The fast track : inside the surging business of women's sports

The fast track Inside the surging business of women's sports

Jane McManus, 1971-

Book - 2025

""No one cares about women's sports" is a familiar refrain from vocal skeptics, but as The Fast Track shows, a series of watershed moments reflect the increasing popularity of and support for women's sports from both investors and fans. Veteran sports journalist and academic Jane McManus examines both this upward trend and the forces that have held women's sports back since the early 1970s when Title IX became law (and Billie Jean King soundly defeated Bobby Riggs). As the fervor for Caitlin Clark during the 2024 NCAA Women's Basketball championship illustrates, there is big money to be made from broadcasting, merchandising, and investing in women's sports. The Fast Track chronicles how pioneering spo...nsorships, broadcast opportunities, and surges in ratings contradict the myths about disinterest. Interviews counter the resistance toward women's leagues, reveal how women are covered in the media, and consider the possibilities for further investment. McManus also addresses racial inclusivity, transgender athletes, women's health issues, and equal pay. An essential road map to capitalize on untapped potential, The Fast Track provides a snapshot of where women's sports as an industry and investment stand at this moment in time" --

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Subjects
Professional sports > Economic aspects > United States.
Sports for women > Economic aspects > United States.
Mass media and sports > United States.
Women athletes > United States > Social conditions.
Sports professionnels > Aspect économique > États-Unis.
Sports féminins > Aspect économique > États-Unis.
Médias et sports > États-Unis.
Sportives > États-Unis > Conditions sociales.
Published
Philadelphia : Temple University Press 2025.
Language
English
Main Author
Jane McManus, 1971- (author)
Physical Description
199 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references (pages 189-194) and index.
ISBN
9781439925089
  • Introduction
  • 1. A Dollar and a Dream
  • 2. Pay Equity
  • 3. The Body
  • 4. Know Your Audience
  • 5. Broadcasting Gatekeepers
  • 6. Broadcasting: The Road Forward
  • 7. The Future of Sports Commerce
  • 8. Investing in Women: The Set-Up for League Success
  • 9. Finding Allies
  • 10. Negotiating Value
  • 11. Taking a Stand
  • Conclusion: Passing the Torch
  • Acknowledgments
  • Notes
  • Index
Review by Booklist Review

Here's a jaw-dropping statistic that might shock sports fans: "82 percent of annual earnings for female athletes come through endorsements rather than salary." Renowned sports journalist McManus, whose resume includes editing The Year's Best Sports Writing, 2024, and acting as former executive director of the Center for Sports Media, provides an in-depth look at the women's sports industry to help understand that statistic, with chapters on pay equity, broadcasting, negotiating value, and more. She also covers NIL deals. McManus invites readers to take a step back and view the industry through a broader lens as she traces the challenges from pre-Title IX to current times, highlighting leaders who prove that this is more than an issue of equality: it is also an industry worthy of investment for its profitability and sustained growth. Sports leading the charge include the WNBA, WTA, and NWSL. McManus does an admirable job of giving an overview of the cyclical nature of support and dispelling preconceived myths. The Fast Track is a valuable, well-researched playbook that chronicles the frustrating setbacks and the momentum propelling the women's sports industry forward.

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.

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