Growth Of Women's Sports
In recent years, female athletics has gained national recognition and experienced major growth in the industry like never before. 2023 was a crucial year for womenâs sports with a number of record-breaking attendances, sales and performances. According to Deloitte.com, a global accounting network, 2024 is projected to generate over $1 billion in revenue, which is a 300 percent increase since the evaluation of the industry in 2021.
This surge in popularity surrounding womenâs sports creates a multitude of opportunities for exposure, sponsorships, creation of higher-level teams and inspiration for generations of female athletes.
Many believe a key factor in this growth can be accredited to the Nebraska University womenâs volleyball team. On Aug. 30, 2022, the team set an attendance record when they filled the Nebraska Huskers Memorial Stadium, a facility typically used for football. The field was converted into a fully functioning volleyball court and the team competed in front of a crowd of 92,003 fans, which is largely regarded as the world-record attendance for any womenâs sporting event. Following this historic event, the team continued to sell out their games for the rest of their normal season.
With these opportunities created from the recent advancements in women's sports, they have also created a sense of community and inspiration to female athletes everywhere.
"I love the environment and culture of being a female athlete," a said senior volleyball player Kaitlyn Cure. "Sure it can be hard and, yes, sometimes we do get overlooked, but it only makes me want to work harder for people to notice the amazing things we female athletes can, and have, accomplished."
Another key factor in this growth comes through womenâs NCAA basketball. Pivotal players such as Caitlyn Clark, Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese have drawn attention to the womenâs collegiate basketball scene with their record-breaking performances, social media presences and community involvement. Many have nicknamed this influence the Caitlyn Clark effect. The 2023 NCAA Division I championship game for womenâs basketball generated nearly 10 million viewers tuning in to watch the Iowa Hawkeyes face the Louisiana State Tigers. Similarly, the WNBA has initiated promising momentum in the world of womenâs sports as they had its most watched season in 21 years, with a New York Liberty and Las Vegas Aces game hosting the largest crowd in WNBA history of 17,143 fans in attendance.
One of the most vital platforms for female athletes around the world is provided through the Olympics. Only occurring every four years, athletes train their entire lives for a shot at performing at the globally renowned Olympic level. According to sportsvideo.org, the 2024 Paris Olympics collected a total of 30.6 million viewers across multiple platforms. With this 82 percent increase in viewership from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, women in the Olympics are provided with worldwide media coverage, exposure, and platforms to compete and grow the industry. Olympic medalists such as rugby player Ilona Maher and gymnast Simone Biles have used their popular social media presence as a way to promote and raise awareness of womenâs sports.
"The Olympics contribute to the growth of womenâs sports by providing a global platform for female athletes to showcase their talents," said senior Kate Kochenderfer, a KMC swimmer who attended the Olympic games this year. âWith this visibility, it helps to inspire future generations of women to participate in sports, set higher goals for themselves, and have confidence in themselves because anything is possible.
The growth of women's sports not only affects current collegiate, professional, and Olympic athletes, but future female athletes as well. For these athletes, what is happening now is going to affect their experience in their sport beyond the high school level. According to Rutgers Business School, female athletes are now being presented with more scholarship opportunities, new college options with growing womensâ athletic programs, climbing funding, bigger and better facilities and equipment, and much more.
"Softball is more than just a game," said senior Lena Ramsey, who is committed to play NCAA Division II softball at Northwestern Oklahoma State University.
"I want to build up the importance of women's sports and help the next generations who want to continue to play at the college level.
The female sports industry is projected to generate record-breaking numbers, the media coverage of women's sports has nearly tripled since 2021, according to HOK.com.
"My hope for the future of womenâs sports is to see more young girls continue to participate in athletics. Participating in sports helps to build confidence, companionship, and helps teach young girls how to handle adversity," said KMC girls golf coach Marie Thomas.