Dear Media’s Post

The record breaking #2024 WNBA (Women's National Basketball Association) season is worth celebrating, but what took it so long to get here? 🏀 Let’s be clear: 👉🏼The league's competitive spirit has always been fierce 🔥 👉🏼The players have always had charisma and personality, both on and off the court 😎 👉🏼The intense team rivalries? They were just as captivating years ago as they are today 🥷🏼 👉🏼The quality of the product hasn’t changed—it was outstanding then, and it remains outstanding now 😍 So, what held back the #WNBA's success for so long? 💪🏼A lack of confidence from rightsholders: The hesitance to invest in women's sports often stemmed from outdated stereotypes about marketability and profitability. Rightsholders were slow to acknowledge that the #WNBA offered an equally, compelling sports narrative, like the many male-dominated leagues. This skepticism resulted in missed opportunities for growth and revenue 🗣️A lack of vision from brands: Too many brands failed to recognize the value of aligning with a league that had all the right ingredients for fan engagement and brand loyalty. Their focus was often limited to traditional sports markets, ignoring the potential of an eager and underserved audience 📊So, what changed? The solution lay in the presence of precise, actionable #data tailored to #women’s #sports and its fanbase. With metrics that truly captured the #WNBA's value—as well as that of key players like Caitlin #Clark and Angel #Reese — brands and broadcasters finally had a clear roadmap for effective investment. This data-driven insight gave brands the confidence to commit and helped rightsholders see the league’s untapped potential. Hoping this new era of women's sports continues to drive by foresight and informed action, not by the hesitation that held it back in the past. https://lnkd.in/e5es5SBg Fearless Women WNBA (Women's National Basketball Association) @nba Sports Innovation Lab SportsPro Just Women's Sports #sportsbusiness #womenssports #womensbasketball #trends #2024

The attitude around women's sports has drastically shifted from a narrative of "the right thing to do" to "we must invest in" properties. Look no further than Women's College Basketball Final 4, the recent numbers around the WNBA (Women's National Basketball Association) draft, and the huge increases in franchise valuations in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). These properties are serious growth businesses. Think of it as an early "tech boom" for sports. This growth is also seen globally. The Women's World Cup, the England Lionesses, FC Barcelona Women, Chelsea and Arsenal, and the Women's UEFA Champions League. Women's Football is a massive growth business in Europe. The market cap is unknown. The sky is the limit. Nikki Doucet was the guest on the SportsPro Live podcast. Nikki is the CEO of NewCo who has taken over operations of the WSL in the UK. This interview is massively informative and eye opening around the unlimited growth potential for the WSL and the strategies and leadership needed to accelerate that growth. Sports Business Classes - - Listen to this episode. How is the situation in the WSL similar to other women's sports leagues? Where does it differ? Explain Nikki's obsession with the "consumer" and understanding the three core consumer groups and how to serve them? Which consumer group shows the largest growth potential? How would you cater to that group to spur on growth? University of Oregon Lundquist College of Business Fox School of Business at Temple University Temple University's School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management The University of Iowa Tippie College of Business UCLA Anderson School of Management The Premier League National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) WNBA (Women's National Basketball Association) Jesuit High School Portland Beaverton School District TOGETHXR #sportsbusiness #womenssports #sportsmarketing #sportsmanagement #sportsbizprof #everyonewatcheswomenssports

Will be watching for the men’s number later on Tuesday - but a few observations: -the women’s game was historic but might not reach those heights again for a while. Generational players vs. potentially generational, undefeated team. Lightning in a bottle. - you can bet CBS and Turner (Turner Broadcasting System, Inc) will be taking a look at these numbers SINCE the women’s Final Four shifted to Friday/Sunday and, most importantly, put the final on a broadcast channel vs. the rotation that made this year’s men’s semi-finals a cable-exclusive. Does this model work in an age of cord-cutting? - Finally, will the NCAA relent on either a day or time change for the final? The 9:20+ tip off EDT made sense in a pre-streaming era, but I wonder if west coast viewership would really drop much with an earlier start?

Women's sports have been gaining momentum in media coverage, competition, and social buzz over the last few years. A recent study by NRG found that viewers are watching more women's sports than they used to. Here are some key findings from the study: - 41% of viewers are watching more women's sports because more of them are being broadcasted. - 38% find women's sports more entertaining or competitive than before. - 37% have learned more about a specific female athlete. - 32% of viewers are noticing more press and attention around women's sports. - 25% of viewers are talking about women's sports more on social media. With the WNBA season starting soon, women's college softball championships this summer, and the Olympics, there are plenty of opportunities for advertisers to align with women's sports on Spectrum networks. Let's continue to support and celebrate the growth of women's sports! #WomensSports #WNBA #Softball #Olympics #SpectrumNetworks

Women's sports are currently experiencing an unprecedented surge in visibility and recognition, marking a significant turning point in the sports landscape. This momentum is exemplified by record-breaking viewership for events like the NCAA women's basketball championship, which attracted more viewers than the men's final for the first time in history. More recently, the National Women’s Soccer League has broken attendance records this season and nearly doubled its national TV audience, while the WNBA’s regular season ratings hit a twenty-four-year high. This panel will explore the massive boost in women’s sports audiences and attention and look at the necessary next steps to continue growing this momentum. Attend Summit: https://bit.ly/4dHHHZ7 #PaleySummit #WomensSports #WNBA

Our client Athletes.org is a fast-growing players association for college athletes.  Not quite 14 months old, it already has 3,200+ athletes who are members. Athletes.org was also referenced in the House v NCAA settlement motion for approval, where the plaintiffs attorneys wrote: "Class Counsel will call upon established college player advocacy organizations to provide input on the views of class members, including from Athletes.Org led by Jim Cavale..." Jim appeared on the Bloomberg Business of Sports Podcast to discuss House v. NCAA, why college athletes need representation, NIL-related issues, and more. #sportsbiz #sports #sportsindustry #sportsbusiness #media #news #mediarelations #podcasts #revenue #labor #money #finance #sportsmarketing #consulting #communications #linkedinsports #strategiccommunications #collegesanduniversities #NIL https://lnkd.in/gjfYtYx6

For those interested in macro trends and the future of women’s (and applicable to all) sports, I highly recommend this episode of The Female Athlete Project with futurist Reanna Browne. https://lnkd.in/guEB4H6n

Ahead of the NWSL Championship, I had the pleasure of securing an interview for 2x World Cup winner and women's sports media entrepreneur Christen Press with Sports Illustrated! Having a background working in sports myself, amplifying the voices of women who are breaking new ground in both athletics and sports media is something I’m deeply passionate about. Christen’s impact, both on and off the field, is a perfect example of why these narratives matter. Check the article out here: https://lnkd.in/gYnnCidi

2.4 million viewers watched the record-breaking WNBA (Women's National Basketball Association), marking a 307% increase from the previous year. The week before, the NCAA Women's Basketball final drew 18.7 million viewers, establishing a new record as the most-watched women's basketball game and the second-highest basketball viewership after the Men's NCAA Final in 2019. Mediaprobe analyzed the game and found that the 2024 Women's NCAA Final had an Emotional Impact Score (EIS) of 613. The game attracted a large audience and kept viewers engaged. It exceeded Mediaprobe's US TV sports broadcasts benchmark by 20% and outperformed all basketball telecasts, including professional games, by 24%. The Women's NCAA Basketball Final isn't the only event showcasing the growing popularity of women's sports. The FIFA Women's World Cup broke viewership records last year in the US, Portugal, and the UK, highlighting a trend seen across various sports and markets: women's sports are engaging viewers! Broadcasters are increasing live coverage of women's sports, leading to higher viewership and engagement. Athletes are benefiting from this trend, with a 22% year-over-year growth in sponsorships in 2023. This shift reflects the growing popularity of women's sports and changes in the sports industry, emphasizing the positive impact of promoting and supporting female athletes. As the Summer Olympics approach, brands and broadcasters need to focus on women's emotional connection to sports to pinpoint potential sponsorship opportunities. Recognizing the strong bond female audiences have with sports will help organizations create effective marketing strategies that boost their brand and enhance the exposure of women's sports.

Even with a 4% increase from last year's game, the NCAA men's basketball championship game, for the first time, falls behind the nearly 19M who viewed Sunday's women's championship game. The women's viewership audience was greater than many recent top-tier live sporting events, including every game of the 2023 World Series and 2023 NBA Finals, as well as last year's men's NCAA Basketball championship game. In case you're wondering about how the ratings impact revenue, the NCAA's television contract with ESPN to broadcast the championship events in 40 college sports, including women's basketball, won't expire until 2032. That deal is worth $115M a year and must be shared among all the sports, although women's basketball generates the most revenue and will get the largest slice of the pie. Meanwhile, the NCAA sold the television rights to the men's basketball championship separately from the other sports. The deal for men's college basketball is worth more than $1.1B annually and also goes through 2032. #womenssports #womeninsports #business #revenue #TV #money