With a successful home Women’s World Cup in the rear-view mirror, there are hopes other women’s sports may ride the wave of momentum to increased viewership, attendances, funding and, importantly, respect. The nearly 2 million tickets sold across Australia and New Zealand for the tournament are a reminder the audience already exists.
The AFLW stood ready to capitalise on this momentum, ramping up its marketing and officially launching the 2023 season as the World Cup ended. The decision to wait for clean air made sense given the Matildas fever that struck the nation saw an estimated 17 million Australians watch the semi-final against England from homes, in pubs and at live sites. The AFLW will hope to provide an exciting segue for fans of all ages who are hungry for new players to learn about and support, particularly after the men’s competition wraps up at the end of September.
