Sport is a national pastime, and whether you are a fan of football, basketball, soccer or even golf, you will have seen that successful women in sports are on the rise – from top class gymnasts to international tennis champions, female sports are on the rise.
Some of the biggest names in sport today are women, from Serena and Venus Williams in tennis to Paige VanZant and Ronda Rousey in UFC. There are more opportunities for women in sport – and with the growth of viewership and sponsorship, the interest in female sports is growing year on year.
As sports betting popularity increases in the US, many punters are betting on a variety of sports including female sports. If you decide you want to play a wager on female sporting events with a provider like Fanatics Sportsbook NY, then you have lots of choice. Choose to support the excellent Simone Biles in gymnastics, or Mia Hamm and Alex Morgan in soccer. How about Danica Patrick, the famous Indy car driver – who also happens to be a woman?
History of women in sport
Historically, women in sports have been massively underrepresented in the media, with athletes that could be said to be better than their male counterparts – a glace at the success of the women’s soccer team in comparison with the men in the World Cup should be enough to prove that.
The issue of women in sports has long been contentious for many, and even the prestigious Olympic Games did not allow women to compete at all until 1900. There were 22 women (out of a total of 997 athletes) and they competed in golf, equestrianism, sailing, tennis, and croquet. However, it wasn’t until the 2012 Games that women were allowed to compete in every event. At the last Olympic Games in 2020, 48.7% of participants were female.
Attitude shift
This is a global issue that has changed massively within the last decade and a half or so – and there are several reasons why it is changing – not least because thanks to equality and opportunities, girls and women are able to access different sports and training.
In 2010, a survey revealed that 61% of sports fans would be more inclined to follow women’s sports if it was more readily available – and that is reflected in the fact that between 2005 and 2009, women’s sport in the UK attracted just 0.4% of sponsorship in sports – there was no interest in sponsoring teams or individuals that were just not featured in the media.
Sticking with the UK – although the figures are similar throughout the Western world – viewing figures for women’s sports have seen a 131% increase year on year. Before the Women’s World Cup in 2019, only 34% of the global population said that they were excited for the competition, but by 2023 that had grown to 41% – and interest in tickets for the event have meant that the hosts Australia and New Zealand have had to change their chosen venues to accommodate all the people who want to see the matches.
Moving away from soccer, let’s take a brief look at tennis. The US Open in 2019 was the first time that the women’s final had a higher viewership than the men’s; whether that was because the women’s final had a US player in it or because the tennis was better is up for discussion, but it is a great statistic considering that women’s grand slam tennis events typically get 41% less coverage than the equivalent men’s games.
22% of the US population have said that there is not enough information available on women’s sport even today – and this is supported when you consider basketball coverage. ESPN SportsCenter offers an average of 91 seconds of coverage for the WNBA, but 266 seconds for the NBA. The 2023 NCAA women’s tournament had 10 million viewers for the final – an increase e of 103% from the previous year – so there is plenty of interest even at the college level for professional female sports. Let’s not forget that despite the WNBA bringing in more profit and increasing viewership year on year, players are paid significantly less than their male counterparts.
Women in sport opportunities
The opportunities for women have never been better – and they can only improve further as more and more people get involved in watching coverage, attending games, and supporting the female athletes. The positive impact that representation has in the media will ensure that the next generation of players – both male and female – will have better access to training and support, and their talent will be allowed to flourish.
This might be down to public interest, but we need to remember that sponsorship is an important measure of success in sports – and the women’s teams are developing there too. In the next decade we could see women’s sports outgrowing the men’s teams – more exciting games, stronger performances, and athletes who should be paid at least as much as their male counterparts, especially when they are so much more successful.
