Women’s Sports Industry: A Study in Opportunity – Ch 20
Notes from Women in Sport, Greta Cohen, Ed. Notes by Nancy Bailey
Purpose of the chapter
Present economic issues impacting women & sport Describe Industry segments Include brief Interviews with experts
Professional Leagues: Basketball & Softball
Two leagues late 90’s – American Basketball League & the WNBA ABBL: 8 teams playing 40 games; located in college towns; hired some local talent to draw spectators New England franchise drew 8,000 Salaries were about $80,000
ABBL Closed: 1998
Economic reasons: No solid broadcast contract Resulted in limited visibility & marketablility Had Fox & BET, but no major network WNBA opened in June 1997
WNBA Success
Located in NBA cities Names of teams somewhat paralleled the NBA teams (Utah Starzz – Jazz; Houston Comets – Rockets) Salaries $32,500 to 60,000 + benefits, Tuition reimbursement, paid maternity leave, in-season housing allowance, per diems
NBA Partnership
1st players’ union negotiated contract in 1999 Share offices, staffs & facilities NBA internet websites have links to WNBA Publicity during the NBA broadcasts National broadcast contracts: NBC, ESPN, Lifetime
NBA Partnership 2
Local agreements: franchises have contracts with Direct TV called WNBA Season Pass Broadcast in 125 countries in 1999
Softball League
1996- International Women’s Professional Softball Association – 10 teams Went broke & folded after four years 1997 Women’s Professional Fastpitch & changed name in ’98:Women’s Pro Softball League Four franchises in 2000
Softball League Description
Sponsors: AT&T, B of A, Louisville Slugger, and others Broadcast deal with ESPN2 From 1998-2000, 25 games broadcast Sometimes higher rating than soccer or hockey games Salaries: $4800 - $15,000 for 3 month, 32 game season
Players Belong to the League
Salaries are summer supplements for women who work fulltime in the off season Each team has a salary cap Lots of talent disparity in the 1st year Few players have agents; get endorsements on their own
Not Much Exposure for Players
Dot Richardson’s name recognition, for example – Olympic team experience Travel 72 games in 78 days From Tampa to Virginia by bus Two flights to Akron, Ohio Exhibition games v. U.S. Team; broadcast Every team plays every week end
Professional Tours: Golf & Tennis
LPGA established in 1949 Babe Zaharias, Patty Berg, Louise Suggs among 13 founders Board members did it all: planned, org. tournaments, managed membership No financial support 1st year: $50,000 prize money
LPGA Growth
In 1959: 26 tournaments for $200,000 In 1996 raised $78 million for charity Eight events had 1 million + purse 34 of 42 tour events broadcast $35.5 million in prize money By 1990’s more TV coverage than other women’s sport: 30 national marketing partners: all major networks + cable
Tennis
The economic struggles in women’s sport exemplified in professional tennis Virginia Slims in 1970’s – Billie Jean King 2000: woman winner at Wimbledon: $666,500; male winner:$740,125 French Open $597,000; $628,000- male
U.S Open Equal Prize Money
In 2000 the US Open is the only Grand Slam event that has equal $$ Current Tour: Prize money is about $58 million for 58 events Wide TV exposure
International Sport
Women’s professional basketball played extensively in Europe, S. America, Japan & Australia Three divisions in Europe; 3 levels Countries: Italy, Greece, France, Spain, Germany, and others Salaries vary widely
Different European Models
First Division teams: salaries + room & board 2nd and 3rd division teams’ players have other jobs to make a living Japan: Corporate Sort Model: BB, VB, Soccer & Softball Play as part of their job for the corporation Few short term contracts for highly skilled
Greek BB Player’s Experience
Gianna Riga: 13 year career, Athens Three point shooting guard Many players also work as coaches at the BB academy for their team 12 teams in division A-1 National League; 22 game season Bus travel, no TV or radio coverage
Other Professional Opportunities
NASCAR driving, Indy car, National Hot Rod Bowling Billiards Volleyball Rodeo Soccer
Corporate Sponsorship of Women’s Sport
Olympic corporate sponsors: Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, VISA, Nike, Adidas Reasons corporations choose to sponsor: Public awareness, reinforce their product recognition, I.D. company with market segment, involvement in community, good will among opinion makers, media benefits, competitive advantage, hospitality & entertainment.
Examples of Corporate Sponsorship
Company gets tickets in turn for displaying logo, ads, etc. Many levels from many sources: Tenn. Lady Vols: State Farm Tip Off Classic; Avon running circuit; WSF many sponsors
Values Vary
WNBA sponsors paid $2.5 million annually Electrolux: $1.4 mil for 3-year LPGA Nashville Tournament U.S. Olympic Committee give $ to winners: $50,000 for Gold; $25,000 for Silver & $10,000 Bronze Not much sponsorship for paraOlympics
Women As Sport Consumers
Decisions made by women: 86% for all sport clothing purchases Children’s sport clothes: 91% 63% of men’s sports clothing bought by women $143,965 million for athletic footwear 1999 NASCAR cars feature Tide, Pepsi + beer
Women’s Apparel v. Small Men’s Clothes
Recent change Designed for women Sports magazines for women SI for Women; Women Sports & Fitness, etc.
Women in Sport Industry Careers
Product endorsement increased 60% of US women work full time now In 1952, only 32% worked outside the home Sport industry larger than automobile industry in the U.S. ($213 billion) Sport management, exercise science, sport psychology, nutrition, 200schools offer Sport Management degrees
Opportunities
Professional sport, intercollegiate athletics, youth sport, facility management, event management, sporting goods, health, fitness, wellness, recreational sport and sport for people with disabilities and international sport
Male Dominated Careers
Although all these careers are male dominated…. Women are in key positions within the: NBA, NHL, NFL, MLB, WNBA, MLB,, minor league baseball, hockey; sporting goods major college programs, fitness centers, sports reporters, broadcast journalists, Olympics and para Olympics
Top Female Sport Executives
46.6% coaches of women’s sport, 2000 Down from 49.4% in 1994 Of 534 new NCAA college jobs in last two years, 107 women were hired Women of color only a fraction of that
Career Advice
P. 392 – 393 list of tips Table 3 page 395 lists occupations & earnings averages