Brooke Williamson
Women sports fans are everywhere these days: They have the bases loaded, they’re calling for an all-out blitz, and they’re setting up for the pick and roll.
Women now make up over 45 percent of the NFL fan base, MLB fan base and the NBA fan base. And with their growing numbers, along come the clothing manufacturers.
Photo: Junk Food NFL from the Kristin Cavalry fashion show in NYC during fashion week.
Game day clothing companies across the country are seeing more first downs and go ahead runs when marketing to women. It’s big business, according to Stephanie Godfry of Remedy, a wholesale sports clothing company in Dallas.
Godfrey said their company did extremely well with the NFL women’s apparel they sell. The clothing that sells is also different then the men’s lines. Rather than logo-covered T-shirts, the women’s lines focus more on fashion forward trendy pieces.
Women “enjoy the fashion aspect of it,” Godfrey said. “I think there are a lot more women into sports than in the past.”
It’s unclear why the female fan base is increasing, but sports officials point to a number of reasons: New sports networks added to the TV Guide every year, a surplus of sports marketing jobs, and the communication line between teams and their fans is expanding through social media mediums.
Men, this is good news for you. Women like sports. Or they at least like wearing the clothes. And here is a little secret about women, they only wear what they like.
When it comes to women, fashion and sports, Jana Mathena, owner of Gameday Cloth in Dallas has this to say, “They get to have fashion and show spirit. The (woman) fan base is a huge market, women are why we opened.”
Take a gander at these numbers that lay the increasing coexistence of women and sports fans:
- Over the last five year’s women’s sports apparel has seen a 148% increase within the Collegiate Licensing Company.
- It is estimated that women will spend upwards of one billion dollars on NFL merchandise.
- Major League Baseball reported a 21 percent increase in women’s merchandise online last year.
Photo: D magazine.com
Not to mention, recently during the famed New York Fashion Week designer Kristin Cavaleri introduced her new line “Junk Food Vintage NFL.” Before that, Cowboys’ Charlotte Jones-Anderson teamed up with design firm Peace Love World to introduce a new clothing line called “I am Game.” Also noting that the AT&T stadium in Dallas, Texas features a Victoria Secret “Pink” store selling women’s cowboys clothing and now a new boutique.
Professional teams and collegiate teams alike are marketing and focusing on women. They realize that women are not only going to games but are also call themselves loyal fans.
“They enjoy the fashion aspect of it,” Godfrey said. “I think there are a lot more women into sports than the past.”