The first Canadian study of its kind highlights the unique attributes of Canadian female sports fans and the value fandom brings to sports businesses.
Research conducted by Canadian Women & Sport and research and consultancy firm IMI International. Presented by Canadian Tire Corporation and supported by Women and Gender Equality Canada.
Toronto, April 22, 2024–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Today, Canadian Women and Sports and research and consulting partner IMI Consulting announced Now, it’s time to unleash the power of female professional sports fans. Sponsored by Canadian Tire Corporation with support from Women and Gender Equality Canada. This report shows that fans of women’s sports in Canada represent significant current and potential value to sports businesses of all types.
The first-of-its-kind study surveyed Canadians aged 13 to 65 and found: Two in three Canadians (67%) consider themselves fans of women’s sports— it is equivalent to or more than 17 million Canadians. Women’s sports fans in Canada include coveted audiences such as Gen Z, Millennials and families, as well as a diverse, highly educated and affluent Canadian population.
Now it’s time to unleash the power of female professional sports fans This is the second in a series of research, thought leadership and connections aimed at exploring commercial opportunities in the Canadian women’s professional sports market. The first part is The time has come: Accelerating women’s professional sports in Canadareleased in 2023.
Key insights Now it’s time to unleash the power of female professional sports fans
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67% of Canadians aged 13 to 65 are fans of women’s sports.
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Two in five Canadians (41%, or 10 million Canadians) aged 13 to 65 consider themselves “avid fans” and regularly watch women’s professional or elite sports. , major events such as the Olympics, Paralympics, and FIFA Women’s World Championships. cup.
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Canadian female sports fans are more diverse, better educated and wealthier than Canada’s general population.
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Women’s sports are popular regardless of gender. Just over half (53%) are male, with the remainder of fans being female (46%) and gender diverse (1%).
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Eight in 10 fans of women’s professional sports are excited about the future of women’s sports in Canada and, given the opportunity, would like to become more involved in a variety of ways.
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Unlocking the power of fans requires investment. Fans want and need quality, readily available products to support Team Canada and to watch, follow and engage.
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Canadians consider women’s sports to be athletic and exciting. And there is a ferocious desire for more.
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6 in 10 fans think brands should do more to support women’s sports in Canada, and 4 in 10 fans are more likely to buy from a brand that supports women’s sports answered that it is high. For Gen Z and younger Millennials, this jumps to 5 in 10.
“We’ve seen trends and evidence over the past few years, and now we’ve created a reliable and uniquely Canadian We have the data,” said CEO Alison Sandmeyer Graves. At Canadian Women & Sports. “Women’s professional sport is no longer a hypothetical opportunity. Case studies have been written, possibilities have been realized and records have been broken. It’s time to invest more boldly in women’s professional sport in Canada.”
“At Canadian Tire Corporation, we recognize that to truly champion women’s professional sports, we must create a roadmap to help other Canadian organizations understand and invest in its untapped potential. ” said Ashley Curran, AVP, Sports Partnerships, Canadian Tire Corporation. “Together with the first round of results, this new study provides us with valuable data that will allow us to not only further understand the women’s professional sports movement, but also build meaningful connections with the fan bases that drive it. It will be provided to you.”
“The achievements and leadership of Canadian women in sport is an inspiration to young girls and women,” said Marci Ien, Minister of Women, Gender Equality and Youth. “Research like this shows how fans of women’s professional sports can influence change. Athletes are not just role models; they also play a critical role in driving economic growth and prosperity. WAGE is happy to support organizations like Canadian Women & Sport that encourage athletes, fans, and athletes.Being involved in sports collaboration and community is about more than just putting money into sports. and to enable all future generations to reach their full potential. ”
The research was led by IMI Consulting and presented by Canadian Tire Corporation, with support from the Canadian Office of Women and Gender Equality and the Canadian Women & Sports Advisory Group, comprised of leaders representing media, corporate brands and sports facilities. It was supervised.
The study was conducted in October 2023 among a representative sample of more than 2,000 Canadians aged 13 to 65. This study aimed to map the current fans of women’s sports in Canada and the potential for future fan bases. This initiative will educate key partners and audiences about how to grow fandom and, ultimately, how fans can unlock a new era of growth and opportunity for women’s professional sports in Canada. Strategically designed to provide new insights.
For more information, visit www.womenandsport.ca/pro-sports.
About the Commercial Women’s Sports Initiative
In 2022, Canadian Women & Sports launched the Commercial Women’s Sports Initiative in collaboration with presenting partner Canadian Tire Corporation.
Canadian Women & Sport believes in the power of women’s sport. The organization provides a uniquely Canadian perspective through research, data, insights and partnerships to grow and develop Canada’s vibrant women’s professional sports market by unlocking the potential of women’s sports across the entire pathway from grassroots to professional sports. We are committed to supporting. For more information, visit womenandsport.ca/pro-sports.
About Canadian women and sports
Canadian Women & Sport is a national not-for-profit organization with a 43-year history of being a leading voice and authority on women and sport. We believe in the power of sport as a platform to promote equality for women in all areas of society. That’s why we are working to build a fairer and more inclusive sports system that empowers women and girls as participants and leaders, within and through sport. www.womenandsport.ca
About Canadian Tire Corporation
Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited (TSX: CTC.A) (TSX: CTC) or “CTC” is a group of companies that includes a retail sector, a financial services sector, and CT REIT. Our retail business is led by Canadian Tire, which was founded in 1922 and provides Canadians with the products they need to live in Canada across the Living, Play, Repair, Automotive, Seasonal and Gardening sectors. I am. Party City, PartSource and Gas+ are key parts of the Canadian Tire network. The retail division also includes Marks, a leading manufacturer of casual and industrial wear. Pro Hockey Life is a hockey specialty store for elite players. SportChek, Hockey Experts, Sports Experts and Atmosphere offer the best activewear brands. Our nearly 1,700 retail and gasoline outlets are part of CTC’s financial services division and tens of thousands of employees employed by CTC and local dealers, franchisees and petroleum retailers across Canada and around the world. Supported and powered by In addition, CTC is a leading technical company based in Oslo, Norway that owns and operates his outdoor brand, Helly Hansen. For more information, visit Corp.Canadiantire.ca.
About women and gender equality in Canada
The Department of Women and Gender Equality (WAGE) promotes equality with respect to gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression through the participation of women and 2SLGBTQI+ people in all aspects of Canada’s social, economic and political life. Masu. For more information, see Genre Women and Equality. Women and Gender Equality (canada.ca)
About IMI Consulting
IMI Consulting is an independent marketing consulting firm focused on profitable insights. With 50 years of experience and offices on four continents, IMI serves his 150+ partners across multiple industries, optimizing the effectiveness of their marketing spend. IMI is a recognized industry leader in providing fact-based thought leadership, real-time insight platforms, and custom solutions to our partners. For more information, please visit www.consultimi.com.
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Connecting Canadian women with sports
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Website: www.womenandsport.ca
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