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Sports has always been an area where the limelight suffered censor from years on end with the men's sports hogging the key attention whilst the women's sports lurked in its shadows. However, in this age of gender-bias and inevitable discrimination, the face of women sports has surfaced after remaining for innumerable years behind the towering presence of men's sports.
Not only sports, but women have also been making their mark felt in all areas by securing spectacular media deals and being offered equal pay for same work to playing host to record audiences in top sporting arenas whilst conquering new territories with every step they take. The 21st-century woman is a force to reckon with and they indeed have takers even in the field of sports in the current scenario.
A survey undertaken by the newly formed Nielsen Sports research project discovered untapped potential and new commercial opportunities for rights holders, brands and media interested in exploring the domain of women's sports. The Nielsen committee inquired across the main consumer markets of the world which include countries like U.S, U.K, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Australia and New Zealand and established that there is a surge in interest in watching women's sports with 84% of sports fans being attracted to it.
Out of that, 51% of the fans are male which clearly indicate a gender-balanced viewership which ticks all the right boxes for the boom of women's sports.
There is a noticeable hike in the interest level in certain categories of women's sports which have a counterpart in the men's side too. Sports events like the track and field, tennis, triathlon, mixed martial arts and the immensely physical or extreme/action sports reportedly find more takers when it comes to watching women's sports.
The survey also revealed that the general population across the eight key markets of the world have a 45% mass who would consider attending a live women’s sporting event, and 46% said they would be willing to watch more of women's sports had it been widely available across free television. Such statistics expose the hidden potential that the women's sports events pose for interested investors and media giants.
The section that cried out saying they do not possess much interest in women's sports is a glaring 38%. But when probed further, it was found out by the Nielsen committee that the 38% of them have not watched it but "could be interested" in the broadcast which once again showcases the immense potential market for rights holders and other stakeholders to attract the attention of the people who aren't in the habit of viewing women's sports.
The best part about women's sports is that it displays certain attributes which solely stems from the women mass who can identify this category to be more progressive and inspiring. Undoubtedly there are certain features which shed light on the aspect of women's sports which makes it look like less money-driven and rather, more family-oriented and a purer and less corrupt version of sports than men's sports is generally thought of as.
There is an inherent idea that the domain of women's sports possess a sense of sanctity which the men counterparts lack in places. The respondents observe the women's sports as a niche for inspiration including women themselves who view it in high terms.
The Nielsen committee also went the length to enquire how many of those interested in women's sports could name at least one brand associated with it and whopping three-quarters of those interested were successful in naming a brand. What is remarkably noteworthy is that a gigantic 63% of the people believe that brands should not discriminate in putting their money on only men's or women's sports but should invest it equally.
The highly positive statistics worked out by the strenuous efforts of the Nielsen members show that the heyday of women in sports has finally come. With the right kind of marketing and advertising, women sport's can be taken to soaring heights like men's sports have reached.
There would be no looking up admiringly at the men's category of sports which are placed on a pedestal if the women's sports too get the right support and advertising from media giants alike and finds sponsors and interested investors to hike the status of women's sports and place it on the same pedestal that men's sports currently perches on.
(Data source: nielsen.com/Nielsen Sports Women's Sports Research 2018)
