The athletes and partners in women’s sports would give the shirts off their backs to keep the game growing—if those shirts were available.
During big events in women’s soccer and basketball within the last year, sports apparel makers have had difficulty meeting the moment. During England’s run to last year’s Women’s World Cup Final, goalkeeper Mary Earps questioned why Nike hadn’t made her jersey available to fans during the tournament. Nike didn’t release Earps’ jersey until months later, but Earps believed it learned a harsh sports marketing lesson.
Then, after collegiate record breaker Caitlin Clark was drafted No. 1 overall by the WNBA’s Indiana Fever in April, fans ordering her Nike-made jersey from Fanatics and Dick’s Sporting Goods were given delivery dates ranging from mid-August to early October. Nike-produced jerseys for Caleb Williams—selected first overall in the NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears—ship the day after they’re ordered.
To highlight the disparity between apparel availability and selection in men’s and women’s sports, payment processing and “buy now, pay later,” brand Klarna teamed with Sports Innovation Lab on the new report Rep Her: Revealing the Unmet Demand for Women’s Sports Merchandise. The report estimates the women’s sports merchandise market at $4 billion annually, despite having only one piece of women’s sports apparel for every nine made for men’s sports.
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With 79% of those surveyed saying they’d buy more women’s sports merchandise if it were available, Klarna teamed with equity-focused media and commerce company Togethxr and NWSL Champion, two-time World Cup winner and ESPN analyst Ali Krieger to create a merchandise collection touting women’s sports as “A Movement, Not a Moment.”
“Up to this point, it’s been hard to be a [women’s sports] fan. There’s been a lack of investment from a storytelling side. But even more so on the consumer product side,” said Jessica Robertson, Togethxr’s co-founder and chief content officer. “It’s been nearly impossible to find a jersey of your favorite player in major retail stores or even online, and—as a fan—a piece of merchandise reflects your identity, your ethos and the community that you’re a part of.”