| This 2023 Women's World Cup is the first tournament with a full 32 teams playing and the first tournament with $150 million getting paid out—including at least $30,000 to every single player, although that's not completely guaranteed. (The men's tournament still pays $440 million, just fyi.)
More teams in more countries are investing. More fans are following. More women are playing and the games are getting more intense. (Truly, this tournament's group play has been absolute chaos.) Over 1.5 million tickets to this WWC have already been sold; FIFA has said it'll generate at least $500 million in revenue. This WWC has a chance to truly "blow the lid off" the business globally, and yet this is despite the athletes being hobbled...
ACL injuries
With so many global stars out with ACL injuries, fans are wanting to know: What the heck is going on?!
What they're learning is something female athletes have long known: Women suffer ACL injuries at higher rates than men.
Partially, it might be because of actual biological differences—but we don't know for sure how much because of the huge discrepancy in research done on female athletes. Partially, it's the training and strength work boys receive v. girls. Partially, it's a product of fewer resources and trainers, worse facilities and harder turf, and an increase in the amount of international play without an accompanying increase in the amount of support.
Here's the extra big secret, though: WE KNOW HOW TO FIX IT! (We just don't do it.)
Media rights
When FIFA decided that women's soccer could actually make money (!), they went out to sell the rights to the tournament separately for the first time. But, turns out, when you tell people for decades that something isn't worth paying for and throw it in for free with the rights to the men's game, it's a little hard to suddenly do a 180. Add in the time difference to Australia and New Zealand, and the season timing with European soccer, plus the complicated way FIFA sells rights to each individual market. And all of that meant the World Cup started without TV deals fully secured in Japan and some European countries.
Thank God here in the U.S. the rights were bought up by FOX in a combined men's & women's deal. (And, anyway, FIFA still sold the rights for $200 million globally.)
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Yet, despite all of that, the games and athletes are delivering—in maybe the most chaotic group round of a World Cup ever. Morocco secured their first World Cup win, over South Korea. Colombia surprised everyone to beat heavy favorites Germany. Jamaica lost almost all their funding (and had to rely on Bob Marley's daughter to help), then tied France and beat Panama. For the love of all, defending Olympic champions Canada lost 4-0 to home favorites Australia and have been knocked out! What the holy heck is going on with the Americans, who were very nearly eliminated by a ball that bounced off the post! And then there was this goal from Brazil.
WATCH: Don't miss the last games of group play before it moves to elimination rounds on Thursday. The U.S. next plays (likely) Sweden at 5 a.m. ET on Sunday on FOX. And they'll have to play much better if they plan to advance.
Plus, of course, there's the dancing.
2. Tour de France Femmes: What's next?
The second Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift ended this weekend with a dramatic win by Demi Vollering, who took the yellow jersey on the biggest climb of the eight-day race (and despite a previous penalty) and then held onto it in the final day's time trial. Yes, the race finished with a time trial—something we'd like to see more often.
Really the biggest problem was the race was just too damn exciting. Goodbye and thanks for everything Annemiek van Vleuten.
So what comes next? Unfortunately, if you're getting pumped for women's cycling, this was really the peak of the Women's World Tour calendar. But many of the women are, indeed, headed to the UCI World Championships in Glasgow, Scotland. The women's time trial takes place Aug. 10 and the road race Aug. 13. (Stay tuned.)
Plus, if you really want to stay hyped about bike racing, may we suggest also tuning into the next event in the Lifetime Grand Prix: Leadville 100 mountain bike race on Aug. 12. Word is some particularly adventurous souls are going to follow that up with the six-day Breck Epic starting the next day, and then SBT Gravel the following weekend.
Different riders. A lot more dirt. Same drama.
3. Simone Biles returns
One year out from the Paris Olympics, it's also time for way-too-early predictions (yay!). And now jumping into that betting pool is the return of the GOAT: Simone Biles.
The many (many!) time world champ, Biles pulled out of the Tokyo Olympics after losing her orientation in mid-air (what gymnasts call "the twisties") and worrying for her safety. She has since become an advocate for mental health and gotten married to NFL player Jonathan Owens—unrelated, just interesting facts.
But, she is now returning to competition.
After joining the U.S. team for a camp this past month, she has said she's been training and is excited to get back on the competition floor. She is now on the start list for the U.S. Classic this weekend—a pre-Olympic Trials meet held in the Chicago suburbs. Also on the start list (and also hasn't competed in awhile due to health issues)? Olympic all-around gold medalist Suni Lee.
WATCH: Curious what gym practice is like? Check out the teammates' IG vlog from last week. |
