Canadian Women & Sport, in partnership with Boston Consulting Group and the Canadian Tire Corporation, parent company to SportChek and Helly Hansen, released new research outlining the growing investment opportunity for Canada’s professional women’s sports market.

According to the research report, It’s Time: Accelerating Professional Women’s Sport in Canada, the Canadian women’s professional sports market is underserved and underdeveloped.

“The findings are clear and undeniable. Investing in professional women’s sports in Canada will unlock a new era of growth and opportunity, one that will herald commercial and social benefits for decades to come,” said Allison Sandmeyer-Graves, CEO at Canadian Women & Sport. 

“From hockey and soccer to basketball and esports and beyond, professional women’s sport in Canada is ripe for investment,” said Nan DasGupta, managing director and senior partner at BCG. “This untapped sector offers a unique and strong value proposition for investors in Canada, particularly those with a vision and a venture capital mindset.”

Key findings in the report include:

  • Women’s professional sports is a growth market with a relatively low cost to enter and a high potential for long-term upside;
  • Women’s professional sports aligns strategically with emerging fandom and consumer engagement, enabling investors to capitalize on the rapidly changing trends disrupting the traditional sports business model;
  • Early investors have an opportunity to shape the market, exert influence and create conditions to ensure positive outcomes; and
  • Women’s professional sports supports corporate Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) objectives. 

“Canadian Tire Corporation has a long-standing tradition of investing in sports, and we are proud to work alongside Canadian Women & Sport and BCG,” said Kim Saunders, VP of ESG Strategy, Community Impact and Sponsorships, Canadian Tire Corporation. “We hope this partnership will encourage other brands to invest in building women’s professional sports, ultimately joining us in the journey to champion gender equity in Canadian sport.”

BCG curated the report with oversight from a Canadian Women & Sport advisory group composed of leaders representing media, corporate brands and sport properties.