September 28: One of the highlights of last week’s Soccerex conference and exhibition show at Miami’s Nu Stadium was a panel titled “The Business Power of the Women’s Game.”
An engaged panel was matched by the energy of an enthusiastic audience that showed exactly why there is so much buzz around the opportunity for the women’s game and propelled it to the next stage of its commercial opportunity. But it was also understood that this will not happen overnight.
Heidi Pellerano, Concacaf’s Chief Commercial Officer, highlighted that the commercial conversation for the women’s game has been different to the men’s game, and much more about emphasizing to sponsors how they can be a difference maker and how that translates into action.
“We spent time thinking about who we wanted our partners to be and our brand. Our Women’s Gold Cup would not be part of our Men’s Gold Cup. We decided we would prioritize partnerships and ended up exceeding our budget expectations by 60%,” said Pellerano.
Her point was echoed by Amanda Vandervort, former chief executive of the Gainsbridge Super League who has now gone out on her own, saying: “With the Gainsbridge Super League we are growing spaces for women, and it is up to women to make those spaces.
“We understand the environment of women’s soccer and make sure female players have a decent wage, healthcare and housing. We also make sure the player experience is positive and create a product that will keep fans coming back again and again,” she continued.
“There’s a misconception that fans of men’s teams become fans of women’s teams. With the NWSL and WNBA we’ve seen women follow other sports and stories. Data is important, but building a relationship with our consumers is the most important thing.”
The idea that growing the women’s game requires a different approach to business opportunity than the men’s game, as well as a clear understanding of identity and fan base, was common among all panelists.
Brighton and Hove chief executive Paul Barber, who is leading the $100m project to build a women’s stadium opposite the club’s main AMEX stadium where the men’s Premier League team play, said it required different thinking and a different approach.
“We’re doing it because we think it’s the right thing to do. We think it would be crazy to ignore 50% of the population. We see the potential for growth in the women’s game… The women’s game from the pitch to the locker room to the food and drink is very different. It’s an exciting opportunity in a sports market that’s saturated in some places. It’s not about being bigger and the best opportunities we have to grow our sport,” she said.
Everything is linked to the idea of creating an identity and understanding what the values of the club and the business are.
Alessandra Nencioni, general manager of Napoli Women, which operates independently from the Napoli men’s club, said: “It’s a great opportunity to create our own identity and our own values. Who we are, what we want to do and what we want to achieve. So we are La Napoli, we’re starting to create value and we’re talking about community.”
The positivity in the room was exciting, and while Barber emphasized that confidence will make it happen, there was an underlying realism that patience is needed along with change.
“Women are in a catch 22 situation,” Pellerano said. “It’s not the biggest audience and the sponsors aren’t in prime time. It took 30 years for the WNBA. The women’s game has to be in the spotlight to be successful. It needs the right audience at the right time with the right support.”
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