Women’s sport has never been more popular on television, according to a new report by Women’s Sport Trust. The report reveals that a whopping 46.7 million people tuned in to watch women’s sport on TV in 2023, setting a new record for the industry.
The previous record was 45.7 million in 2019, which means that women’s sport gained one million more viewers in 2023. This is a remarkable achievement, considering the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic and the postponement of some major events.
One of the highlights of the year was the Women’s World Cup, which saw England reach the final for the first time in history. The final match against Spain was watched by 12 million people on BBC One, making it the most-watched women’s football match ever in the UK. The BBC’s coverage of the tournament reached 21.2 million people, showing the huge interest and support for the Lionesses.
The report also shows that women’s sport is attracting a younger and more diverse audience, with more female fans than ever before. Tammy Parlour, the CEO and co-founder of Women’s Sport Trust, said that this is great news for the industry and the future of women’s sport.
She said: “It shows we are starting to attract a distinctive fanbase. The more we can understand the motivation driving their connection with live women’s sports, the more this will enable us to build richer experiences for them in and out the stadium, and ultimately deepen their fandom.”
The report also reveals that the average viewing time for women’s sport increased by 16% to 10 hours seven minutes, indicating that viewers are not only watching more women’s sport, but also watching it for longer. Football was the most popular sport, accounting for 74% of the viewing hours, followed by cricket, rugby, tennis, and golf.
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The report concludes that women’s sport has a bright future on television, and that there is still room for growth and improvement. It calls for more investment, exposure, and innovation to ensure that women’s sport continues to thrive and inspire millions of fans around the world.
