Survey: Hispanic Women Driving Audience Behind FIFA Women’s World Cup
NYSJ Sports-Entertainment Business News Service
June 10, 2019: With the FIFA Women’s World Cup underway in France, broadcast networks, media and marketing are seeking to get a better focus on who, when and why people will be watching the month-long tournament.
Women’s soccer fandom is mainly driven by Hispanics, with 58% describing themselves as fans of women’s soccer compared to 39% of non-Hispanics.
In addition, support for women’s soccer is strong among Hispanic women, with 54% saying they are fans compared to 28% of non-Hispanic women.
And 24% of Hispanics consider themselves as "die-hard fans" of the women's game compared to just 6% of non-Hispanics, according to “La Ola de la FIFA,” a study commissioned by NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises in a partnership with Horowitz Research,
“Soccer is seen as an important part of Hispanic identity,” according to the survey. “Moreover, this enthusiasm is expected to grow, as about 62% of Hispanic female soccer fans hope to share their passion for soccer with their children.”
Telemundo Deportes is presenting exclusive Spanish-language coverage in the U.S. of the 2019 Women’s World Cup France.
The NBCU division is supporting with a multi-platform campaign, under the tag line, "Si lucharon para jugarlo, cuida lo que van a hacer para ganarlo" ("If they fought to play it, watch what they are going to do to win it”), the new spot, “Mira lo que lucharon para jugar la Copa Mundial Femenina de la FIFA por Telemundo” (“See what they fought to play the FIFA Women's World Cup on Telemundo”)
In the anchor spot, such players as Christen Press (U.S. striker), Vanina Correa (Argentine goalkeeper), Su Helen Galaz (Chilean defender) and Érika Dos Santos (Brazilian defender) show “the strength and perseverance of unstoppable female athletes.”
As the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team plays to defend its 2015 World Cup title, new data shows that six in ten Hispanics are interested in tuning into the international event on TV.
Beyond that, the U.S. women’s team, seeking its fourth World Cup since 1991 (1991, 1999, 2015), has driven a growth of fans, especially since the last Women’s World Cup.
According to the survey, 40% of Hispanics and 24% of non-Hispanics feel that their interest in women’s soccer has grown over the past five years.
Looking ahead regarding of the outcome of the 2019 World Cup, “survey respondents are optimistic about the future of women’s soccer:
“Half of Hispanics and one-third of non-Hispanics (51% and 35%, respectively) feel that in the next five years, the FIFA Women’s World Cup will be equally as popular as the Men’s FIFA World Cup.”
Some 51% of Hispanics and 31% of non-Hispanics feel that “men and women soccer games are equally entertaining”
Similarly, 51% of Hispanics and 27% of non-Hispanics “would like to see more women’s soccer coverage on television.”
Also, soccer is best “en Espanol”: 57% of Hispanics overall, and 52% of Hispanic women, say they “enjoy watching soccer games in Spanish more than watching them in English.”
According to “La Ola de la FIFA,” “Even 13% of non-Hispanics and 7% of non-Hispanic women. concur that soccer is more enjoyable in Spanish.”
According to the survey, 40% of Hispanics and 24% of non-Hispanics feel that their interest in women’s soccer has grown over the past five years.
Fox Sports is the exclusive English-language U.S. broadcaster for the 2019 World Cup.
NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises said that findings in the “La Ola de la FIFA” study are based on quantitative surveys fielded in May 2018, n=1,780 U.S. Hispanics and non-Hispanics aged 18-54.
It was conducted in Spanish and English via mixed methodology: online and face-to-face interviews to ensure representation of all cultural orientations, language dominances and the full spectrum of soccer fandom.
Telemundo Deportes Continues Marketing Push For Women’s World Cup
Telemundo Deportes Preps For FIFA Women's Cup
Visa FIFA Women’s Cup Push: ‘One Moment Can Change the Game’
Fox, Twitter Expand Women’s World Cup Coverage