AUCKLAND, July 18 (Reuters) – Short-form content on social media platforms like YouTube, Facebook and Instagram is helping to generate rapid interest in the 2023 Women’s World Cup, according to WSC, an AI-powered sports content provider.
The firm predicts a more than 50% increase in interest among ‘avid fans’, defined as those who fully follow the tournament, compared to the 2019 edition, amid growing interest in women’s football across the board. the world.
The 2023 edition kicks off this week in Australia and New Zealand, with the United States bidding for an unprecedented third consecutive title facing a serious challenge from European powerhouses England, Sweden, France and Germany.
A new generation of fans is emerging thanks to the availability of highlights on social media, WSC said, with 43% of the global ‘Gen Z’ audience expected to follow the World Cup on YouTube.
“Our research conclusively shows the rate at which interest and awareness of women’s sport is growing globally,” WSC Sports CEO Daniel Shichman said in a statement.
“It also underscores the role of digital platforms and short-form content in attracting a larger audience for the Women’s World Cup.”
The study surveyed more than 14,000 people in seven countries and showed that awareness of the tournament was highest in England, where the Lionesses won the European Championship last year.
The report reflects explosive growth in the women’s sport in the four years since the United States captured a fourth overall title in France.
Ratings have soared in the North American Women’s National Soccer League, while revenue for the Women’s Super League in England grew 60% for the 2020-21 season, according to a Deloitte report. last month.
(Reporting by Amy Tennery in Auckland; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
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