Research carried out by Centauro, in partnership with Grupo Consumoteca, revealed data on women’s relationship with sport
The dream of becoming a professional athlete is present in the lives of 63.8% of Brazilian boys, but only 34% of girls allow themselves to dream of a career within the four lines. This is one of the data presented by the research Mulher & Esporte: A collective pact for the new narrative, carried out by Centauro, in partnership with Grupo Consumoteca.
The study, presented this Tuesday (4th) at an event that took place at the Arena Centauro, located in Ibirapuera Park, in So Paulo, also revealed the challenges that women face in sport, in addition to highlighting the importance of re-signifying the narrative to expand the recognition and representation of women in sports.
“We need to reinvent the narrative of women’s sport with lighter and more fun stories. Women have the right to be involved in sport without being limited by gender stereotypes. Providing an inclusive and equal environment is essential for them to reach their full potential”, said Fernanda Arechavaleta, director of marketing and reputation at Centauro.
One of the discussions raised during the event was the role of brands in the dissipation of the modality. With just a few days to go before the FIFA Women’s World Cup, which will start on the 20th of July, the advertising market is being flooded with competition-oriented campaigns, inviting and encouraging the population to cheer for the players who will represent the country, but, even so, the market’s investment in these athletes is still much lower than expected and deserved.
This high demand for pieces on the subject shows how part of the market still sees the sport seasonally, while men’s football is already part of the daily lives of a large part of the population – and of the brands’ budgets.
The study also pointed out that 78% of people believe that investment in football should be allocated equally to both modalities – men’s and women’s – in national clubs and, in addition, 81% agree that women’s football should have more brand sponsorship.
The Women’s World Cup is the sport’s main product and attracts attention from around the world. As important as the support of the brands at this time of great repercussion is the maintenance of post-event investment in clubs, athletes and local championships, enabling the modality to follow its growth path, said Ivan Martinho, professor of sports marketing at ESPM.
Still on the Club World Cup, the survey pointed out that 47% of respondents said they intended to watch the games but, even with a high percentage, the competition will still not be marked by the total celebration of the power of women with balls in their feet, since 70% of Brazilian respondents said that there is still a lot of prejudice against women who are professional soccer players.
“It is undeniable that women have been gaining more space in teams, in sports chairs and in sponsorship quotas. But this is still not reflected in the financial return and prestige – much less frees them from the eyes of judgment on their bodies. This places the woman in a constant position of struggle in sport. That’s why, when we talk about new narratives about going beyond this sphere and being able to co-create with women the narratives they want for sport”, said Michel Alcoforado, founding partner of Grupo Consumoteca.
Finally, the research revealed that despite the difficulties, women are overcoming barriers and developing their own role in the narrative of what it means to be a woman in sport. However, 47% of the interviewees miss sports content that addresses behavioral issues, in which it is possible to enjoy sports as a form of leisure and entertainment.
The study concluded that it is necessary to reposition the relationship between women and sport, providing more space for relaxation, with lighter and more fun narratives, a terrain that can be very fertile for brands, for example.
