The business of European pop and women's basketball

Summary

Marketplace Morning Report Summary Episode: The Business of European Pop and Women's Basketball
Release Date: May 16, 2025
Host: David Brancaccio

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1. The Business Boom of the WNBA

Overview:
The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) is experiencing unprecedented growth following a stellar 2024 season. Key metrics such as attendance, viewership, and merchandise sales have surged, signaling a robust upward trajectory for women's basketball.

Key Highlights:

• Record Attendance and Viewership:
  The 2024 WNBA season saw a 48% increase in attendance, and the average viewership for nationally televised games reached the highest levels since the 1990s. This surge reflects a growing fan base and heightened interest in women's basketball.

• Strategic Marketing Initiatives:

  • Indiana Fever's Innovative Campaign:
    The Indiana Fever, after acquiring superstar Caitlin Clark in the last WNBA draft, launched a compelling ad campaign featuring players in stylish attire, such as heels and bright red pantsuits. This campaign aims to resonate with new fans acquired during the previous season.
    Savannah Peters reports at [01:32].

  • Leveraging Player Personalities:
    Professor Kitra Armstrong from the University of Michigan emphasizes the importance of WNBA marketers in capitalizing on the current momentum. By focusing on team rivalries and individual player stories, the WNBA aims to deepen fan engagement.
    Quoted at [02:07].

  • Influencer Roles for Players:
    Jada Mumjew, a sports marketing expert at the University of New Haven, highlights how WNBA players are becoming influential figures. They're featured prominently in ad campaigns and social media, enhancing their personal brands and fostering a stronger connection with fans.
    Addressed at [02:33].

• Financial Resilience:
  Deloitte's Pete Giorgio points out that fans of women's sports tend to be more loyal and values-driven, which may provide the WNBA with a financial edge during economic downturns. This loyalty translates to sustained ticket and merchandise sales, even when discretionary spending is tight.
  Insights shared at [03:19].

• Record-Breaking Revenue Streams:
  Carlie Knox from the Minnesota Lynx's front office reports that corporate sponsorships, season ticket sales, and merchandise have all been on a historic rise, setting new records even before the 2025 season has officially begun.
  As mentioned at [03:54].

Notable Quotes:

• Kitra Armstrong:
  “The onus is on the WNBA marketers to try to not only capture the momentum but elevate it.”
  [02:07]

• Pete Giorgio:
  “Market research shows us that fans of women's sports... they're more loyal.”
  [03:24]

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2. Eurovision Song Contest: A Powerhouse of European Pop

Overview:
Celebrating its 70th edition, the Eurovision Song Contest remains a pivotal platform for launching new artists and unifying European cultures through music. Despite financial challenges for some participating countries, Eurovision continues to maintain its status as a global musical phenomenon.

Key Highlights:

• Historical Significance and Growth:
  Originating in 1956 to foster unity among European nations through culture, Eurovision has evolved into a major international event. The contest's influence is underscored by the success of ABBA, whose Eurovision victory catapulted them into global stardom.

• Current Edition and Viewership:
  The 70th Eurovision Song Contest is set to take place in Basel, Switzerland, with an anticipated 160 million viewers worldwide. This demonstrates the contest's enduring appeal, even in the age of streaming and digital media.
  Reported at [05:22].

• Artist Spotlight and Streaming Success:

  • Taya's Journey:
    Austrian singer Taya, who previously critiqued the music industry's royalty practices through her Eurovision performance, is returning as a songwriter for Austria's new representative, JJ. Her previous song garnered over 30 million streams, highlighting the contest's potential for significant digital engagement.
    Discussed at [06:00] and [06:18].

  • Streaming Dominance:
    Ahead of last year's finale in Malmö, Sweden, streaming numbers for Eurovision songs reached 807 million on Spotify, indicating a strong digital footprint for the contest's music.
    Mentioned at [06:28].

• Broadcast and Global Reach:
  Rob Holley, head of digital for Eurovision, emphasizes the contest's role as a premier platform for new artists, comparing its multifaceted PR campaigns to orchestrating 37 separate promotions for each participating act.
  Quoted at [07:00].

  Additionally, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) reports that over 10% of Eurovision-related content originated from the United States, reflecting its expanding global influence beyond Europe.
  Highlighted at [07:56].

• Financial Challenges for Participating Countries:
  Despite its popularity, Eurovision participation incurs significant costs. Countries like Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Romania, and Moldova have withdrawn in recent years due to financial constraints, raising concerns about the contest's sustainability for smaller or economically strained nations.
  Explored at [07:21].

Notable Quotes:

• Rob Holley:
  “It's the biggest music show on the planet for us. It's like we run 37 different PR campaigns for 37 different pop stars.”
  [07:00]

• Taya:
  “If you have a Eurovision song, you can be sure that people are going to hear it.”
  [06:28]

• Ahmed Cognac:
  “I think Eurovision is not just only related with countries, it's about the music.”
  [07:53]

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3. Additional Market Updates

• Epic Games vs. Apple Dispute:
  The episode briefly touches on the ongoing conflict between Epic Games and Apple. Fortnite remains unavailable on Apple's App Store despite Epic's efforts to challenge Apple's commission policies. The dispute centers around Apple's control over app distribution and in-app purchases.
  Discussed at [08:35].

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Conclusion:
The episode of Marketplace Morning Report delves into the flourishing business landscapes of both the WNBA and the Eurovision Song Contest. While the WNBA leverages strategic marketing and loyal fan bases to achieve record-breaking growth, Eurovision continues to serve as a vital platform for emerging artists amidst financial challenges for some participants. These stories underscore the dynamic interplay between sports, entertainment, and economic factors in today's global market.

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For more insights and updates, listen to the full episode of Marketplace Morning Report.

Transcript

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[David Brancaccio]

You can turn to Marketplace to hear from powerful leaders and everyday people about the economy and their roles in it. Now we hope we can turn to you. Marketplace is facing real threats and challenges as we plan for the future. As a public media program, donations from you are an important part of our budget. Here's one action you can take right now that will have a long lasting impact. Start a monthly donation to Support our work. $5 a month is a great place to start. Head to marketplace.org donate and thank you on this May Friday morning, let's do the business of sport and the business of pop. I'm David Brancaccio in Los Angeles. The pro women's basketball season begins tonight after a breakout 2024 where attendance was up 48%. Average viewership for nationally televised games was the highest since the 90s. Ad and merchandise sales skyrocketed as well. Marketplace of Savannah Peters has more on WNBA plans to leverage that energy.

[Savannah Peters]

The Indiana Fever, that's the team that snagged superstar Caitlin Clark in last year's WNBA draft, launched a very dramatic new ad campaign ahead of this season. One of the players strolls onto the court in heels and a bright red pantsuit.

[Unknown Speaker]

Some say we arrived because the world knows our name. Now you know that was never the destination.

[Savannah Peters]

Now you know that's the Fever's message to all the new fans who started tuning in during last year's blockbuster season.

[Unknown Speaker]

We're not here for the moment. We're here for the takeover.

[Kitra Armstrong]

The onus is on the WNBA marketers to try to not only capture the momentum, but elevate it.

[Savannah Peters]

Kitra Armstrong is a professor of sport management at the University of Michigan and, full disclosure, a longtime WNBA fan and she has never seen so much mainstream hype around women's basketball.

[Kitra Armstrong]

What do they call it?

[David Brancaccio]

Fomo?

[Kitra Armstrong]

Fear of Missing out? There's some people who will tune in just to see what the noise is all about.

[Savannah Peters]

This year, Armstrong says WNBA marketing will try to get more of those curious onlookers invested in team rivalries and monetize player personalities. WNBA has done a really great job allowing their players to be influencers, says Jada Mumjew, an expert in sports marketing at the University of New Haven. They are giving them voice. They are highlighting them in flashy new ad campaigns and on social media. Plus, Mumju says, a new WNBA team launching in San Francisco, the first in 17 years, brings some intrigue. But like every other business competing for consumers non essential spending, the WNBA is facing some headwinds.

[David Brancaccio]

It's always a worry, you know, macroeconomic conditions and especially discretionary income.

[Savannah Peters]

Pete Giorgio is Deloitte's global sports lead, and he says this is where women's sports might have an edge over men's. He says market research shows us that fans of women's sports, they're more loyal.

[David Brancaccio]

They tend to be more values based.

[Savannah Peters]

So Giorgio says they're likely to keep buying tickets and merchandise even as they pull back on other discretionary spending. That's what Carlie Knox with the Minnesota Link's front office is seeing.

[Kitra Armstrong]

All the revenue lines are absolutely historic.

[Savannah Peters]

For us, she says. Corporate sponsorships, season ticket and merch sales are all trending to break records even before the 2025 season has officially tipped off. I'm Savannah Peters for Marketplace.

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[David Brancaccio]

The Eurovision Song Contest was started in 1956 as an effort by a consortium of European broadcasters to use culture to unite the disparate countries of the emerging eu. Some see it as a festival of camp, but you can't argue with the quadrillions of dollars the Swedish group ABBA earned in the career that followed its Eurovision victory. The contest's 70th show is Tom. And 160 million people could watch. Even in this age of streaming digital distractions, the BBC's Daniel Rosny is at the song contest this year, back where it started. Basel, Switzerland.

[Unknown Speaker]

This song is feeling special and it's gonna make me rich.

[Taya]

Two years ago, Austrian singer Taya wrote and performed her own song on the Eurovision stage, a satirical take on how songwriters are treated in the music industry, especially in regard to royalties that's generated more than 30 million streams.

[Unknown Speaker]

If you have a Eurovision song, you can be sure that people are going to hear it.

[Taya]

Taya is returning this year for Austria, not as the artist, but as the songwriter for jj, who's representing Austria in Switzerland.

[Unknown Speaker]

A little more money comes in with Eurovision songs. Radio gets definitely more money than streaming. Best case scenario, you write a Eurovision track that is also a radio track and gets played.

[Taya]

Ahead of last year's song contest final in Malmus, Sweden. Streaming for the 37 songs had reached 807 million on Spotify.

[Rob Holley]

Hi, I'm Rob Holley, the head of digital for the Eurovision Song Contest.

[Taya]

As other formats like Idol, the Voice or the X Factor report dwindling viewing figures, Eurovision maintains around 160 million each year.

[Rob Holley]

It's the biggest music show on the planet for us. It's like we run 37 different PR campaigns for 37 different prop stars. We're one of the last remaining platforms to launch new artists. The journey of getting to Basel alone is establishing a fan base, which then gives them the longevity after the contest.

[Taya]

There is a cost, though, for each broadcaster to participate. Countries like France have a huge budget, but as the contest grows, those countries with financial pressures think twice about taking part. In the past couple of years, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Romania and more. Moldova have all pulled out because of finances, anything from accommodation costs to the entourage for an act. Turkey stopped competing in 2012, but viewers there still watch. It's still important, I think. Ahmed Cognac is a Turkish journalist covering the song contest.

[Unknown Speaker]

I think Eurovision is not just only.

[Taya]

Related with countries, it's about the music. According to the ebu, the European Broadcasting Union, which puts on the contest, more than 10% of articles and social media posts came from the United States States last year showing the event as global reach beyond Europe. And with hits from the song contest Charting in the U.S. like Duncan Lawrence from the Netherlands with his song Arcade or Armenia's Rosalind Snout, one of the longest running TV shows in the world is still making waves in the music industry. Nearly 70 years since it began in Basel, Switzerland. I'm the BBC's Daniel Rosny for Marketplace.

[David Brancaccio]

And the maker of the popular video game Fortnite says it's been blocked from returning to Apple download stores in the US and beyond. Apple has yet to confirm this. Apple and Epic Games have been fighting over the commissions Apple charges when people spend money in games and the ability to download Fortnite outside the official app. Epic was trying to get back into Apple's app store after a judge sided with the game maker last week. In Los Angeles, I'm David Brancaccio, Marketplace Morning Report from apm American Public Media.

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