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Women and Sports

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Women and Sports
Review of Literature

Thesis

There is a definite correlation between the economics of professional women¡¦s sports and their ultimate success. As most success in sport leagues, teams and associations are measured by longevity, win/loss records, and most importantly, revenue, the footprint of female competition at the professional level has not been paramount at any point in our history. Professional women¡¦s athletics is characterized by an economic model and a level of acceptance amongst the masses that differs immensely from their male counterparts. In this review of literature I plan to examine the major issues contributing to the struggle women¡¦s professional team sports experience, in comparison with individual sports. To better understand the disconnect between female buying power and the support by females of women¡¦s professional sport, I will use industry facts and expert opinions to look closely at the economic pitfalls of professional women¡¦s sports and how that contributes to their ultimate demise.
Participation and Buying Power

In the post-Title IX era, female participation in sport has skyrocketed. In 1970, one in every twenty-seven girls played high school varsity sports; compared to one in three today (6). Overall, women currently outnumber men as active sports/fitness participants (1). Since 1991, women have also out-purchased men in athletic shoes and apparel, they participate in most purchasing decisions for men and families, as well as their own, and buy disproportionate to their participation in sport. In short, women control 81% of total sports apparel dollars (6). Hence, the argument that women are not interested in sport and that they do not purchase apparel, remains untrue (3).
Team Sports

Women¡¦s professional team sports have had a difficult time establishing themselves as a staple in a booming industry. Some argue that the masculine image of team sports has inhibited women from participating professionally


Cited: (1) ¡§The Future of Women¡¦s Sport.¡¨ Women¡¦s Sports Foundation Business Newsletter. www.womensportsfoundation.org/cgi-bin/iowa/issues/business/article.html (2) Goodwin, Randy and Ladd Kochman. ¡§Market Efficiency and the Women¡¦s NBA.¡¨ American Business Review. West Haven: June 2004. Vol. 2, Issue 2; pg. 135, 3 pgs. (3) Lopiano, Donna Ph. D. ¡§Pitfalls in the Development of the Women¡¦s Sports Market.¡¨ Women¡¦s Sport Foundation Business Newsletter (4) ¡§Professional Women¡¦s Sport in America Today.¡¨ Japanese Women¡¦s Sport. www.jws.or.jp/english/prosports.html (5) Schmid, Pam. ¡§Women¡¦s Pro Sports Leagues Face Uphill Battle.¡¨ Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune. Abilene Reporter News; June 30, 2004. (6) ¡¨Women¡¦s Sports & Fitness Facts & Statistics.¡¨ Compiled by the Women¡¦s Sports Foundation: June 1, 2004. (*All asterisked parenthetical references were taken from this source.)
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