Women’s Sport Investment Accelerator Scheme
The Women’s Sport Investment Accelerator, launched by the UK Department for Business and Trade (DBT) is a programme bringing together UK based sports rightsholders seeking investment together with industry experts and sports investors.
Brighton Plus Helsinki Declaration Principles:
- Equity and Equality in Society and Sport
- High Performance Sport
- Resources
- Domestic & International Cooperation
Target Audience:
- National and International Federations of Sport
- Sports Leagues
- Competitions
- Clubs and Franchises
Summary:
With increasing numbers of sports reporting record audience attendance for their women’s sporting events, Deloitte predicts that women’s elite sport will generate global revenues of US$1.28 billion in 2024 (£1.02 billion). If correct, this will be the first time that annual global revenues for women’s sport will have surpassed US$1 billion, based on three main categories of revenue; matchday, broadcast and commercial.
The growth in fan and investor engagement in women’s sport is creating new opportunities for sports rightsholders, the target audience for this programme.
In association with Deloitte’s Sports Business Group and supported by the International Working Group (IWG) on Women and Sport, the scheme provided a series of sessions focused on a range of topics including:
- growing broadcast revenues
- unlocking new audiences
- best practice for working with investors.
Rightsholders were also assigned expert mentors and networking opportunities with potential investors.
The Football Association Women’s Super League, England Rugby, Scottish Women’s Premier League, England Netball, England and Wales Cricket Board and Volleyball England were among the first participants in the Programme.
A review of the programme is being carried out with lessons learnt shaping the development of a second programme to be launched in October 2024.
