Lionesses Leading the Pride: An Assessment of Commercial Marketing of Women’s Football in England

Abstract

This thesis explores the marketing of women’s football in England. Specifically, it analyzes the how The Football Association (The FA) and its' corporate partners marketed women's football in England around the 2022 UEFA European Women’s Championship, the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, and the 2022/23- and 2023/24-Women’s Super League (WSL) seasons. The research method utilized qualitative coding, analyzing 24 advertisements from corporate partners of the FA, relating to the Lionesses and the WSL. After analyzing, coding, and categorizing the qualitative data, the comprehensive exploration revealed four distinct themes: pride, achievement, women's empowerment, and celebrity culture. This project contributes depth to the current conversation about the heightened global interest in women’s sports and the evolving landscape of sports marketing in the age of social media, specifically within the scope of women’s football in England.