport; and yet women’s sport in the UK is growing faster women’s sport a different market to men’s, perceptions and the demand for women’s sport grows in visibility, supported by one that offers unique commercial and than men’s requiring a new and different approach. sport indicate that it’s prime time to take a innovative and creative promotion of its events social potential. By taking a new approach fresh look at an emerging market. • Almost two-thirds of sports fans want to and competitors, it will engage new and to a different market and working creatively see more of the best events on television wider audiences, especially women, attracting in partnership, rights holders, sponsors, new sponsors, advertisers and broadcast broadcasters and government stand to • In comparison to men’s sport, the market scheduling. realise a significant return. is uncluttered and rights are far more affordable, providing cost-effective stand-out Government should consider redirecting for brands existing investment to use as “seed-funding” to create high-quality broadcast content, • Women’s sport offers “brand legitimacy” attract new commercial investment and so for progressive sponsors contributing directly grow the market, increasing the overall value to elite success in a growth sector and impact of public funding. • Female competitors lend themselves to creative marketing that will differentiate them and their sponsors and appeal to a new, female audience. 2 3 3 The case for investment 3.1 State of play: a market overlooked Commercial income for sport comes from a As well as the small number of deals, the Top 3 women’s deals Number of reported UK sponsorship 2. Broadcast fees 3. Conclusion number of sources, from broadcast rights and value of the agreements signed for women- The respective broadcast rights fees spent At a conservative estimate, women’s sport is deals 2005-2009 (%) (New Deals/Renewals) sponsorship, to match-day tickets and product only sports was even lower: the three per Sport Property Sponsor Total deal on men’s and women’s sport have not been receiving many hundreds, if not thousands of licensing. The total investment in sport further cent of deals accounted for just 0.4% of all analysed for this report, in part because much times less commercial investment than men’s includes public funding from government, sponsorship revenues. Golf British Open Ricoh £2,287,955 of the data is not publicly available. However, sport. In a commercial market, it is tempting allocated by its representative bodies. This 3 it is likely that the discrepancy between them to conclude that the low levels of investment in The majority of sponsorship income generated Swimming Rebecca Speedo £549,182 report does not seek to value the market as is even more acute than the difference in women’s sport are merely a reflection of what by women’s sport comes from properties Adlington a whole, but to provide an evidence-based sponsorship expenditure.