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Female athletes, team owners, coaches and operators have, for years, been pointing out that their work is undervalued in both pay and in media attention. Over the past several weeks, however, there are some encouraging signals that the tide is slowly turning.
The Women’s World Cup broke ratings records in July. In August, the University of Nebraska’s female volleyball team set a new world record when 92,003 fans filled Memorial Stadium to watch the Cornhuskers defeat the Omaha Mavericks. (The previous world record for a women’s sporting event was set in 2022, when 91,648 came out to watch a Champions League Semifinal between Barcelona and Wolfsburg in Barcelona.)
And then, this weekend, the (incredible) U.S. Open women’s final between 19-year-old phenom Coco Gauff and new world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka trounced the men’s Sunday final in viewership and broke the ESPN record for the most-watched women’s Grand Slam final.
As Forbes contributor Karen Weaver wrote after the Nebraska team set their world record: “It’s time to retire the old tropes about women’s sports. Fans are watching and buying tickets, investors are pouring money into teams and leagues, and people are buying tons of gear. Stop calling them non-revenue sports. Women’s sports make money. Lots of money.”
Cheers to that!
Maggie
Featured Forbes Profile: Coco Gauff Made $3 Million With Her U.S. Open Win. The Real Riches Will Soon Follow.
Coco Gauff’s first Grand Slam title comes with a $3 million winner’s check, pushing her prize money to $5.6 million this year and $11.1 million across her five-year pro career. Gauff has also made an estimated $12 million from endorsements, appearance fees and other business endeavors over the last 12 months (before taxes and agents’ fees). But while she already comes in at No. 7 on Forbes’ list of the highest-paid tennis players, her earnings will surely reach a new level in the very near future.
ICYMI: News Of The Week
“Girl math,” “girl dinner” and “clean girl aesthetics” are just a few of the many “girl” trends that have entertained billions on TikTok, but they have a demeaning undertone: The term “girl” is infantilizing and the trends reinforce tired stereotypes.
Female directors of independent films have reached a new milestone, according to a new report: In 2022, indie film festivals averaged 10 narrative films directed solely by men and seven films with at least one female director. This represents an uptick from the previous year when the ratio was 10 to six.
A new fashion collection designed by musician Rita Ora will hit Primark stores next week, making the BET Award-nominated artist the latest star to launch a major fashion collaboration this year. Beyoncé, Billie Eilish and Dua Lipa previously announced their own deals with Balmain, Nike and Versace, respectively.
Car crash test dummies—and subsequent car safety innovations—have long held a male bias. But a new female car crash test dummy may help change a 60-plus year status quo.
Danco Laboratories, which manufactures the abortion pill mifepristone, asked the Supreme Court Friday to rule in a case concerning whether the medication can be restricted, teeing up another major abortion case before the conservative-leaning court after it overturned Roe v. Wade.
The Checklist
1. Transform your fears into fuel. Personal finance expert Farnoosh Torabi recently published a new book about the nine most common fears that hold us back and how to pivot them into strengths. Among her best advice: Use FOMO—the fear of missing out—as a prompt to ask yourself, “How can I experience the feeling I’m after without following the herd?”
2. End your day feeling less depleted. About 40% of all workers say that stress over their to-do lists makes them less effective. Combat these feelings by embracing the “task rollover method,” which helps you prioritize the most important tasks and delegate the rest.
3. Squash your public speaking fears. If the idea of presenting at a conference or company offsite sends you into a cold sweat, here are eight tips to help you master your nerves.
The Quiz
A daytime talk show host recently announced her show would begin its new season in spite of the ongoing writers’ strike, she was then uninvited to host the 2023 National Book Awards, one of the biggest honors in publishing. Who was it?
A. Whoopi Goldberg
B. Kelly Clarkson
C. Jennifer Hudson
D. Drew Barrymore
Check your answer.
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