{"id":9877,"date":"2023-08-17T15:34:41","date_gmt":"2023-08-17T15:34:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mysourcefunding.com\/marketing\/after-the-womens-world-cup-whats-next-for-brands-in-womens-sports\/"},"modified":"2023-08-17T15:34:42","modified_gmt":"2023-08-17T15:34:42","slug":"after-the-womens-world-cup-whats-next-for-brands-in-womens-sports","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mysourcefunding.com\/?p=9877","title":{"rendered":"After the Women\u2019s World Cup, what\u2019s next for brands in women\u2019s sports?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The US women\u2019s national soccer team might have missed its shot at a three-peat\u2014aka winning three World Cups in a row\u2014but that doesn\u2019t mean momentum around women\u2019s sports is slowing down.<\/p>\n

This summer\u2019s Women\u2019s World Cup not only had fans and brands around the world hyped about women\u2019s soccer, but also broke viewership records in the US. Now that it\u2019s coming to a close, marketers are thinking about their next moves in women\u2019s sports, an area that\u2019s seeing increased interest from brands.<\/p>\n

GMR, an experiential agency that works with the NFL and FIFA, is already fielding interest in the 2027 Women\u2019s World Cup, Alexa Sunderland, VP of client consulting and services, told us.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy number one thing that I\u2019m always saying to brands is, \u2018The earlier, the better,\u2019\u201d she told Marketing Brew. \u201cNot only because the negotiation process and the actual signing of the contract element can take some time, but so that you have time to plan, to organize, and then get out in the market as early as possible to really help raise your brand awareness.\u201d<\/p>\n

For those who want to score points with fans before<\/em> 2027, there are plenty of opportunities.<\/p>\n

NWSL: <\/strong>While the US women\u2019s national soccer team is off the global stage for the time being, those players\u2019 stateside league is still up and running. Last year\u2019s championship was the most-watched game in the league\u2019s history, averaging nearly 1 million viewers.<\/p>\n

Perhaps that\u2019s why, when Marketing Brew asked 13 sports execs across brands, agencies, advisories, and publications what leagues and events brands should consider getting in on, more than half pointed to the NWSL.<\/p>\n

This season is well underway, with the championship scheduled for Nov. 11, but \u201cthere are opportunities for brands to invest in the creation of shoulder content or behind-the-scenes stories before, during, or after those milestone events, to get to know the athletes\u2014which is exactly what fans of women\u2019s sports are hungry for,\u201d Kerry Bradley, COO of fan intelligence company Sports Innovation Lab, said. Plus, there\u2019s always next year.<\/p>\n

Soccer Football: <\/strong>Elsewhere, there\u2019s the Women\u2019s Super League and the UEFA Women\u2019s Champions League in Europe, which is \u201cthe next best place for brands to get involved with elite women\u2019s soccer\u201d outside of international play, Meg Templeton, global brand partnerships director at media company Footballco, said.<\/p>\n

Templeton also highlighted South America\u2019s Copa Libertadores Femenina, an annual international soccer competition. Morgan Brennan, head of Indivisa, Footballco\u2019s women\u2019s soccer division, said that 19-year-old Melchie Dumornay of the Haiti national team and the Women\u2019s Champions League team Lyon should be \u201cattractive to brands\u201d given her track record.<\/p>\n

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WNBA: <\/strong>In addition to the NWSL, the WNBA is hot in the US\u2014more than half of the execs who spoke with Marketing Brew mentioned the women\u2019s basketball league as well.<\/p>\n

The end of the regular season is coming up on Sept. 10, with the finals set for Oct. 20 at the latest. But college basketball season kicks off right after the WNBA wraps up, and after this year\u2019s record-breaking Women\u2019s March Madness, the audience is all but guaranteed.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven if you\u2019re not an official partner of the NCAA, there\u2019s a lot of opportunities to align with the sport, one of which could be NIL,\u201d Jon Goynshor, SVP and global head of partnerships at VMLY&R Commerce, said.<\/p>\n

Ally Financial\u2014a major sponsor of the NWSL\u2014is one brand betting on college basketball with its inaugural Ally Tipoff game in Charlotte, North Carolina, where the Iowa Hawkeyes will play the Virginia Tech Hokies.<\/p>\n

Olympics: <\/strong>There\u2019s also the Paris Olympics next summer. Jeff Ehrenkranz, COO at sports marketing agency Allied Sports, noted American swimming phenom Katie Ledecky as a good bet for partnerships.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll eyes will be on the next wave of young, up-and-coming athletes chasing medals,\u201d including soccer player Sophia Smith and track and field sprinter Sha’carri Richardson, Joe Caporoso, president of sports and entertainment media company Team Whistle, said.<\/p>\n

Off-court: <\/strong>Looking for something a little more off the beaten path? There\u2019s plenty of options.<\/p>\n