"Back in the day there was a low-profile sport called women's rugby union. Few people went to watch, the media seldom took an interest and the world's top players were enthusiastic amateurs. Anyone predicting Twickenham would one day be packed to the rafters for a standalone women's fixture would have been dismissed as crazy. And now? There is a different sport in town. It is simply known as rugby and now more than ever it belongs to both sexes."
"Next month's World Cup final, accordingly, has attracted a full house in excess of 80,000 and a huge global television audience. And if all goes to plan the Lionesses will not be the only female sporting queens adorning teenage bedroom walls in England. The Red Roses may or may not be crowned world champions at the end of September but public interest in them is about to soar."
"The organisers report that 375,000 tickets have been bought before the tournament has even kicked off. Given the entire 2017 competition in Belfast attracted 45,412 people at an average of 1,514 spectators per game, the step change has been remarkable. Little wonder World Rugby's leading officials cannot wait for the 2025 edition to commence. It's going to be an amazing tournament, says Alan Gilpin, the governing body's chief executive."
Women's rugby evolved from a low-profile, amateur pastime with small crowds and limited media interest into a mainstream sport drawing major stadium attendances. The upcoming World Cup final expects over 80,000 spectators and a large global television audience. Organisers report 375,000 tickets sold before the tournament begins, massively outpacing the 2017 competition total of 45,412. World Rugby views England as the right market for the 2025 tournament and anticipates another major event. The success of the Lionesses and the wider movement behind women's sport have driven heightened public enthusiasm. Younger ticket purchasers and television audiences are reshaping rugby's demographics.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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