I came across an article by Reuters on Mercury 13 group, a group led by sports entrepreneur Victoire Cogevina Reynal, ex England forward Eni Aluko, and former Aston Villa and Angel City sporting director and ex Italy goalkeeper Arianna Criscione.
The group said they are in advanced negotiations to acquire first division teams in Spain and Italy while clubs in Argentina and Uruguay are their next targets. This follows recent data produced by Women’s Sport Trust that women’s soccer is now the fourth most viewed sport within the United Kingdom in 2023 thus far. The report entitled, ‘Visibility Uncovered’ claims that the average time people have spent watching women’s sports on linear television in 2023 has increased by 28%. In addition to this increase the Women’s World Cup broke television and viewing figured in Spain and England.
We have discussed on the seed talk podcast the recent rise in American investors into European soccer. Over the past 40 years or so, every single team in all four of the United States’ major sports has
increased exponentially in value—inexorably through all manner of catastrophe, and at an average rate
that far outpaces that of both inflation and the S&P 500. Superimposing American expertise in the live
sports space onto a traditional, outdated, and mismanaged European club will produce quick financial
gains. With addition of high profile names utilizing celebrity and brand to drive investment and returns in European soccer. I’m bullish on Women’s Sports in Europe. I believe this will be a large market for American investors going into 2024.