26-27 LSB SportsWomens Sports (SL).qxp_NEW LSB 2008 GRID 25/09/2023 12:40 Page 1
THE GROWTH OF WOMEN’S SPORT
The successes on the pitch of The Lionesses, the Red Roses and the England Women’s cricket team among others are inspiring both male and female, young and old, and, in turn, creating a major opportunity for the licensing business. Samantha Loveday takes a closer look.
Who run the world?
Inset: The Lionesses’ collaboration with M&S on womenswear was a big hit. Below: The ECB is working with Castore to push forward development in women’s specific playing kit.
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wo examples really brought it home to me over the summer just how the perception of women’s sport has changed. A colleague’s 10 year old daughter becoming hugely invested in the Lionesses and declaring that she wanted her own shirt after watching the final of the FIFA Women’s World Cup. And that playing cricket feels like the most natural thing in the world to my friend’s 11 year old daughter. Not even a train strike could stop her going to Lord’s with her dad to watch a Test Match. For these two girls, their generation is likely to be the first for which women playing football, cricket, rugby or any other sport – professionally or otherwise – is just seen as normal. And this in turn is beginning to have a major impact on the licensing business. “As women’s sport continues to rise in its popularity, we believe more promotional and merchandising opportunities will arise in the licensing industry – more partnerships, more campaigns and more products, in turn resulting in higher retail sales,” says Dan Grant, licensing director at Danilo.
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The Lionesses’ calendar was a new entry at number three in Danilo’s 2022 sports calendar chart, while its personalised greeting cards are also proving popular. In addition to England, Dan says that Danilo has seen increasing sales levels for its Women’s Super League team calendars – so much so that it has expanded the range to include Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur teams for 2024. Chris Beck, licensing manager at England and Wales Cricket Board, says that there has been “much top Above: Danilo is expanding its Women’s Super League team calendars.
LICENSING SPORTS BOOK 2023