Table of Contents
Experts at Deloitte believe that women’s professional sports will earn $1.28 billion in 2024. That’s 300% more than three years ago.
The predictions from Deloitte are based on three main sources of income – stadium, TV and merchandise. The company also believes that soccer and basketball will be the highest earning sports. Soccer is predicted to earn $555 million and basketball $354 million.
Jennifer Haskel, a sports business expert at Deloitte, says that women’s sports have become a lot more popular around the world. Now, investors are also interested in them.
She also says that women’s sports are becoming different from men’s sports.
The FIFA Women’s World Cup was a big success this year. Many people watched women’s soccer for the first time.
However, the World Cup also showed that some things still have to improve. For example, when Spain won the World Cup, more people were interested in a story about the coach kissing a player instead of the team’s victory. Many people were very angry in Spain and other countries.
Deloitte also predicts that women’s sports in North America will earn the most money. The region is expected to earn $670 million next year. That’s 52% of all money in women’s professional sports.
Someone from Deloitte said that TV stations, streaming companies and social media companies will have to help women’s sports continue to grow. They have to make the events fun to keep current fans and get new ones.
Vocabulary
- Expert – a person with a lot of knowledge and experience in a trade, job or profession
- Believe – to think; to imagine; to have the opinion of; assume; suppose
- Earn – to get something (usually money) because you worked, sold something, or helped someone; to receive
- Billion – 1,000,000,000 = one-billion
- Prediction – A statement or guess about what will happen in the future; to say what you think will happen
- Based on – inspired by; related to; derived from;
- Source – any thing or place from which something comes from or is obtained; origin; where something comes from; the original; a reference
- Income – earnings; revenue; money that comes in
- Stadium – a large sports arena where games and events are held, usually with many seats for spectators 🏟️
- Merchandise – Things that are for sale, like toys or clothes
- Predict – to say or guess what will happen in future; forecast; imagine
- Million – 1,000,000 – one-million
- Investor – A person who puts money into a company or property and hopes to get a profit
- Success – The achievement of a goal; getting the results wanted or hoped for; to complete something well
- Show – to prove something or make the truth or existence of something known; confirm; demonstrate; to display; to represent
- Improve – to make something better
- Instead of – rather than; in place of; “not that, but something else”; substitute; alternative
- Victory – win; success; achievement; triumph
- Region – a large area of the Earth; an area of land with similar qualities/characteristics
- Expect – to think something will happen; forecast; predict; suppose
- Streaming service – an online platform that allows users to watch videos, movies, or TV shows on demand over the internet (Netflix, Disney+)
- Social media – Websites and apps that allow people to communicate and share information online (Facebook, X, TikTok, etc.)
- Grow – To become bigger or increase in size
- Event – an activity that is planned for a special purpose and usually involves a lot of people, for example, a meeting, party, trade show, or conference
- Current – now; happening or being used or done now;
- Fan – a person who likes a sport, team, or celebrity; supporter; follower
Quiz
Discussion Questions
- In your opinion, why have women’s sports become more popular around the world?
- Do you agree with Jennifer Haskel that women’s sports are becoming different from men’s sports? Why or why not?
- What can be done to make women’s professional sports even more popular?
- What are some of the challenges that women’s professional sports still face?
- English teachers looking for teaching ideas, check out my post on using easy news articles for lessons.
- English learners looking for study ideas, check out my post on using news stories for English practice.
Original Story
Fill-in-the-Blank Listening Practice
Experts at Deloitte _____ that women’s professional sports will _____ $1.28 billion in 2024. That’s 300% more than three years _____.
The predictions _____ Deloitte are based on three main _____ of income – stadium, TV and merchandise. The _____ also believes that soccer and _____ will be the highest earning sports. Soccer is predicted to _____ $555 million and basketball $_____ million.
Jennifer Haskel, a _____ business expert at Deloitte, says that women’s sports _____ become a lot more popular around the _____. Now, investors are also _____ in them.
She also says that women’s sports are _____ different from men’s sports.
The FIFA Women’s World Cup was a big _____ this year. Many people watched women’s soccer for the _____ time.
However, the World Cup also _____ that some things still have to improve. For _____, when Spain won the World Cup, more people were interested in a story _____ the coach kissing a player instead _____ the team’s victory. Many people were very _____ in Spain and other countries.
Deloitte _____ predicts that women’s sports in North _____ will earn the most money. The region is expected to earn $670 _____ next year. That’s 52% of all _____ in women’s professional sports.
_____ from Deloitte said that TV stations, streaming _____ and social media companies will have to help women’s sports _____ to grow. They have to make the events fun to keep _____ fans and get new ones.
