FOUR WELSH women’s sport organisations are set for a boost after being named as part of a UK Government scheme to grow investment in elite women’s clubs and leagues as part of a new pledge to make the UK the world’s top destination for women’s sport investment.
The Department for Business and Trade will today [Wednesday 23rd October] launch the 2024-25 Women’s Sport Investment Accelerator scheme, which will bring over 20 elite leagues, competitions and teams together with investors and industry experts to help them secure transformational investment and sponsorships.
It will provide them with comprehensive market insights, seminars, connections and networking opportunities over a series of sessions, led by the Department for Business and Trade in collaboration with Deloitte, which will give them the tools and expert insight to help them attract investment and grow their business.
Elite rightsholders in Wales, the Genero Adran League, Cardiff Dragons, Celtic Challenge and England and Wales Women’s Cricket have been named to take part in the scheme. The announcement will be made at a sport investment conference at Rothschild & Co today, involving leaders from major UK sports and some the world’s most prominent international investors.
Secretary of State for Wales, Jo Stevens, said: “Wales has a proud history of producing world class female athletes and it’s fantastic to see this scheme being set up to encourage investment in women’s sport and help develop the stars of the future.
“Women’s sport has been underfunded for too long, so it’s really important that the UK Government develops schemes like this to make sure our female sportspeople get the investment they need to achieve success.”
Wales Netball & Cardiff Dragons CEO, Vicki Sutton, said: “Being part of the Department of Business and Trade and Deloitte Programme for the last year has been incredibly beneficial for netball in Wales and for my development and understanding as a leader in the sports sector.
“Women’s sport is on the rise and this programme has come at exactly the right time to compliment the worldwide movement currently in progress.”
UK Government Minister for Investment Poppy Gustafsson said: “The UK is already an elite home of women’s sport, and my goal is to make us the top destination for women’s sport investment.
“The launch of this scheme, a week after our record-breaking International Investment Summit, shows the UK is truly the best place to do business in this fast-growing industry.
“Off the back of the latest figures showing the industry could be worth over £1 billion this year, I’m looking forward to speaking to investors and clubs, leagues and teams today about how the Accelerator can drive this growth even further.”
Deloitte Sports Business Group Lead Partner Tim Bridge said: “We’re witnessing a surge in investment opportunities within women’s sport. The rise of dedicated funds and brand sponsorships for women’s and girls’ clubs, leagues and competitions signals a powerful shift.
“The Accelerator programme has been built to connect investors and brands with these opportunities, showcasing the strength and remarkable growth potential of women’s sport.
“This influx of investment will be instrumental in driving professionalisation and boosting participation across the UK, creating a lasting impact for women’s sport at all levels while delivering significant economic returns.”
The scheme will capitalise on the rapid growth of the women’s sport industry, which is expected to be worth over £1 billion by the end of the year according to Deloitte, marking a 300 percent increase since 2021.
The Government’s pledge to make the UK the top destination for women’s sport investment comes after the record-breaking International Investment Summit held just last week, which secured £63 billion of private investment into the UK which will create over 38,000 new jobs across the country.
Full list of the elite sports represented in the 2024-25 Women’s Sport Investment Accelerator:
- Football
- Cricket
- Rugby union
- Rugby league
- Tennis
- Golf
- Netball
- Volleyball
- Cycling