With the Women’s Rugby World Cup in its final stages and the new Women’s Super League (WSL Football) season underway, what better time to announce a trio of new signings.

Building on our burgeoning sports partnership deals and content packages are three new opportunities to align with clubs, athletes and players at the top of their game – and those who are just starting out.

WSL Football is advancing its position as one of the greatest women’s leagues in the world, signing a string of rights deals to boost audiences. International growth builds on the success of the Lionesses winning the Women’s European Cup this summer, supported by new partnerships with Ocean, along with Nike and British Gas.

Our three year alliance gives elite women’s football a national presence across premium DOOH, putting the BWSL and BWSL2 in front of out of home audiences over the next few years, reaching younger audiences and light TV viewers in particular. 

Our aim is to help grow the women’s game at all levels, build bigger fan bases, sell more tickets and offer advertisers a chance to shape the narrative, champion players and create closer connections between brands and audiences year round.

Why it’s important

Brands who tap into the rising popularity and increased broadcast exposure for women’s sport will reap rewards.

In a recent report, Havas Play UK found that more than 40 million UK adults now follow women’s sport, with 20 million interested in women’s football. However, one-third of those fans said they could not name a single sponsor of women’s sporting events despite the finding that half of Brits indicated they feel more positive towards brands who sponsor women’s sport.

Women’s sports fans want brands to show up. According to research from the Women’s Sports Trust, 71% of respondents believe brands have a responsibility to uplift women’s sports. And 46% are more likely to engage with sponsors compared to those in men’s sports (source: 2023 study).

In a year when two women’s home nations teams are competing in two major global tournaments, attention will be on those putting their weight behind women’s sport. Ocean’s full motion screens give those brands an opportunity to extend their linear broadcast exposure to elusive, light TV viewers.

What’s more, Ocean’s proprietary neuroscience COG Research, together with our qualitative research (YouGov), demonstrates that brands can achieve greater cut through when their advertising messages are seen in proximity to premium sporting content and live interactive fan experiences. 

In the thick of it

Last week, we doubled down on our commitment with a new deal with the RFU, becoming Official DOOH supplier to the Red Roses.

Under the terms of the partnership, over the next three years we will broadcast behind-the-scenes content along with ticketing updates, player led content and match day highlights. 

The first burst breaks with ‘For The Girls’, a celebration of the Red Roses’ position as the world’s number one team and their power as role models to inspire woman and girls as they progress through the World Cup.  

Ocean is already broadcasting more than 300 hours of women’s rugby action and managing the Official Women’s Rugby World Cup 5,000 capacity fan zone in London which opened at Battersea Power Station with live coverage of the quarter finals. If the Red Roses manage to clinch the title it’s going to be one heck of a party.

On occasions like these, DOOH delivers where it matters most. Front and centre, impossible to ignore. It doesn’t get much bigger than a home tournament, and we look forward to assisting the national squad create a lasting legacy in years to come.

Our job’s not yet done

Despite sport’s potential to transform lives, too many disabled and disadvantaged young people face barriers that prevent them from taking part. Our third new alliance with the national charity Access Sport gives a platform to their voices to inspire action and support for a more inclusive sporting landscape.

Our partnership begins with Hear My Story, first-hand stories from young people who have overcome barriers and found belonging through inclusive community sport.

Across the country, our digital screens are featuring Grace, who co-founded a disability-inclusive basketball club; Elliot, who found confidence on the climbing wall; Judd, whose life was turned around by BMX; and Basel, who discovered joy through swimming and tennis. 

Hear My Story is a brilliant example of how DOOH can shine a light on real lives, real communities and the organisations making a difference. Providing a national public platform for stories like these has a significant impact, and we know first-hand from our work with Special Olympics GB how it can positively change lives for young athletes. 

Access Sport gives young athletes access to a grassroots pathway into elite and inclusive sport, starting in their local communities. Brand support at this local and regional level is vital for clubs and charities who are integral to this pathway.  

In the coming years, we will continue to work with organisations like Access Sport, agencies and brands to build a fairer, more inclusive world. 

Inclusion should be the norm

Access Sport is asking the public to get involved. If you see a Hear My Story ad, please take a picture and share it on social media, tagging @AccessSport. Every share helps amplify these young people’s voices further and spreads the message that inclusion should be the norm.

To find out more about our sports partnership opportunities, email kevin.henry@oceanoutdoor.com