The Matildas win last Saturday night was watched live by 4.17 million Australian TV viewers*. Eclipsing the NRL and State of Origin finals, it was a watershed moment for women’s sports in Australia.
As well as public adoration and boosted advertising revenue, the Matildas’ success is expected to trigger a surge in female participation in soccer, new multi-million dollar sponsorship opportunities, and greater investment in the game.
So what does this mean for the future of women’s sport?
Tim Harcourt, author of Footynomics, is Industry Professor and Chief Economist at the Institute for Public Policy and Governance (IPPG) at the University of Technology Sydney.
He joins Tom Tilley on today’s episode of The Briefing to deep dive into all the Matilda mania.
“I was speaking to Sarah Walsh, from Football Australia who’s head of the women’s program. She says they are looking at getting four hundred thousand new participants.”
“It feels like the Sydney Olympics. It’s just one of those moments.”
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