England’s Lionesses have entertained more interest from publishers and brands for this summer’s Fifa Women’s World Cup than the men’s team received for the male equivalent in Russia, according to Georgina Lewis, head of marketing at the Football Association (FA).
England’s women’s national team have secured deals in the past few months with sports drink giant Lucozade, beer brand Budweiser and health and beauty retailer Boots UK, and Lewis revealed that various companies have contacted English soccer’s governing body about potential collaborations.
Lewis said: “As far as incoming calls in terms of wanting to work with us this summer, honestly it’s probably higher than it was last year for the men’s World Cup, the number of publishers, media outlets, brands etc.”
Women’s soccer in England has been enjoying a growth in popularity in recent times, attracting significant commercial interest and higher attendances at games.
This season the FA introduced a new full-time structure for the Women’s Super League (WSL) as part of a wider review of the commercial rights model within the women’s game, and in March announced Barclays as the first ever title sponsor of its top-tier women’s league.
Marzena Bogdanowicz, the FA’s head of commercial and marketing for women’s soccer, who was speaking alongside Lewis, added: “There’s a perfect storm happening, and the whole piece generally across the nation on gender equality has just raised the interest, and that has created this wave that is now coming to a tipping point, and I think everyone’s taking note.
“I think that’s what brands are saying, that they want to be part of this. The phones have started to ring quite a bit.”
This summer's Women's World Cup takes place in France from 7th June until 7th July.
England’s Lionesses have entertained more interest from publishers and brands for this summer’s Fifa Women’s World Cup than the men’s team received for the male equivalent in Russia, according to Georgina Lewis, head of marketing at the Football Association (FA).
England’s women’s national team have secured deals in the past few months with sports drink giant Lucozade, beer brand Budweiser and health and beauty retailer Boots UK, and Lewis revealed that various companies have contacted English soccer’s governing body about potential collaborations.
Lewis said: “As far as incoming calls in terms of wanting to work with us this summer, honestly it’s probably higher than it was last year for the men’s World Cup, the number of publishers, media outlets, brands etc.”
Women’s soccer in England has been enjoying a growth in popularity in recent times, attracting significant commercial interest and higher attendances at games.
This season the FA introduced a new full-time structure for the Women’s Super League (WSL) as part of a wider review of the commercial rights model within the women’s game, and in March announced Barclays as the first ever title sponsor of its top-tier women’s league.
Marzena Bogdanowicz, the FA’s head of commercial and marketing for women’s soccer, who was speaking alongside Lewis, added: “There’s a perfect storm happening, and the whole piece generally across the nation on gender equality has just raised the interest, and that has created this wave that is now coming to a tipping point, and I think everyone’s taking note.
“I think that’s what brands are saying, that they want to be part of this. The phones have started to ring quite a bit.”
This summer's Women's World Cup takes place in France from 7th June until 7th July.
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