It’s the little boys
“It’s the little boys, to be honest…once the boys recognize the value of women in sports…that’s [when] we’re going to see change in the game.”?- Sarah Nurse, Canadian ice hockey player, who became the first woman to appear on an NHL EA Sports cover when NHL 23 was officially released.
Sarah is not the only female athlete EA Sports tapped into for their 2022 campaign. Sam Kerr stole part of the spotlight from Mbappé when she became the first female football player to be featured on a global cover of EA Sports FIFA 23 game earlier this year. Now while this happened in July you might wonder why I am bringing it up now.?
Last week some of the biggest names in women’s football from the pitch to the board room convened in London for the EA Sports Women’s Football Summit (I’m sure my invitation was lost in the mail ;) ). Going into the event, the focus was on France and England as D1 Arkema and the Barclays Women’s Super League had been added to the game. This is not the first time women enter the game. In 2016, the franchise brought women’s international play to the game. While the Women’s World Cup FIFA 23 will be added soon, all the focus is on the new relationship with DAZN and UEFA Champions League. As EA Sports and FIFA have decided to part ways, going all in with UEFA makes sense. Not to mention it is one of the best quality football tournaments around. The partnership means EA Sports now has exclusive rights to the competition.??
EA Sports also unveiled a new multi-year global sponsorship of the Champion League broadcasts on DAZN. The money has been earmarked from the "Starting XI Fund," an accelerator fund for women’s football that has been put in place to help champion the women’s game on and off the field. Like the name suggests they have pledged $11 million to women’s football.
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From one major event to the next, women's football was on a world tour this month. Some of those who didn’t make it to the Summit were in full force in New Zealand. The fanfare around the draw and the fact FIFA’s CBO recently declined broadcast offers to stream the Women’s World Cup is showing that FIFA has gone all in in developing the women’s game and bringing the visibility needed to bring in more sponsors and business around the game.?
We had such a positive high from the Women’s Euros that a lot of talk around the WWC being in Australia/ New Zealand next summer might stall the traction the game is getting. Understanding the importance of visibility, FIFA has awarded 28 European territories free-to-air media rights to the Women’s World Cup 2023 through the European Broadcast union.? I think if FIFA keeps putting their weight behind it and giving the game the space and visibility it deserves, the skies will be the limit.
What do you think? How can FIFA keep Propelling Women’s Football Forward?
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2 年FIFA can keep propelling women's football forward by designing new models for its Women's Development Programs while improving existing ones and tailoring them to the specificities and needs of the member associations. Moreover, FIFA can enhance the game's commercial value of women's football... Though, in my humble opinion, this is what FIFA is trying to do right now
Director, Athens Women's Football Summit - Nations of the world reveal their greatest strength when they cheer for women.
2 年FIFA should make it mission #1 that the women's game be at the least seen by every girl in the world. Effectively normalizing the sport to nations and cultures not so equally dedicated to their children's character, strength, and independence.
Director, Athens Women's Football Summit - Nations of the world reveal their greatest strength when they cheer for women.
2 年When little boys with World Cup dreams assume priority over girls, I tell girls to simply show them the finger. Actually 4 fingers and say "been there, done that, got the jersey."