Should the Lionesses beat Spain in the Euros final on Sunday, they won’t just be bringing football home, they’ll be opening the door to a commercial future once thought to be intangible for the women’s game.
Their 2022 Euros triumph broke many preconceptions of what is achievable in the sport, and the top tier of women’s football is fast becoming a goldmine for brands seeking authenticity, relatability and reach.
The Lioness stars have become more than just athletes. They are style icons, social trailblazers and marketable personalities with growing influence that’s not gone unnoticed by big player brands.
‘They’re doing more outside the sport than the men’s team ever have,’ says Hayley Knight, Co-Founder and Director of Comms for BE YELLOW, a leading PR and Media Relations Agency.
‘They’re more human. They’re more accessible. They’re pushing for equal access in sport for schools and they’re influencing policy.
‘And the one wonderful thing about the Lionesses in particular and this particular team is that there’s no scandal, they’re very open and honest. There’s LGBT representation. It’s very diverse.
Beth Mead (above) and her England team-mates will open the door to a commercial future once thought to be intangible for the women’s game, should they triumph over Spain on Sunday
They are on the brink of glory in Switzerland, just one game away from another Euros triumph
Chloe Kelly and the Lionesses are set to benefit from huge commercial opportunities if they triumph over Spain in the final of the Women’s European Championship on Sunday
‘So there are a lot more brands that can invest and there’s a lot more brand trust that they can hook onto. And the contracts will be longer because of that.
‘Plus they have access to social media and influencer marketing in a way that previous teams and the men’s team have never had access to.’
Lucy Bronze’s on-field heroics and social media visibility have landed her lucrative endorsements with the likes of VISA, Spotify, and recently, Rexona, that have seen her rake in the big bucks, amassing a whopping £3.5m net worth.
Fashion house Gucci swooped up the ascendant Leah Williamson as a brand ambassador – and along with other deals with big players like Nike and Pepsi – the England captain has a staggering £4m net worth.
And they’re not the only millionaires in the squad – Chloe Kelly, Lauren James, and Alessia Russo can all boast at least six-figure values from their deals with industry giants like Calvin Klein, Google Pixel and Adidas, to add to their wages.
Growing viewerships have seen the Lioness stars begin to bridge the chasm to the men’s when it comes to earning away from the pitch, but that’s not the only magnet for advertisers.
‘They have different audiences, and more diverse audiences, than the men’s teams,’ Knight explains.
‘They also have access to the women and girls market, which is a very underserved demographic, especially in sports. And that can be incredibly valuable to brands in order to help target them.
Kelly’s extra-time winner gave the Lionesses a 2-1 win over Italy in the semi-finals on Tuesday
Leah Williamson, England’s captain, is a brand ambassador for global fashion house Gucci
Williamson, pictured stripping down to her underwear while modelling for Calvin Klein, has a staggering £4m net worth – thanks to sponsorship deals with big players like Nike and Pepsi
‘A lot of brands’ main focus is on Gen Z and the younger audience, and the Lionesses will allow them to access that.’
With further Euro glory on the horizon, the already burgeoning market for England’s female football stars could find a second, third, even fourth, wind in the coming years.
‘I think over the next 12 to 24 months, merchandising growth could lead to about a £10 to 20m increase,’ predicts Knight.
‘I’d say we’ll see about a 20 to 30% increase across endorsement deals. If the players go above and beyond the sport, they’re probably looking to make about £20,000 to £60,000 per sponsored post.
‘I think they could even exceed a 50% increase over the next few years.’
Those endorsement premiums will almost certainly bleed into the salaries seen in the Women’s Super League.
At present, Chelsea forward Sam Kerr is reportedly the highest earner in the league, taking home a considerable £400k a year.
That dwarfs the average annual salary of women footballers globally per FIFA’s annual report, a measly £8k per year, which increases just under £18k when only the 41 clubs designated as Tier 1 are taken into account.
Lauren James (above) is another Lionesses boasting six-figure values from sponsorship deals
Sam Kerr, pictured with her fiancee Kristie Mewis (left), is earning a report £400,000 a year
Spain superstar Ainata Bonmati broke records last year by coming the first women’s footballer to earn a salary of €1m a year (around £835k) – a record broken in the men’s game in 1979
Still, even a superstar like Kerr would have to work roughly 385 years to make what Cristiano Ronaldo does in one – the Portuguese legend snaps up an unconscionable £153.5m a year in his new Al Nassr contract.
Ainata Bonmati broke records last year by coming the first women’s footballer to earn a salary of €1m a year (around £835k) – as a point of comparison, Trevor Francis became the first men’s footballer to earn £1m when he joined Nottingham Forest in 1979 – 46 years ago.
‘I don’t think the ceiling will ever be as high as men’s sports, unfortunately, and I hate to say that. But I think that the women will swiftly increase and bridge the gap.
‘There’s more growth potential for the Lionesses.
‘I think [Switzerland star] Alisha Lehman is a really interesting example. She’s positioning herself as an Instagram influencer beyond a top level player. And she’s not just influencing football, she’s also getting brand deals for fashion and beauty and lifestyle.
And I think that we’ve only really seen that in the past with big fashion advertising campaigns for the likes of Beckham. But these women that already have that platform and work as influencers, become a lot more accessible to smaller brands.’
The nation will be behind the Lionesses on Sunday, as they look to add to their growing trophy cabinet, but even if they don’t succeed, Knight reckons their commercial value won’t diminish.
‘There’s such a loyalty that they’re starting to build, that even if a loss would be disappointing, their popularity won’t diminish. It’s the person, not the player as such, that matters.’
