The History of Women’s Football - The Rise, Fall and Rise Again
Published on
by Dominic Mills
Women’s football is different to other sports. But why?
In the following article we will unpack the history of women’s football and explore the impact it is having on the industry today.
In this Insight:
There is an overarching acceptance from people involved in women’s football that it is different to the men’s game, and even different to most other sports.
Our recent whitepaper, The Rise of Women’s Football, explores how the sport differs from its male counterpart on a number of key factors, including the fan experience, player personality and media coverage.
All of this research was key to understanding how women’s football is so unique as a sport, but to understand why, we had to delve into the sport’s long history.
In the following article, we’ll call on insights from our research to unpack the history of women’s football and explore the impact it is having on the industry today.
Football has been played in a wide range of forms for millennia, with the earliest account of women playing a football-like sport being found in China, around the year 800.
The modern game of football, officially named Association Football, was founded in England, in 1863. The early years of the sport saw both men and women play as the game grew and spread to countries around the world in the early 20th century.
The history of women’s football since then can be characterised by three distinctive periods of growth, referred to in the following paper as ‘booms’, as well as a multi decade ban on women playing the sport in many countries around the world.
The Post-War Boom
(1918 - 1921)
Despite notable moments for the women’s game in the late 19th- and early 20th century, including the formation of the first official women’s club in 1894, football was at this time, very much seen as a sport for men. A notion that followed as the game spread around the world in the early 20th century.
Pronounced changes to this perception were brought about with the commencement of the First World War. Factories and industrial settings had provided the backdrop to the formation of the Football Association over 50 years earlier, and as many women took the places of men in industrial factories during the war, they once again helped bring football to the fore, this time for women.
During this period, women’s football matches were regularly played, both as a pastime and as exhibitions, attracting tens of thousands of spectators, and female football teams were starting to form outside of the British Isles, including in France and Spain.
The advancements of the women’s game that had been made during the First World War reached new heights in the post-war period. In the UK there were more than 150 women’s football clubs by 1921, in France the first female football league was formed in 1919 and Australia saw its first public women’s football match played in front of a crowd of more than 10,000 people in 1921.
The Ban
(1921-1970s)
In December 1921, the English Football Association banned women’s football matches from being played at professional grounds and pitches affiliated to The FA, stating “...the game of football is quite unsuitable for females and ought not to be encouraged.”
Although the ban from The FA only restricted women in England from playing football, the notion to stop women from playing organised matches spread and became prevalent in most football-playing countries around the world.
The long-term effects of this multi-decade ban on women’s football are still being felt to this day. Research shows that the sport’s development was severely hindered, with the women’s game prevented from being able to grow in the same way as the men’s, which saw remarkable growth in almost every area, including participation, attendances and income.
Length of women's football ban across the six markets studied
The Global Boom
(1999 - ongoing)
The 1970s saw a change in the perception of women’s football. Amid growing frustration of the continued ban of the game, countries and football institutions around the world started to change their rules. Both FIFA, the world’s governing body for football, and UEFA, Europe’s equivalent, reconsidered their view of not recognising women’s football.
The decades that followed saw women’s football begin to reestablish itself. Despite severe lack of funding, women’s national football teams, competitions and league structures started to form around the world. The first semi-professional women’s leagues were also established during this time and were seen as a sign of the growth that was to come.
In 1991, the first FIFA Women’s World Cup was held in China, a major milestone for the game, but it wasn’t until the tournament’s third edition in 1999 that the game really went global.
Fresh off the back of hosting the 1994 FIFA Men’s World Cup and the 1996 Summer Olympics, where soccer had been one of the Games’ great successes, the USA hosted the then largest FIFA Women’s World Cup, with 1.2 millions fans in attendance.
With the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup attracting record fan attendances, media coverage and television audiences, the tournament raised the expectations for the women’s game all around the world, the effects of which are still shaping the global landscape of women’s football to this day.
1999 FIFA Women's World Cup In Numbers
The Commercial Boom
(2015 - ongoing)
The decades that followed saw greater public interest in not only women’s football, but women’s sport as a whole.
Major events, including the Olympic Games played a particularly important role in building awareness, visibility and interest in women’s sport during this time. Research suggests that the Olympic Games provides one of the few occasions where elite male and female athletes are given more equal treatment in terms of media coverage.
This was taken to new heights during the London 2012 Olympics Games, where, for the first time in history, every single participating country had at least one female athlete and there were an equal number of sports for men and women.
The growing global interest in female sport had a significant impact on what has been described as a ‘new age’ of women’s football. Research differs as to when this new age began, but it has been argued that this was first initiated shortly after the London 2012 Olympic Games, during the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup, when a substantial shift in positive media coverage of women’s football occurred .
With 556 million people tuning in for at least three minutes of coverage - a 36% increase on the 2011 tournament - the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup proved that the world was watching women’s football and gave a glimpse of its commercial potential.
What Next For Women's Football?
Since the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup, the global interest in the game has become clearer to see with the passing of each major tournament, but it’s not just fan interest and media coverage which has driven this growth.
The combination of increased fan interest, a shift in positive media coverage, a transformation of players into global superstars and a rapid growth of commercialisation has seen women’s football rise from 50 years of enforced obscurity to become one of the world’s most followed sports.
In our in-depth whitepaper, The Rise of Women’s Football: A Movement, Not a Moment, we explore these four driving factors in detail, assess the impact of them in six key markets (Australia, France, Germany, Spain, UK, USA) - and answer the question ‘What’s next for women’s football?’
Frequently Asked Questions
Sport sponsoring offers a range of benefits for brands, making it a valuable investment in marketing strategies:
Brand Visibility: Sponsoring provides extensive exposure through signage, uniforms, and broadcasts, increasing brand visibility to a wide and engaged audience.
Targeted Audience: Sports sponsorships enable brands to reach a specific and passionate target audience, aligning with the demographics and interests of sports fans.
Emotional Connection: Associating with sports entities helps create emotional connections with consumers, leveraging the positive sentiments associated with their favorite teams or athletes.
Global Reach: Sports sponsorships often have a global reach, allowing brands to connect with audiences on an international scale, contributing to global brand recognition.
Brand Image Enhancement: Sponsoring prestigious sports events or teams can enhance a brand's image, associating it with qualities such as excellence, teamwork, and success.
Consumer Engagement: Sponsorship activations, events, and promotions provide opportunities for direct consumer engagement, fostering brand loyalty and interaction.
Differentiation: Sponsoring allows brands to stand out from competitors by affiliating with unique and high-profile sports properties, differentiating themselves in the market.
Community Involvement: Sports sponsorship provides avenues for brands to support local communities and grassroots initiatives associated with the sponsored sports entities.
In essence, sport sponsoring contributes to enhanced visibility, brand loyalty, and positive brand associations, making it a potent tool for achieving diverse marketing goals.
Choosing the right sponsorship for your goals involves strategic consideration of your brand objectives and target audience. Follow these steps:
Define Objectives: Clearly outline your marketing and business objectives for the sponsorship, whether it's brand visibility, customer engagement, or community outreach.
Know Your Audience: Understand your target audience and align sponsorship opportunities with their demographics, interests, and behaviours.
Relevance: Choose sponsorships that align with your brand values and resonate with your audience, creating authentic connections.
Evaluate Opportunities: Assess potential sponsorships based on factors like reach, engagement potential, and the alignment of the sponsored entity with your brand image.
Budget Considerations: Evaluate the financial aspects, ensuring the sponsorship aligns with your budget while delivering significant value.
Negotiate Terms: Work with the sponsored entity to negotiate terms that meet your goals, ensuring a mutually beneficial partnership.
By aligning sponsorships with your brand objectives, audience demographics, and values, you can choose opportunities that effectively contribute to the success of your marketing and business goals.
Measuring the effectiveness of sports marketing and sponsorships involves assessing various key performance indicators (KPIs) to determine the impact on brand visibility, engagement, and business outcomes. Here are specific steps to measure effectiveness:
Define Clear Objectives
Clearly articulate the goals and objectives of your sports marketing and sponsorship initiatives. These could include brand awareness, customer acquisition, or enhancing brand image.
Brand Exposure Metrics
Measure the reach and frequency of brand exposure, including logo visibility, mentions, and advertisements during sports events.
Utilise tools for media monitoring and analytics to quantify the extent of brand visibility.
Social Media Analytics
Monitor social media metrics to assess the impact of sports marketing campaigns. Track likes, shares, comments, and follower growth.
Analyse sentiment analysis to gauge audience perceptions and engagement.
Fan Engagement
Evaluate attendance at sponsored events and fan engagement with branded activities.
Track participation in promotions, contests, or interactive experiences initiated through sports marketing efforts.
Market Research and Surveys
Conduct market research and surveys to measure changes in brand awareness, perception, and recall among the target audience.
Assess the effectiveness of specific sponsorship activations in influencing consumer behaviour.
Lead Generation and Conversion Rates
Track leads generated through sports marketing initiatives and sponsorship activations
Analyse conversion rates to understand how effectively the marketing efforts translate into tangible business outcomes
Return on Investment (ROI)
Calculate the financial return on investment by comparing the costs of sports sponsorship against the revenue generated.
Use financial metrics like cost per acquisition, customer lifetime value, and overall ROI to assess the efficiency of marketing spend.
Brand Image and Alignment
Assess the alignment of the sports sponsorship with the brand's values and image.
Measure whether the association with sports properties positively influences brand perception.
Partnership Impact
Evaluate the impact of partnerships formed through sports sponsorship. Assess collaborative efforts that contribute to mutual goals and objectives.
Media and Broadcast Metrics
Analyse television ratings, online streaming metrics, and other broadcast-related data to understand the audience reached through sports events.
Long-Term Relationship Building
Evaluate the potential for long-term relationships with sports organisations, athletes, or fans.
Consider the sustainability and growth of brand affinity beyond the immediate sponsorship period.
Regularly analyse and compare these metrics to the predefined objectives to gauge the overall effectiveness of sports marketing and sponsorships. Adjust strategies based on insights gained to optimise future campaigns.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for sports marketing encompass various metrics that measure the effectiveness and success of marketing efforts in the sports industry. Here are key performance indicators commonly used in sports marketing:
Fan Engagement Metrics
Social Media Engagement: Likes, shares, comments, and overall interaction on social media platforms
Follower Growth: Increase in the number of followers on social media accounts
Brand Visibility
Impressions: The total number of times a marketing message is displayed
Reach: The total number of unique users exposed to a marketing message
Ticket Sales and Attendance
Ticket Revenue: Financial performance related to ticket sales
Attendance Rates: Number of spectators attending live events
Conversion Rates
Website Conversion Rate: Percentage of website visitors who take the desired action (e.g., purchasing tickets, merchandise)
Email Conversion Rate: Percentage of recipients who take a desired action after receiving an email.
Sponsorship Activation
Sponsorship Value: Measurement of the exposure and benefits gained from sponsorships
Activation Success: The effectiveness of initiatives to activate sponsorships, such as branded content and events.
Brand Sentiment
Sentiment Analysis: Assessment of public sentiment toward the brand, gauged through social media mentions and comments.
Content Engagement
Content Views: Number of views on videos, articles, or other content
Time Spent on Content: Average time users spend consuming content
Merchandise Sales
Merchandise Revenue: Financial performance related to the sale of branded merchandise
Email Marketing Metrics
Open Rate: Percentage of recipients who opened an email
Click-Through Rate (CTR): Percentage of recipients who clicked on links within an email
Brand Partnerships
Partnership Value: Assessing the value generated from collaborations and partnerships.
Co-Branding Success: Effectiveness of joint marketing efforts with partners.
In-Game or Event Metrics
TV Viewership: Number of viewers watching sports events on television
In-Stadium Engagement: Measurement of fan engagement and activities during live events.
Customer Satisfaction Surveys
Surveys and Feedback: Direct feedback from fans, attendees, or customers.
Return on Investment (ROI)
Marketing ROI: Comparison of the financial returns to the investment made in marketing campaigns.
Player or Athlete Influence
Athlete Endorsement Impact: Measurement of the impact of athlete endorsements on brand perception and engagement.
Digital and Social Media Analytics
Social Media Analytics: Platform-specific metrics such as Twitter impressions, Instagram likes, and Facebook shares.
Customising KPIs based on specific campaign goals, target audience, and industry trends allows sports marketers to gain valuable insights into the effectiveness of their strategies and make data-driven decisions for future initiatives.
The cost of sponsorship can vary significantly based on various factors, and there is no one-size-fits-all answer. Several elements influence the cost of sponsorship:
Property or Entity: The popularity, reach, and significance of the sponsored property, whether it's a sports team, event, athlete, or organisation, impact the cost.
Visibility and Exposure: The level of visibility and exposure offered to sponsors, such as logo placement, media coverage, and audience size, affects sponsorship pricing.
Duration of Sponsorship: Short-term sponsorships may cost less than long-term commitments. Multi-year agreements often come with discounted rates.
Event Type: Major events or high-profile sports competitions generally command higher sponsorship fees.
Industry and Demographics: The industry and demographics of the target audience also influence costs, as sponsorships reaching a highly sought-after demographic may be more expensive.
Geographic Scope: Local, regional, or global sponsorships have varying costs based on the geographic reach of the sponsored property.
To determine the cost, it's crucial to consider your specific goals, the value of the sponsorship in terms of exposure and engagement, and the negotiation process with the sponsored entity. Costs can range from a few thousand dollars for local sponsorships to millions for global, high-profile partnerships.
SPORTFIVE is a global sports marketing agency that specialises in sports rights, marketing, and entertainment. We work with sports organisations, clubs, and brands to create and optimise commercial opportunities in the sports industry. SPORTFIVE is involved in various aspects of sports business, including the sale of broadcasting rights, sponsorship and partnership management, stadium naming rights, and other marketing initiatives.
SPORTFIVE creates innovative, engaging solutions that are worthy of the incredible sports, athletes and partners we work with, and the passionate fans who follow them. Campaigns are built collaboratively, based on trust and transparency, and enabled by a deep understanding of the industry, the agency’s global reach, digital intelligence and creative courage.
The result is gamechanging sports partnerships that redefine standards in the sports and entertainment space.
SPORTFIVE believes in the power of five - bringing brands, rights holders, media platforms, fans and ‘us’ together through sport.
SPORTFIVE is a global sports marketing agency that specialises in various aspects of the sports and entertainment industry. The agency works with sports organisations, teams, and brands to optimise commercial opportunities.
One of SPORTFIVE's key areas of focus is the sale and management of sports media rights, including broadcasting and digital distribution deals. They negotiate and facilitate partnerships, sponsorships, and naming rights for sports entities, helping them enhance their brand value and revenue streams.
Additionally, SPORTFIVE provides expertise in marketing strategies, assisting clients in building strong connections with their target audiences. Their comprehensive approach spans across the sports business landscape, from media rights to sponsorship management, contributing to the overall growth and success of their clients in the dynamic world of sports marketing.
SPORTFIVE combines global reach, data-driven insights and a deep understanding of sports markets to deliver tailored sponsorship solutions that drive commercial success for rightsholders.
If you are interested in a career at SPORTFIVE and help brands to grow through sport sponsorship and marketing, simply check out the careers page. The SPORTFIVE team will be happy to discuss opportunities that match your experience and vision.
