As the build up to the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 gets in full swing, brands are being urged to wake up to the opportunity offered by the rise of the female game, which not only avoids the tribalism of the men’s sport but has huge mass consumer reach.
So says a new study by tech-led digital marketing agency Fifty.io which reveals the rapidly growing audience for women’s football is far different to those who watch the men’s game with important implications for key stakeholders, including the FA, the clubs, the media and brand sponsors, including Budweiser (pictured).
The research studied more than 10 million anonymous adults in the UK who registered interest in women’s football through either posting or interacting with content about the Lionesses and Women’s Super League and those who did the same about men’s football.
It found that men’s football audience groups are fragmented and deeply divided by club clans – with 80% of the audience of the men’s game defined as hardcore football fans. In contrast, the audience for women’s football is made up of far bigger, mass consumer groups. This means campaigns with specific clubs and players are unlikely to ostracise fans of other teams.
The study suggests the need for a rethink about marketing and communications designed to grow the women’s game as well as the opportunities for sponsorship.
The core audiences for women’s football were identified as ‘Sporty Professional Parents’, making up 27.5% of the audience, followed closely by ‘Sports Entertainment Fans’ at 21.5% with key interests in football, music, gaming, TV and social media.
Other audience segments include ‘Modern Mums’ (9.2%), ‘Trendy Gen Zers’ (8.4%), ‘Sports Journalists’ (7.6%), ‘Grassroots Footballers’ (7.6%) and ‘Sports Participants’ (5%).
Fifty’s research found that only 38% of the Lionesses fan base were women. And ‘Sporty Professional Parents’ only made up 5.4% of men’s football audiences, compared to 27.5% (the majority) of women’s football audiences.
The report states: “Women’s sport garners far more positive sentiment than men’s sport. This culture of positivity offers huge value to brands and sponsors to build communities & drive positive social outcomes.
“It already has enormous reach across its social channels, outstripping a variety of men’s challenger sports. And, while the audience for the women’s game aren’t all female, there are far more women engaged with it than with men’s football.”
“Women’s football has a positive, vibrant culture that is a far cry from the entrenched tribalism of men’s football. And to top it all off… it’s growing… fast.”
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