The U.S. women’s national team’s defense of its back-to-back World Cup championships is proving to be an irresistible story for advertisers.
Ad revenues for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup are up by 50% from the last tournament in 2019, according to Mike Petruzzi, senior VP of sales for Fox Sports, which has U.S. broadcasting rights for the soccer tournament. Ad inventory is 90% sold out for the event, which begins July 20 in Australia and New Zealand.
The higher revenues reflect, in part, a tournament that has grown from 24 teams in 2019 to 32 this year, with a record 29 games to be broadcast live by Fox (another 35 will air on Fox Sports 1). A juggernaut U.S. squad—which Fox Sports itself highlights in a new ad—is another big reason, Petruzzi said.