DEVELOPMENT OF WOMEN’S SPORT: THE SEGMENT OF THE FRENCH SPORTS ECONOMY WITH THE GREATEST GROWTH POTENTIAL

Women’s sports represent the share of the French sports market with the greatest potential for growth in percentage terms over the next few years.

FANS OF WOMEN’S SPORTS

More than half of sports fans (57%) are fans of women’s sports. Although this represents a significant proportion of the adult population in France (12.8 million, 23% of the adult population), this percentage remains relatively low compared to countries where the growth of women’s sport is more advanced. In the UK, the proportion of sports fans who are also female sports fans is 67% according to a study by Two Circles.

“ For the Games, parity in the participation of athletes is only a first step. Now, it is necessary to seek to adapt competitions, with more events of female sport in prime time. For Paris 2024, this means reversing the times of the women’s and men’s soccer final, or the start of the marathon, so that women finish just before the closing of the Games. These are actions being developed between Paris 2024, the broadcaster and the international federations.”

MARIE BARSACQ Executive Director, Impact and Legacy Paris 2024

HOW SPORTS FANS BECAME FANS OF WOMEN’S SPORTS

The coming decade represents a unique opportunity for the development of women’s sports in France.

With its commercial potential still largely untapped, women’s sport represents the share of the French sports market with the greatest potential for growth in percentage terms over the next few years.

Indeed, Two Circles forecasts a considerable growth for women’s sports in France over the next 10 years, with revenues increasing by an average of 8% per year (excluding the year Paris 2024) to reach €842 million in 2032, compared to €407 million estimated in 2022

The number of female sports fans has now reached more than 12.8 million, or slightly more than one in two. However, while the number of male sports fans is only about 30% higher than the number of female sports fans, the amount of revenue generated by top-level male sports is almost ten times higher than that of female sports.

The next few years will see a narrowing of the revenue gap between women’s and men’s high performance sport as organisations spend more time and resources marketing what makes women’s sport unique, whether to fans, media or sponsors.

REVENUE OF WOMEN’S SPORTS IN FRANCE

It should reach

Two Circles expects revenue from women’s sport to increase by 107% over the next ten years (compared to 2% between 2016 and 2021), driven by rights holders’ investment in development, as well as new initiatives that convert interest into business opportunities.

IN THIS SECTION:

Television coverage and the Olympic and Paralympic Games are the main reasons people say they became fans of women’s sports. The Games, which are broadcast free to air, feature female athletes to a wide audience every two years considerably impact growing the profile of athletes and sports.

When it comes to attending sporting events, almost half of fans of women’s sports say they go with their families. Careful consideration and a more targeted approach is therefore required to develop a tailored eventday experience that is both rewarding and specific to the sport in question.

• Strategic recommendations for the development of women’s sports in France: General, Sponsorship, Media coverage, Eventday

• Case study Zwift - title partner of the Tour de France Women

• Case study: The implementation of a “Big Games” strategy that will lead to a significant increase in the average attendance of the Women’s Super League and the FrauenBundesliga during the first half of the 2022/23 season.

• Testimonials: Marie Barsacq (Executive Director Impact and Legacy, Paris 2024); François Vasseur (Marketing & Commercial Director, Fédération Française de Football); Kate Verroneau (Director of Women’s Strategy, Zwift)