Why the Flywheel Approach Is a Game Changer.
Why the Flywheel Approach is a Game Changer for Women’s Sport And What One Code Could do to Lead the Charge.
Treating women’s leagues and competitions as premium products, not just side categories, means intentionally designing their own flywheels. This translates into consistent investment in athlete visibility, creative brand partnerships, and grassroots-to-elite pathway integration.
What Is the Flywheel and Why Does It Matter?
A flywheel starts slow, demanding lots of effort, but momentum builds as each turn becomes easier, faster, and more powerful. In sport, a well-designed flywheel loops core drivers: fan engagement, commercial revenue, performance investment, and athlete visibility, in a cycle where every success powers the next. The faster it spins, the harder it is to stop, and the bigger the breakthroughs for participation, profile, and profit.
Translating the Flywheel to Women’s Sport as a Product
Women’s sport now commands audiences, sponsors, and cultural attention like never before. When treated as a premium product, marketed in its own right, not as a side dish, each positive action builds commercial and social capital:
Fan engagement (in stadiums, on social, at grassroots)
Growing traditional revenue (merch, tickets, media rights)
Channeling gains into athlete development and unique fan experiences
Reinvesting in storytelling, visibility, and next-gen talent
All feeding back into a bigger, more loyal fan base
Pick a code......Rugby 7s: The Flywheel in Action and Where to Next
We decided to pick Rugby 7s because we are fans of the sport and with its festival energy and Olympic pedigree, we felt it was a perfect sport to explore how the flywheel is working for them (if they know it or not) and where the opportunities are.
What’s Working:
On-field success drives national pride and media attention, Australia’s women are global contenders.
There’s already a strong foundation in fan interest and “hero” athletes, who command both broadcast and grassroots loyalty.
7s tournaments offer an event experience that stands apart, fast-paced, inclusive, multi-day, and family-friendly.
What’s Missing:
Fan engagement is not yet maximised through digital, behind-the-scenes access, or co-created content.
Commercial partnerships remain transactional, not truly collaborative (e.g., few co-branded campaigns or community activations led by athletes).
Grassroots and participation pathways could be more intertwined with elite success; more “see it, be it” initiatives are needed.
Investment in athlete marketing and holistic storytelling still lags other sports, limiting personal and brand equity compounding effects.
Opportunity: Flip the Switch and Transform Momentum into Market Leadership
The gap isn’t just an oversight, it’s untapped potential waiting to be activated. If Rugby 7s, or any women’s code, designed a flywheel where every victory on grass, every viral story, and every innovative partnership was reinvested strategically, the momentum would feed itself:
Use digital to connect fans with athlete journeys year-round, not just in tournament windows.
Build partnerships that activate across commercial and community touch points, embedding brands in every level of the game.
Reinvent participation pathways to better link local clubs, emerging players, and national heroes.
Celebrate and share the wins on the scoreboard and in the community, to inspire the next spin of the wheel.
Positive, Actionable Call to Arms
Australian Rugby, and women’s sport at large, stand on the edge of a flywheel breakthrough. But momentum doesn’t build itself: it’s engineered by intentional investment, creative alignment, and joined-up thinking. We talk about investment in women's sport this must extend to resource investment to make this happen. Turn your wins today into compounding, sustainable success tomorrow. The flywheel is waiting, let’s get it spinning.
Source: https://www.noticesports.com.au/p/what-australian-sports-can-learn?utm_source=publication-search
