Women in Sport Levelling the Playing Field Taking Part: Facts on the Ground 6–7

Women in Sport Levelling the playing field Taking part: facts on the ground 6–7 Learning from the best 8–13 Football: not in the shadow of the men’s game 10–11 Rugby: seven pillars for growth 12–13 Tactics for change: positive 14–23 action and good governance The case for progressive clubs 16–19 Positive action will tap true success 20–21 Driving governance change 22–23 Tactics for change: commercial 24–31 leverage, sponsorship and rights A time of opportunity and growth 26–27 You say soccer: a look at the US 28–29 40:40:20 FIFA’s vision for balanced boards 30–31 Conclusion 32–33 Methodology 34 Acknowledgements 34 Sources 35 Foreword Welcome to “Women In Sport – Levelling the playing field” On Boxing Day 1920, 53,000 spectators at Everton’s Julian Pike Goodison Park watched Dick Kerr Ladies FC (from Preston) Partner, Farrer & Co play St Helen’s Ladies. In 1921, the Football Association (The FA) decided the game was unsuitable for women, instituting a ban that held until 1971. While legal restrictions on female participation in sport still remain in place in some countries, almost one hundred years later, we are potentially on the cusp of a quiet revolution. As we look back at this present period, it is hopefully likely that 2019 will be seen as one of the key years in which the movement towards greater equality and inclusion witnessed a significant gear change, the leading event, of course, being FIFA’s Women’s World Cup. London 2012 saw for the first time at an Olympic Games, mass media exposure to Paralympians and their extraordinary feats of athleticism. In recognising their super-human achievements, we acknowledged the power and richness of watching the elite athletic endeavours of diversely skilled and challenged athletes. The 2012 Games undoubtedly will be seen – if they are not already seen – as a catalyst for change which recognised sporting diversity and inclusion. Farrer & Co 3 Foreword If you gave me a governmental wand, I would place a PE instructor in every primary school. Another key milestone, in the UK In particular, women’s rugby is one of In the UK at the end of 2019, we can at least, was the introduction of the the fastest growing sports, not just in see NGBs very largely driving change UK Sports Governance Code in 2016. the UK but internationally, with World in diversity and inclusion at board level, This required sporting national Rugby reporting a 60% increase in themselves driven by regulation, and governing bodies (NGBs) in receipt of participation globally since 2013. governing bodies with their women’s central government funding to meet In this paper, both The FA and the game at the heart of their over-arching a 30% target for both male and female English Rugby Football Union have strategies. But yet, the three major sports board members, or risk losing their very kindly contributed significantly in in this country have left their professional funding unless they were able to justify explaining their thinking and strategies clubs a country-mile behind. why they were unable to do so. to grow their respective women’s games, Our research shows that the Here at Farrer & Co, we aim to with both placing their women’s game professional clubs in football, cricket provide thought leadership on a range at the heart of their organisation’s and rugby remain very, very significantly of issues, including Women in Sport. overall strategies. behind the curve in terms of diverse We recognise that increasing the The importance of this cannot boards with appropriate female influence of women in sport is not only be ignored. As Baroness Campbell membership. Only one Premier League about doing ‘the right thing’, but it is the elegantly explains, “it is about more Club and one Premiership Club meet savvy road to both commercial success than just sporting interest. Sport is able the 30% target, while no Championship and building a legacy. to play a critical role in the wider fight Club or first-class county cricket side The research set out in this paper against obesity and in striving for reaches that milestone. shows that some 72% of NGBs have greater mental health resilience. reached the 30% target, with many of “If you gave me a governmental the others not far off and all of them wand, I would place a PE instructor in working towards either 30% or parity. every primary school. Health, resilience, At the same time, football, rugby and the life-long lessons of teamwork and cricket (ie the three major participation the identification of talent – just four ball sports in this country) have all seen benefits of sporting endeavour – would a surge of interest in their respective be hugely enhanced, saving billions women’s games, and not without while creating similar sums at the considerable on-field success. same time.” 4 Women in Sport – Levelling the playing field “Of the “Big Six”, only four board places out of 35 are occupied by women” Why does any of this matter? The results of our research does not Answer: as much as it is about doing surprise us. The disparity between “the right thing”, the more detailed NGBs and professional clubs was answer is manifold but includes: entirely expected, however stark the numbers. This is not a threat to clubs, • If the governing bodies’ strategies but an opportunity. Those that grasp are to grow the women’s game, the issue the most quickly will make the to make it truly happen the clubs greatest gains. Yes, it will take some time need to be aligned before prize money and pay equals out, • If the sports wish to grow female but that reflects the commercial reality. participation, as they say they do, Indeed, it is possible that there will having more women on the respective not ultimately be absolute equality on boards is fundamental these issues. However, those are the • It is empirically the case that diverse issues that matter more to the headline boards make better decisions, writers; the issues highlighted above Of the “Big Six”, only four board places whether as regards to managing should matter more to sport. out of 35 are occupied by women. Of risk or making an organisation This paper has taken a great deal of the 24 clubs in the Championship, only more profitable energy and input. I am deeply grateful to six have a woman on their board (and • Why would you ignore 50% of your The FA and the RFU for their willingness five of those have only one woman). potential audience and participants? to contribute. Thank you. There is also In cricket, no clubs have reached 20% • The opportunities for significant “Team Farrers”, more than ably assisted female representation, while three clubs economic growth for both sports by the firm’s agency, Farrer Kane. Again, have none. In the Premiership, seven and individual clubs are real: the to you un-named warriors, a genuine clubs have no women, with only entry costs are low; the potential for and heartfelt thank you. Exeter Rugby Chiefs meeting the 30% audience growth is enormous; and threshold, albeit there are no female there are obvious brand alignment directors of its holding company. opportunities, to name but three • Volunteering at all levels remains critical to the success of all sports Amount of clubs that in this country. Mothers, grandmothers meet the 30% target: and sisters play key roles, whether as team managers, drivers, umpires or club and bar managers. Their voices should be represented 1 0 • Today’s female participants (on or Premier County off the field) are tomorrow’s mothers, League Football Cricket of both boys and girls. For the long- term benefit of all sports – male or female – we want and need female participation in sport. It is not just 1 0 dads that hand down the genes Championship Championship and the inspiration Rugby Football • Pure and simple, it is about equal opportunity. Farrer & Co 5 Taking part: facts on the ground The London 2012 Olympics was widely seen as a turning point for women’s sport, promising a “sporting legacy for all”. In all, 17 UK women won a gold medal, a range of factors, and that sport Sport England has made reaching as individuals or as a team, including needs to adjust the way it engages out to women of all backgrounds some of Team GB’s most high-profile with women if it is to remove perceived and ethnicities the focus of this stage. wins. There was extensive media barriers and encourage them to commit The intention is to make the original coverage to match the medal tally. their time. campaign as inclusive as possible. But, despite the new promise One particular aim is to increase for women in sport, the gender Increasing participation participation among women doing “participation gap” persisted; huge gaps More recent figures from Sport England routine, lower-paid work. This group between male and female participation, indicate that its high-profile “This Girl is more than twice as likely to to the tune of two million, were Can” campaign has had a significant be “inactive”. recorded in 2014. impact on the numbers of women In 2015, the “Understanding Women’s participating in sport on a regular Lives” report was published by the basis. In 2016, figures show that 7.2 charity Women in Sport. Drawing on million women now play sport and Sport England figures, it revealed that undertake regular physical activity, 7.1 million women between the ages an increase of 250,000 from when of 14 and 40 want to take part in more the campaign began.

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