Page 18 - AT

A18 SPORTS
Friday 5 OctOber 2018

Report: Male sports fans have big interest in women's sports

By PAN PYLAS on a large scale and rep-
Associated Press resents a great platform
LONDON (AP) — Male for brands to stand out,"
sports fans make up more Douglas said.
than half of the group of Nielsen found that of
people with an interest in those people aware of
women's sports, according next year's eighth Wom-
to a report published Thurs- en's World Cup in France,
day by analysts Nielsen 34 percent have already
Sports. shown an interest. That's
The report found that 84 not far off the 45 percent
percent of general sports equivalent for this year's
fans in eight key markets men's version in Russia,
around the world, includ- which was eventually won
ing the United States and by France.
Britain, have an interest in With promotional cam-
women's sports, and that paigns still to come, Doug-
51 percent of those are las said there is a "clear
male. chance" to engage po-
"This research not only illus- tential fans ahead of the
trates the vast amount of tournament, which will
people actively interested be broadcast around the
in women's sports today, world. Major broadcasters,
but also shines a spotlight In this Aug. 31, 2018, file photo, United States' Crystal Dunn, right, prepares to strike the ball during such as the BBC in Britain,
on the significant com- the second half of an international friendly soccer match in Carson, Calif. TFI in France and Fox in the
mercial opportunities on Associated Press United States, will show ex-
the horizon," said Lynsey tensive coverage of the
Douglas, who led the team than ever before." for decades in the profes- leagues around the world competition.
behind the 32-page re- The landscape for women's sionalization and com- being established. The Nielsen's research in the
port "The Rise of Women's team sports has changed mercialization of women's Women's European Cham- eight countries — Australia,
Sports." dramatically over the past sports, their counterparts in pionship in 2017, for exam- Britain, France, Germany,
"From equal pay to record few years, creating the po- team sports have lagged ple, attracted a television Italy, New Zealand, Spain
audiences and new media tential to increase the cost far behind despite some audience of 150 million, and the United States — in-
deals, women's sport is one of broadcasting rights and exceptions, such as with according to Nielsen. volved 1,000 interviews per
of the fastest changing ar- the pay of the athletes soccer in the United States. "Building on this momen- market, split between men
eas in the sports industry, themselves. While tennis That's all changing though, tum, next year's Women's and women between the
and is more important now and golf have led the way particularly in soccer, with World Cup is set to engage ages of 16 and 69.q

Naomi Osaka into China Open No. 1 Simona Halep

quarters, Zhang upsets Kerber has MRI exam that

BEIJING (AP) — Naomi Osa- shows herniated disk
ka maintained her strong
form since winning the U.S. By The Associated Press 27 last week, is 46-10 with
Open by reaching the Chi- No. 1-ranked Simona Halep three titles in 2018. Ha-
na Open quarterfinals by has a herniated disk in her lep won her first Grand
crushing Julia Goerges 6-1, back, putting the rest of Slam championship at
6-2 on Thursday. her season in doubt. the French Open in June,
Osaka made a slow start, Halep wrote on Twitter on and was the runner-up
saving a break point and Tuesday that she had an at the Australian Open in
enduring five deuces in the MRI exam that revealed January.q
eight-minute first game. But the injury.
she broke Goerges' serve in She retired from her first-
the next game and raced round match at the China
to 5-0. Open on Sunday, citing
Osaka won four consecu- a back problem that has
tive points on Goerges' Naomi Osaka of Japan hits a return shot while competing been bothering her.
against Julia Goerges of Germany in their third round women's
serve to open the second singles match in the China Open at the National Tennis Stadium The season-ending WTA Fi-
set and rolled on. in Beijing, Thursday, Oct. 4, 2018. nals begin in Singapore on
When asked why she's Associated Press Oct. 21.
risen into the top 10 this Halep has lost her past four
year, Osaka said: "I think year I was hitting a lot." This is Osaka's second tour- matches, including at the
my biggest improvement is In the quarterfinals, Osa- nament since she defeat- U.S. Open. She became
mental. "My game is more ka will play Zhang Shuai, ed Serena Williams in the the first top-seeded wom-
consistent, there are not who came back from a U.S. Open final on Sept. 8. an to lose in the opening
so many unforced errors. set down to defeat third- In the first last week, she got round in New York in the 50-
I'm not sure how many I hit ranked Angelique Kerber to the Pan Pacific Open fi- year professional era.
today, but sometimes last 6-1, 2-6, 6-0. nal in Tokyo.q The Romanian, who turned