Dream Crazier: The Impact of the Women’s World Cup on the World of Women’s Sports

Brittany Margaret Ammerman, MD, MBS, UNITED STATES Elizabeth Rose Dennis, MD MS, UNITED STATES

ISAKOS Newsletter   Current Perspective 2024   Not yet rated

Introduction

In the wake of the electrifying 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, hosted by Australia and New Zealand, the world witnessed a remarkable surge in the prominence of women’s sports media coverage. The tournament, held on a global stage, not only showcased the exceptional talent and determination of female athletes but also sparked a revolutionary change in how women’s sports are perceived and covered by the media. As the final whistle echoed across stadiums and television screens, it became evident that a seismic shift was underway, propelling women’s sports into the limelight like never before.

In the aftermath of the World Cup, the rise in women’s sports media became an integral part of this transformative journey, breaking barriers, challenging stereotypes, and celebrating the achievements of female athletes on a scale previously unimagined. This newfound momentum ushered in an era in which women athletes are not just athletes; they are icons inspiring generations, and their stories are now being told, heard, and celebrated across diverse media platforms. This surge in women’s sports media after the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 marked a pivotal moment in the history of sports journalism, emphasizing the importance of gender equality and providing a powerful impetus for further progress in the realm of women’s sports.

Where We have Come From and Where We are Today

It is important to note that while women’s soccer has been gaining ground in closing the gender gap, men’s soccer still receives more media attention and higher viewership numbers due to historical, social, and cultural factors.

Certain aspects contribute to this difference in popularity, including investment discrepancies and perceptions of stereotypes, which continue to align with traditional gender roles, pay discrepancy, visibility, cultural norms, and fanbase traditions. With the recent resurgence in the attention paid to female athletes, there has been a concerted effort to support closing this gender gap via increased media coverage, efforts to equalize pay, promoting women’s leagues and tournaments, and challenging gender stereotypes through various advertising campaigns such as Nike’s “Dream Crazier” featuring Serena Williams and “What are Girls Made Of?” as well as one for France’s Women’s World Cup Team that used video editing to showcase how its female athletes were just as spectacular and talented as their male athletes (all readers are encouraged to watch).

France’s Women’s World Cup Team video used video editing to showcase how its female athletes were just as spectacular and talented as their male athletes (all readers are encouraged to watch).

The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup was a blueprint for narrowing this gap. Spain was victorious, defeating England, with Sweden taking Bronze and Australia with their best finish yet in fourth. Over 1.9 million tickets were sold, an increase compared with the 1.13 million tickets that were sold in 2019. The first match of the tournament (New Zealand vs. Norway) had 42,137 fans in attendance, a record for both men’s and women’s soccer attendance in New Zealand. This record was subsequently broken at the 41st match of the tournament (USA vs. Portugal), with 42,958 in attendance.1,4 The semi-final match between England and the Australian women’s team, the Matildas (who beat France to make the semi-finals for the first time), became the most watched television broadcast in Australian history with an average viewership of 7.13 million and peak viewership of 11.3 million viewers.2

At the previous FIFA Women’s World Cup in France, 10 matches across the entire tournament attracted >25,000 spectators. By comparison, during the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup Group Stage, 21 matches surpassed the 25,000 mark. As for viewership across the globe, the digital streaming number for the entire 2019 World Cup tournament was surpassed by Day 14 of the 2023 tournament, welcoming 22 million unique users in that time span.1 This significant trend in increased viewership has been steadily rising over the past 4 years. In 2019, a total of 1.12 billion people globally watched the matches, and the final match attracted 82.18 million viewers, setting a new FIFA Women’s World Cup record, surpassing the 2015 final hosted in Canada.3

In the United States, women’s sports have made significant strides. When analyzing the men’s and women’s soccer teams in the United States, the women’s team has been consistently more successful than the men’s team. The USA Women’s National Team (USWNT) has won four of the nine total FIFA Women’s World Cup tournaments. On the contrary, the USA Men’s National Team has yet to win a World Cup and has gone as far as the semi-finals just once, in 1930. Since 1999, the USA Women’s National Team has been ripe with household names, including Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy, Brandi Chastain, Abby Wambach, Carli Lloyd, Megan Rapinoe, Alex Morgan, just to name a few.

No article reporting a rise in women’s sports attention would be complete without acknowledgement of and respect directed toward the 1999 USA Women’s Soccer Team, known as the “99ers,” who made a profound influence not only on women’s soccer but on all women’s sports. The 99ers increased visibility of women’s sports, inspired a generation, highlighted the gender disparities in sports, attracted record-breaking attendance and viewership, and lead to the first professional women’s soccer league in the USA. The 1999 USA Women’s Soccer Team’s triumph not only transformed women’s soccer but also had a lasting impact on women’s sports, inspiring generations of athletes and contributing to the ongoing progress of gender equality in sports.

In 2019, the USWNT filed a lawsuit against US Soccer for gender discrimination in the workplace and unequal pay; the unequal pay claim was dismissed by the federal judge in 2020, but claims of discriminatory workplace were considered. For reference, at that time, the US Men’s National Team received $5 million for losing in Round 16 at the World Cup; on the contrary, the Women placed 2nd in the World Cup the same year and were awarded just $1.8 million.3 The USWNT appealed the decision in 2022 and the dispute came to an end when US Soccer agreed to a settlement to guarantee equal pay to the men’s team in all friendlies and tournaments. Notably, this discrepancy is not observed in all sports in America. This year’s US Open celebrated 50 years of equal pay for its female and male athletes, achieved by the fierce dedication of Billie Jean King in 1973.

What Still Needs to Be Done and How Can We Achieve This?

Despite this rise in popularity, there remains ample room for growth and increased support of women’s sports nationally and globally. Here are several strategies that can be employed to further promote women’s sports (Fig. 1):

01 10 Policy Advocacy Strategies to Promote Women’s Sports

1. Increased Media Coverage: Media outlets can play a crucial role in promoting women’s sports. Networks and publications should provide consistent and comprehensive coverage of women’s sports, including broadcasting games, sharing athlete profiles, and reporting on women’s sports achievements. This should not occur every 3 or 4 years, conveniently surrounding the World Cup or Olympic Games; instead, this coverage should remain consistent, mirroring that of men’s sports coverage.
2. Equal Pay: Ensuring that female athletes receive equal pay for their accomplishments is vital. This effort requires not only support from sports organizations and sponsors, but also a shift in societal attitudes toward women’s sports. We must continue to build on the foundational work started by the great Billie Jean King.
3. Investment in Marketing and Promotion: Sports organizations and sponsors should invest in marketing and promoting women’s sports events and athletes. This effort should include advertising campaigns, endorsements, and partnerships with popular brands to increase visibility and reach a wider audience. While societal and cultural norms have historically implied that women are not interested in watching sports, perhaps the narrative is that women do not see many athletes in advertisements who look like them and are thus relatable.
4. Youth Development Programs: Investing in youth development programs for girls, including school sports, clubs, and community initiatives, can foster interest and talent from an early age. Providing opportunities for girls to participate in sports helps in building a strong foundation for women’s sports in the future.
5. Role Models and Mentorship: Highlighting successful female athletes as role models can inspire younger generations. Mentorship programs, in which experienced female athletes guide and support aspiring athletes, can provide valuable encouragement and advice.
6. Accessible Facilities: Ensuring that girls and women have access to quality sports facilities, including both school facilities and community sports centers, is crucial. Accessible facilities promote participation and skill development.
7. Education and Awareness: Promoting awareness about women’s sports and their importance in fostering teamwork, leadership, and confidence is essential. Educational programs in schools can help to challenge gender stereotypes and encourage support for women’s sports.
8. Fan Engagement: Creating an engaging fan experience, both in stadiums and online, can enhance the spectatorship of women’s sports. Fan events, interactive experiences, and social media campaigns can help build a passionate fan base.
9. Collaboration with Corporate Partners: Partnering with corporations that support gender equality and women’s empowerment can bring additional resources and visibility to women’s sports initiatives.
10. Policy Advocacy: Advocacy for policies that support women’s sports, such as Title IX and equal opportunities in education, can create a more conducive environment for female athletes at all levels.

By implementing these strategies and fostering a culture that values and supports women’s sports, the global community can continue to promote growth and garner increased support for female athletes and sports organizations.

Conclusion

The trend of increased viewership and media coverage for women’s soccer has been on the rise in recent years, and several factors suggest that this trend is likely to continue. The aforementioned strategies to support women’s sports also will continue to grow viewership and media coverage. While challenges and disparities still exist, the overall trajectory suggests that the momentum for women’s soccer will likely continue and transcend across other women’s sports. This will also positively impact our ability as physicians and surgeons to provide access to state-of-the art care for these female athletes. If there is sustained effort from governing bodies, media outlets, sponsors, and fans to support and promote women’s soccer, it is probable that the trend of increased viewership and media coverage for women’s sports will persist in the coming years. Stay tuned for an updated report in the coming years!

References

1. FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 Group Stage Facts & Figures: https://www.fifa.com/womens-football
2. Goodwin, Sam. Matildas take down Cathy Freeman record in staggering ratings for semi-final. Yahoo Sports. August 16, 2023.
3. Santhanam, Laura. “Data: How does the U.S. women’s soccer team pay compare to the men?”. PBS NewsHour. April 24, 2017.
4. FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019. “Global Broadcast and Audience Report”. FIFA 2019.
5. Carp, Sam & Dixon, Ed. “Attendance Milestones, viewership records and a social media bonanza: The 2023 Women’s World Cup in numbers”. Sports Pro Media. August 24, 2023.

Please note: ISAKOS Newsletter Current Perspectives are not peer-reviewed articles. For peer-reviewed articles, please visit the Journal of ISAKOS at jisakos.com.