Each Wednesday the Sport for Business Women’s Sports Centre highlights wins around Ireland and the World for Women’s sport. It’s not a token nod, rather an attempt to highlight that the growth of Women’s sport is not something that will happen in the future, it’s already here. The Sport for Business Women’s Sport Centre is supported by our friends in Liberty Insurance.
FEMALE FIGHT GAMES
Women’s boxing was a highlight of the London Olympics and it is now moving centre stage in the professional ranks. Nicola Adams brought Gold for home fans and has become a real star.
Our own Katie Taylor cemented her place four years ago as a true heroine of Irish sport. She may now be turning professional with a date pencilled in for November in London’s Wembley Arena. That is likely to confirmed today or tomorrow.
The third winner from that first Olympic outing was Claressa Shields who doubled up like Adams in Rio. She is also going pro with her debut fight taking place in November at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
With Ronda Rousey still hogging headlines in UFC the advance of strong women characters in what was once that most male bastion of the fight game could not perhaps have been imagined a few short years ago. Now it cannot be ignored.
NIKE KNIGHT PHILANTHROPY AIDING SCIENCE
We like the approach of Greystones Rugby Club in putting their Women’s team captain front and centre stage in a new local and online recruitment campaign for players. The U20’s and the Senior Men’s team, both also actively recruiting, are given supporting roles but is women first in terms of the promotion.
With activity ramping up for the Women’s Rugby World Cup it is hoped that other clubs will give similar prominence to the Women’s game.
SPARKS DRAW THE CROWDS
They may not have their name on the Stadium yet but when the Los Angeles Sparks won the WNBA title this week at Laker Stadium they did so in front of a total sell out crowd of 19,423 and having garnered an average TV audience through the series of 597,000.
Game One was the most watched opening match in ABC history and those kind of solid numbers are ones that major broadcasters and sponsors will very much be taking heed of.
It’s a trend you know. The Women’s World Cup last year also smashed attendance and viewing records and the 35,000 crowd that turned up for the Ladies Gaelic Football Final at Croke Park last month was also an all time record for a Women’s sports event in Ireland.
Sport for Business’ Women’s Sport Centre is supported by Liberty Insurance
