By Chloe Whiteaker, Jeremy Scott Diamond | June 8, 2015
The U.S. Women's National Soccer Team takes on Australia June 8 in its first game of the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup. A lot is riding on their success. Women’s soccer has struggled to break through as a spectator sport in the U.S., but this year, the national team and its backers are out to grab the attention of a much wider audience, starting with an ambitious marketing and merchandising campaign to promote the Women’s World Cup as a must-see summer sporting event. On paper, the conditions in favor of a breakout year couldn’t be better.
The World Cup Is Bigger Than Ever
A rules change this year expanded the tournament, making more teams eligible to play.
Number of teams and tournament games over the years
Fans Are Flocking to Games
Home game attendance once jumped in World Cup years and dropped off in the three years between tournaments, but that’s no longer true. Average 2012-2014 attendance was the highest of any non-World Cup interim, and home game attendance this year reached a new record.
Average Annual Home Game Attendance
Note: Averages exclude World Cup and Olympic matches played in the U.S. Current-year average is as of June 8, 2015.
The Tournament Is Right Next Door
This year’s World Cup is taking place in Canada, a cheaper and easier trip for U.S. fans who’d think twice about trekking to Europe or South America. Some games were already sold out months ago, and ticket sales are on pace to exceed previous years.
Ticket Sales at Women's World Cups
Note: Double-headers count as two tickets
The U.S. Has a Winning Team
When the women’s team has played well in the World Cup, Americans have tuned in by the millions—and tuned out in years when the U.S. team was weaker. This year’s women’s team, led by stars Alex Morgan, Abby Wambach, Carli Lloyd, and Megan Rapinoe, is ranked #2 behind Germany and is a favorite to reach the finals.
Average and Most-Watched Women's World Cup Matches Since 1999
Note: The inaugural 1991 Cup wasn’t broadcast; only five matches from the 1995 event were televised, on same-day tape delay.
There’s Not Much Else Going On
The NBA and NHL finals are winding down, leaving sports fans with time to fill. And since the tournament is in Canada, U.S. fans can watch games during normal waking hours—and five games will be live in prime time.
Game Schedule
Note: Game times are in Eastern Daylight Time.
TV Is All Over It
Fox Sports paid $425 million and NBCUniversal's Telemundo paid $600 million to broadcast the World Cup tournaments through 2026. Fox launched a six-month-long marketing campaign leading up to the 2015 Women's World Cup.
$15 million
spent on marketing the tournament
3,500
ad spots on Fox network channels from January–May 2015
232
billboards and displays in 5 major U.S. cities
The network says it's targeting three big groups of potential viewers, many of whom aren’t typical soccer fans:
Companies Are Betting Soccer Will Sell
Other corporations are getting in on the action. For the first time, online gambling sites Sportsbook and Bovada are offering odds on every Women’s World Cup match. Mondogoal launched the first daily fantasy women’s soccer league. And this year video game giant EA Sports will add 12 women’s national teams to its FIFA game. Perhaps the clearest indication that women’s soccer is poised to reach beyond its core audience: Nike, a sponsor of U.S. Soccer, is offering women’s team jerseys in men’s sizes. The day sports bars across the nation are packed with men decked out in women’s uniforms, you’ll know the sport has truly arrived.
