The Fame Gap

The Fame Gap: Why building the profile of female athletes is fundamental to the growth of women’s sport

These are exciting times in women’s sport. But, attracting and growing audiences remains a challenge that few have overcome. This limits the commercial opportunities for both rights holders and brands, and the progress of women’s sport as a whole.

So a nagging question remains… how do we make women’s sport unmissable?

Sid Lee’s new report identifies the answer: it’s not the sport alone that sells tickets; it’s the players and their storylines. In some markets, athletes' fame is the single biggest driver of engagement. 

But, even among followers of women's sport, there is a significant ‘fame gap’ for female athletes compared to male counterparts.

The research looks at the gap in fame between male and female athletes in football and rugby in the UK and football and basketball in the US. It shows why investing in female athletes' fame is critical to maximising the commercial effectiveness of sponsorship for rights holders and brands alike.

The Fame Gap has profound implications for brands, rightsholders, and agencies. It places a much greater emphasis on effectively marketing individual athletes to maximise commercial opportunities in the short term, and ensure women's sport wins in the long game too. 

Join us to examine the research findings, understand their strategic and creative implications, and hear from marketers on the frontline about what is needed to propel women's sport to the next level.