Katie Page says the time has come for women to own, not just sponsor, sport

Katie Page has been putting money behind sport in Australia for more than 25 years, and the leading businesswoman says the next wave of investment will be a game changer.

Katie Page has a simple message about the future of women’s sport: “You can’t stop it now.”

The leading Australian businesswoman, CEO of Harvey Norman and co-owner of the Magic Millions racing carnival, has been a financial backer of sport in this country for more than 26 years.

She has seen sport grow over almost three decades, she has “put her money where her mouth is” in respect to backing women’s sport and knows the future has never looked brighter.

While there is still much room for growth, both in female representation at executive levels and in pay parity of the elite codes, Page can see the discussion around women’s sport has evolved.

“I think it’s obvious now not just in Australia but globally that women’s sport, with whatever code that is, is taking its rightful place. You can’t stop it now,” Page told Insight Sport.

“In five years’ time it will obviously be a lot bigger than it is now.

“You have sporting codes that may be lagging a bit that will get the support that they need.

“What makes it greater is it’s not when you have one sporting code that’s doing so well, it’s when you’ve got all of them doing well for women.

“All of those women, whatever they choose to do, they have the same opportunity as men.

“(Pay parity) is up to the sporting codes obviously but you’d be a brave sporting code not to be remunerating your female players the right amount and what they’re worth.

“That’s the other thing that has changed … that conversation is now an open conversation.

“The community wants these women to be paid what they’re worth, end of story.”

Katie Page Harvey at 19 at The Star. 26 May 2021 Broadbeach Picture by Richard Gosling

THE NEXT FRONTIER

Page can name three other women who’ve financially put themselves on the front line, but there’s countless more behind the scenes and soon she hopes there will be even more willing to put their names up in lights.

She’s talking about the likes of Titans NRL co-owner Rebecca Frizelle, Sydney Kings and Flames 30 per cent share holder Robyn Denholm and equestrian giant Edwina Tops-Alexander who with her husband funds a major European showjumping event.

These are Australian business women who are “writing the cheques” as owners but can see sport as a long-term investment.

“We are investing in businesses. We will plan to make a return if we can. If it’s not today, it might be three, five years, it’s a long term thing,” she said.

“We’re involved with every part of women’s sport, it’s in our DNA.

“We realise that the company a very long time ago that you had to keep investing. This isn’t something you go and say ‘I’m going to do it for a year or two.’ This has got to be part of what you are as a company or a person.

“For me sitting here today after all of this time I am just so ecstatic that it is now so big globally. What we are experiencing with sport and women is not just in Australia, this is global.”

Katie Page Picture by Richard Gosling

The next “boom”, according to Page, will be more women in positions of power using their businesses and their names to champion further growth through ownership not just sponsorship.

“The next thing I’ll put on the table is they should be owning some of these businesses,” Page said.

“That is probably the next thing that I want to push.

“It’s always about opening the door, leading and showing the way and saying you can do this.

“I think about Magic Millions and what Gerry (Harvey) and I have been able to achieve there, really starting with that women’s bonus which changed the rules. It truly changed racing and brought a lot of women into racing.

“Sometimes you’ve got to put yourself out there whether you like it or not. And people can see ‘oh this is how it’s done.’

“I think the next boom you’re going to see is women actually taking percentages of these businesses.

“Most of the time, 99.9 per cent of the time, you’re hearing about guys that own these businesses.

“That is our next job.”

THE INSPIRATION

Two achievements stand out in Page’s mind as the greatest moments of women’s sport.

The first was Michelle Payne’s historic Melbourne Cup victory as jockey aboard Prince of Penzance in 2015, becoming the first female to ever win the biggest horse race in Australia.

Michelle Payne’s Melbourne Cup victory on Prince Of Penzance was a game changer. Picture: Michael Dodge

“That was a game changer for women in racing,” she said.

“Look at Jamie Kah now, look at all the young female jockeys coming through so strongly now. They would’ve seen what Michelle did and that gave them the extra push that the racing industry was so supportive of women.”

The second moment came in a Dublin pub last year as she witnessed the entire UK unite behind the Lioness women’s football team as England won the Euro final against Germany.

That final had a peak TV audience of 17 million viewers in the UK, with a further six million streaming online and set a benchmark for what is achievable in women’s sport.

“For me that was a moment last year which told me women’s sport was finally there.” Page said.

“There had been so much investment in people supporting broadcasters (to get live women’s sport on TV.) You can have the best athletes, you can have a great game but you’ve got to show it to the people.”

England’s Euro 2022 triumph set the benchmark for what is achievable in women’s sport. Picture: Getty Images

CHANGING LANDSCAPE

Harvey Norman first got involved in sponsorship of sport back in 1997, during rugby league’s Super League war, because of fears their own staff and customers had that without financial backing the sport as they knew it would cease to exist.

“We started investing in sport in 1997 as a company. It was through the Super League and we had our staff, we had our customers coming to us and saying we need you to invest,” Page said.

“Whatever was going on in their game, they just wanted their game to survive and thrive.

“It was actually the community and our staff that got us into sport, that showed me really back then how important it was for Australians.

“Australians love their sport, don’t take it away from them.”

Now the sporting and sponsorship landscape is very different. Hundreds of companies pour millions of dollars into codes, into clubs and into individual athletes.

It’s not an equal playing field among the sports or the codes, but female athletes are starting to get a small share of the action and this is where Page can see further value for investors wanting to become part of the evolution.

“There are so many great female athletes out there that need the light shone on them,” she said.

“You started the conversation with isn’t it great that so many people support, sponsor etc so many companies do it now, that is probably my proudest moment, that they’re all fighting to sponsor these fabulous women and these sports and different codes — how great is that.”

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