Source · Select Committees · Culture, Media and Sport Committee
Recommendation 9
9
The lack of visibility of women’s sport this summer risks undoing work to improve funding...
Recommendation
The lack of visibility of women’s sport this summer risks undoing work to improve funding for women’s elite sport. Cancellation of women’s events is likely to reduce the number of women being inspired to take part in sporting activities. In its response to Impact of COVID-19 on DCMS sectors: First Report 57 this report, the Government should outline how it intends to support women’s sport post-crisis and ensure that, going forward, men’s elite sports are not further prioritised at the expense of the women’s game. (Paragraph 36) Culture and the Creative Industries
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
We recognise that women’s sport has already been heavily impacted by the pandemic with a lack of media coverage and visibility and a loss of sponsorship deals which women’s sport has historically found difficult to attract in the first place. We want to continue to raise the profile of and encourage more commercial investment into women’s sport. Sponsorship and media coverage go hand in hand. If women’s sport does not have the media coverage, then sponsors often do not see it as commercially attractive. Some women’s sport has been able to return more quickly post-lockdown, such as tennis, including the Progress Tour of Women’s Championships in July, golf’s Rose Ladies Series and Women’s Open in August and Women’s Cricket and the Women’s Super League in September. A test event has also been held for women’s football including Lewes FC vs London Bees (women’s pre-season friendly). The return of other sports is to be confirmed. However, it is for individual sports to decide how their women’s teams should return to play safely, in line with the Government issued elite sport return to training and domestic competition guidance. The Minister for Sport met with sport bodies and Women in Sport earlier in June to explore further the new challenges Covid-19 has brought and discuss what more can be done to address these. There was a real shared commitment among sports to protect investment in women’s sport and promote its growth. We are committed to helping women’s sport come out of the current crisis stronger than ever and will be working closely with the sector to ensure that happens. Culture and the creative industries - Conclusions and recommendations 10–19