{"id":5422,"date":"2019-08-08T06:06:11","date_gmt":"2019-08-08T06:06:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vue.ai\/blog\/?p=5422"},"modified":"2024-08-12T10:24:38","modified_gmt":"2024-08-12T04:54:38","slug":"sports-brands-investing-in-women","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vue.ai\/blog\/trends-and-analysis\/sports-brands-investing-in-women\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Global Sports Brands Are Finally Investing In Women"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading Time: <\/span> 7<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>

Nielsen\u2019s ‘The Rise of Women\u2019s Sports’\u00a0<\/span>report<\/span><\/a> shattered several preconceived ideas held against women\u2019s sports. The study revealed that 84% of the general sports fans are interested in watching women on the field; 51% of these fans were men from key demographics like US, UK, Australia, France, Italy, Germany, and Spain.\u00a0The lack of coverage of female sports tournaments, lesser airtime given to female athletes, pay disparity and the limited women sportswear\/sports good portfolio was often justified by presenting an argument that fans have less interest in women\u2019s sports. The report negated all those notions.<\/span><\/p>\n

Another interesting statistic that the study disclosed was that 63% of respondents want brands to invest in both women\u2019s and men\u2019s sports.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Source: The Nielson Company<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This highlights two things:<\/span><\/p>\n

One \u2013 women\u2019s sports engagement is meteorically rising. <\/span><\/p>\n

Two \u2013 this is an unexplored and overlooked consumer market, which is waiting to explode.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The sports world and the consumer industry built around it have been dominated by men for a long time. From a brand\u2019s perspective, the main narrative was always driven by male athletes, be it million dollar sponsorships, marketing campaigns, product collaborations or social awareness activations.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But in the last few years, the sports industry has changed for the better. People have realized that these prejudices were able to thrive due to lack of data and opportunities. As soon as fans found an outlet to express their opinion, the opportunities opened up. Today, Serena Williams is as powerful as Roger Federer. And the crowd cheers as loudly for Simone Biles as they do for Colin Kaepernick.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Georgie Hodge, Head of Women\u2019s Football at Base Soccer Agency <\/span>affirmed<\/span><\/a>, \u201cInterest in women\u2019s sport either as a participant or a spectator is increasing globally and this trend will only continue. It\u2019s fast becoming the battleground for sponsors to reach a growing audience of significant scale, and there is no reason that it cannot be seen in the same lens as the money spent within the makeup industry.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

As the audience has let the media and brands know about their interest, sports retailers are moving fast and redefining their business goals by massively investing in women\u2019s sports and women consumers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Like Nike did during the 2019\u2019s FIFA Women\u2019s World Cup.<\/span><\/p>\n

Breaking Every Glass Ceiling<\/b><\/h2>\n

Megan Rapinoe\u2019s <\/span>outstretched arms pose<\/span><\/a> after scoring a goal at the FIFA Women\u2019s World Cup would be remembered as one of the most iconic images of 2019 in sports history. Nike celebrated Rapinoe and her team\u2019s victory in <\/span>an inspiring ad<\/span><\/a>. But the company\u2019s contribution didn\u2019t end with the 1-minute spot.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Source: Vogue<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In 2019, Nike sponsored not one but 14 out of 24 teams that participated in the FIFA World Cup. This included the winning team of the United States and the other two semi-finalists. The Nike \u2018swoosh\u2019 dominated the entire tournament.<\/span><\/p>\n

The end result?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The white jersey worn by the US women\u2019s football team became the <\/span>bestselling football jersey<\/span><\/a> on Nike\u2019s online site in one season. It surpassed the sales figure of men\u2019s team football jersey for 2019. The company recorded a 200% increase in jersey sales across all teams, as compared to the 2015 Women\u2019s World Cup season. Nike\u2019s football apparel section for teams such as China, Brazil, Nigeria, and Chile also witnessed a surge in traffic.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The positive effect of the World Cup win and Nike\u2019s association with the women players spilled over the company\u2019s revenue.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe can feel the World Cup\u2019s energy and impact throughout our growing women\u2019s business. We\u2019re ecstatic about how this summer has contributed to the acceleration of our women\u2019s offense at Nike\u201d, <\/span>shared<\/span><\/a> Rosemary St. Clair, Vice President of Nike Women division.<\/span><\/p>\n

She also <\/span>revealed<\/span><\/a> how it has not only sparked a wave of global attention towards their campaigns but their national team kits, <\/span>lifestyle products<\/span><\/a>,<\/span> and high-performance bras are selling out. Nike\u2019s social media mentions after the ad <\/span>increased<\/span><\/a> by 470%.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to the company\u2019s Fiscal 2019 Fourth Quarter <\/span>report<\/span>, its revenue increased by 4% to $10.2 billion. The revenue generated by Nike Brand\u2019s women\u2019s business also increased by 7%. One of the factors that led to this growth was the sports retailer\u2019s renewed focus on the women\u2019s category. The groundwork for this transition started a few years back. But the results are now visible with all the buzz around the World Cup win and Rapinoe\u2019s personality.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt’s hard to overstate how important this year has been to the evolution of the women’s offense at NIKE. The business grew double digits in fiscal \u201919, accelerating in the back half of the year. Our momentum in women’s a great example of how our renewed focus is really moving the needle through thoughtful designs, powerful brand messages, and digitally led distribution,\u201d <\/span>asserted<\/span><\/a> Nike\u2019s CEO Mark Parker during the Q4 2019 Earnings Conference Call.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Nike is joined by other prominent retailers like Adidas, and Under Armour that is now working on dedicated strategies to grow their women\u2019s business.<\/span><\/p>\n

Engaging With Women Without Any Filter<\/b><\/h2>\n

Investing in women\u2019s business is no longer a token initiative to win brownie points for inclusivity. Sports brands and retailers understand that it is a lucrative marketplace that is commercially viable in the long run. This shift in perspective is visible as soon as you <\/span>walk into the stores<\/span> of Adidas, Under Armour, Nike and other brands.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

From plus-size female mannequins to breaking gender barriers, from theatrical design labs to inspiring displays, sports retailers are making sure that every inch of their offline and online shopping experience represents their commitment to women in the most seamless manner.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Sports retailers also recognize that in order to crack open the women\u2019s athletic retail industry, they will have to start investing at the grassroots level and address the core issues related to visibility, pay disparity, access, and prejudices. By changing the mindset or at least attempting to, brands will be able to productively engage with the new target audience.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adidas has taken a great step in this direction by launching its global initiative \u2018She Breaks Barriers\u2019. Under this program, the Germany-based retailer plans to remove the roadblocks that stop girls and female athletes from reaching their full potential.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe believe that through sports, we have the power to change lives. For us, it\u2019s about providing better access, removing gender stereotypes, and creating visibility. By inspiring and empowering girls to play sports, providing equal access, and increasing visibility in the media, there are several stereotypes that we can help break down,\u201d <\/span>shared<\/span><\/a> Nicole Vollebregt, Senior Vice President of Global Purpose at Adidas.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n