The moment is now. For sponsors, for investors, for fans...this is the moment to lean into women's soccer. But women's soccer is not just having a moment. It's the present and the future, on course for a meteoric rise.
A joint report released by Nielsen and PepsiCo stated that with a predicted 38% growth in its global fan base by 2030, women's soccer has the potential to enter the top 5 sports globally, getting cozy with sports like tennis and motorsport (F1) up in the rarified air at the top.
Women's soccer boasts a unique fan base featuring a nearly 50/50 gender split with women expecting to take over the majority at 60% by 2030.
Fans also skew young and affluent with a knack for social media, a love of entertainment, and a passion for advocacy. For brands looking to sponsor the sport, that's the dream. An audience as invested as they are in growing the sport in new and creative ways, with the tools to make it happen.
Think Gotham FC's Midge Purce making her Broadway debut in Chicago. A surprising but brilliant crossover to pull in a large fan base that shares the joy of entertainment and the financial means to experience that joy.
Or Angel City FC gifting their fans shirts that read "Immigrant City Football Club" and "Los Angeles is for everyone/Los Ángeles es para todos," marking the club as leaders in the pursuit of social justice and change. A powerful and important statement in today's climate, and one that gets them in front of the media.
Nielsen and PepsiCo identified where growth will begin
In the United States, the national team is increasingly ethnically diverse (more accurately reflecting the makeup of the country), young, and wildly successful. It's the perfect recipe for inspiring the country's youth.
As Nielsen and PepsiCo point out in their report, if you've played the sport, you're 26% more liekly to become a fan. The more grassroots efforts, the bigger the talent pool of players at the highestt level and the larger the fan base.
Women supporting women, large companies putting their money where their mouth is, a seismic cultural shift...I'm excited, are you excited?