A change in revenue distribution models at the collegiate level could aid women’s sports, said panelists Thursday afternoon during the SportsBusiness Daily/Journal Game Changers Conference at the N.Y. Marriott Marquis. The panel, titled “Governing Bodies and College Leaders: Building a Blueprint to Promote and Grow Collegiate and Olympic Sports For Women,” covered a wide range of topics. American Athletic Conference Senior Associate Commissioner Donna DeMarco said, “Over 90% of high-level women executives have played college sports. It’s important that we continue to support the growth of all athletes, not just those who can follow a professional path in that sport.” The panelists discussed whether the increase in conference networks and surrounding coverage has led to gains in women’s sports. “We went from under 100 women’s volleyball games on television to more than 400 now,” said American Volleyball Coaches Association Exec Dir Kathy DeBoer. “But what’s the benefit if people are still not coming to the building and watching the games?” Univ. of North Carolina AD Bubba Cunningham said that having the games and players on TV provide a way to view athletes who can serve as role models to children and give them something to aspire to. USA Gymnastics President & CEO Steve Penny said that while the enhanced network coverage is great for the sports, it is also important to take advantage of a changing digital media landscape and find opportunities where content can reach interested fans. Penny cited a gymnastics routine video that was posted to the organization’s Facebook page and garnered 15 million views.
A NEW CONFERENCE STRUCTURE: Could moving away from a conference structure that was built around football and basketball help women’s sports? “Forty percent of athletic directors and coaches said they’d be open to different conference alignments,” said Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics Exec Dir Amy Perko. Noting that travel, both in terms of frequency and distance, financially hampers sports like track and field more than it does football, the panelists discussed the idea of changing the structure of conferences to better suit the needs of certain sports, which might help keep them financially viable.
Other Takeaways:
* Perko said of the collegiate model, “Let's change the revenue distribution model to be more in line to the values we ask of college sports.” Cunningham added, “We have lost sight of our mission to provide broad-based opportunities and participation.” The panelists agreed that a potential shift in the model could provide the support that is needed for many sports when budget cuts occur.
* On inspiring other schools: Asked if there was a halo affect in which the success of women’s sports might positively affect funding for other sports, DeBoer said, “You see the investment from other schools trying to be the UConn or Tennessee of women’s basketball, and in other sports as well.” Penny said that the success of specific programs have driven other members of a conference or region to question why they aren’t as successful, driving both investment and competition.
* On finding the right corporate partner: Outside of the collegiate realm, USA Track & Field CEO Max Siegel said, “There are partners out there that understand the positive impact [the sport] has on the youth and community, and will pledge funding for it.” He said that sponsors realize “it’s more than just the elite athletes we have on our teams, but those at the grassroots level, too. In terms of generating revenue for sports, and specifically women’s athletics, it has to be in a company’s DNA and mission.”
