Golden age of women’s sport has just begun

With a long history of winning in men’s sport, people are now finding new teams and new athletes to follow and enjoy. That they are women doesn’t matter. The talent is there and it’s thrilling to watch, writes Fiona Bollen.

If recent weeks have taught us anything, it’s that the women’s sport juggernaut isn’t slowing down any time soon.

Ash Barty has moved to number one on the women’s singles world tennis rankings. Hannah Green won the LPGA event at Hazeltine Golf Club.

The Matildas bowed out of the World Cup in heartbreaking fashion, fighting to the end against Norway in the round of 16 only to beaten on penalties when they couldn’t be split during the match and extra time.

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NSW women took out their second State of Origin, their fourth straight win over Queensland, in front of more than 10,000 fans at North Sydney Oval.

Ash Barty is now the world number one female tennis player. Picture: Jordan Mansfield/Getty

These achievements don’t just happen.

Investment into women’s sport is allowing these athletes and teams to shine and excel. That investment has come at an organisational and corporate level through salaries, competitions, training facilities, grassroots programs.

Barty is part of a sport that has operated well in advance of this current boom, but it was away from tennis that she reaped the benefits.

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It wasn’t that long ago she was wielding a cricket bat rather than a tennis racquet with a turn with Brisbane Heat in the WBBL. A bit strung out in tennis (‘scuse the pun), Barty cleared her head with a season playing high level cricket. Had that elite competition not been available for her to reset in, would she have had what it takes to reach world number one on the gruelling WTA tour?

Thankfully, that question is irrelevant because she did have the opportunity and she has reached number one.

The Matildas have inspired a new generation of kids to become involved in soccer. Picture: FFA

Australians, generally, love sport. And Australians love success on the sporting field.

With a long history of winning in men’s sport, people are now finding new teams and new athletes to follow and enjoy. That they are women doesn’t matter. The talent is there, it’s entertaining and thrilling.

New South Wales got to celebrate not one, but two, Origin wins this week.

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And it wasn’t just the Matildas’ hearts that broke at the weekend, their country’s did too. Australia was watching and willing them on, a football team with a genuine chance to take out the world game’s most coveted prize.

What next?

As the governing bodies, corporates and sporting public take more notice, the media is catching on too.

Hannah Green won the KPMG Women's PGA Championship golf tournament this week. Picture: AP/Charlie Neibergall

Broadcasters are realising there are new audiences they can reach by diversifying their coverage. Editors are recognising there is an appetite.

This is the next frontier, women gaining their fair share of real estate in Australian sports coverage.

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It can have an impact on even more acceptance of elite women’s sport. In something as simple as that — the media can change language, not women’s sport, but sport. Athletes instead of female athletes.

And that coverage can return more of that investment which started all this. Gate takings from sellouts at large venues, multimillion-dollar sponsorships, broadcast deals that include women and their competitions (many current deals having been brokered before the women’s sport boom hit). All of it leads to better performing athletes and a greater spectacle for fans.

The wheel continues to turn, it grows and it gains momentum with each revolution.

As a sport-loving Aussie, what more could you ask for?

@FiBollen

Originally published as Golden age of women’s sport has just begun