Women's sport revenues tipped to break $1 billion barrier

Fresh from a highly successful 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, soccer's revenue is expected to reach $555 million

Strange that.

I was told on here that nobody is interested in women’s football. Something about woke and friendly games against male youth teams.

Must have been the media they consumed. Hope they’ve moved on from this.

Not the WNBA.

Sounds like a case of pass the hot potato to me. I wonder who will get burned.

But more than 50 percent of total revenue for women's sport is still generated in North America despite the growth of women's soccer in Europe.

The booming popularity of women's sport is expected to lead to more prime-time broadcasting slots and visibility on streaming platforms.

Commercial income still accounts for more than 50 percent of total revenue, but that percentage share is falling thanks to bigger broadcast deals and attendances on match days.

They know where the support is

The recent finals for the WNBA and NWSL bear it out

"2023 WNBA Finals nets highest TV viewership in 20 years on ESPN"

https://www.sportspromedia.com/news/wnba-finals-2023-tv-audience-viewership-ratings-espn/

Each game averaged 728k viewers and audiences increased by 36% on last year's finals. The Las Vegas Aces’ series-clinching game four win was watched by an average audience of 889,000 viewers, becoming the most watched WNBA Finals game four on record. The game’s viewership peaked at 1.3 million

"WNBA ratings highest in decades as crowds also climb"

https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/38407231/wnba-ratings-highest-decades-crowds-climb

The WNBA once again had strong metrics this year as the league had its most-watched regular season in 21 years and its highest average attendance since 2018. Viewership was up 21% over last year across its national television partners

"Big-time NWSL championship a sign of where the league can go"

https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/38884681/big-nwsl-championship-sign-where-league-go

Saturday's NWSL championship aired in prime time on broadcast television. It featured a two-hour pregame show and that included multiple on-site talent crews. The NWSL has certainly come a long way in its 10 seasons of existence.

"Look around," OL Reign midfielder Jess Fishlock told reporters on Thursday, taking a breath to let the setting sink in. Fishlock and her teammates -- along with players from NWSL championship opponent NJ/NY Gotham FC -- sat at tables throughout an NWSL media day event in a swanky downtown San Diego venue to speak with dozens of national media members about the league's marquee end-cap to the season.

The bright orange and purple hues of the 2023 NWSL championship branding evoked the feel of a Super Bowl-lite and popped in contrast to the venue's modern rustic theme. Cameras from local and national outlets joined several in-house league content teams to capture moments both serious and (mostly) silly.

Earlier Thursday, NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman sat beside executives from four different major media entities to announce a new, four-year media rights deal worth a combined $60 million per year. Starting next year, ESPN/ABC, CBS, Prime Sports, and ION will combine to broadcast over 100 games to national audiences. This for a league that launched 10 years ago with unreliable livestreams on YouTube that often matched high-school sports production levels.

Global revenues from women's sport will top $1 billion for the first time in 2024 

soccer's revenue is expected to reach $555 million out of a total predicted figure of $1.28 billion in 2024.

All projections, not to say it's invalid.