Weekly sales of women's soccer gear tripled during Women's Euro

The GIST: This summer's hottest soccer tournament, the Women’s Euro, continues to deliver. The latest example? Merchandise sales. Fanatics revealed Friday that the weekly sales of women’s soccer gear tripled during the July tournament.

The details: Fanatics also scored by being an official apparel partner of England’s Euro-winning team. The Lionesses’ merch purchases skyrocketed 640% in the four hours following England’s 2–1 win over Germany, netting more sales than during the entire week leading up to the final. Shop ’til you drop.

• England fans’ buying intent didn’t end there. Searches for “football sports bra” surged over 1,590% after Chloe Kelly ripped off her jersey to celebrate the game-winning goal, and sales of coach Sarina Wiegman’s Marks & Spencer suit rose 140% en route to the final.

The context: Global sales of Fanatics’ women’s sports merch increased by 28% last year, reflecting the industry’s growth. The overall women’s sports apparel market was valued at $26.8 billion in 2018, and businesses like Dick’s Sporting Goods and Nike took notice. Companies have been increasing women’s team inventory to meet the rising demand.

• But brands are still playing catch-up. Even Nike initially made just 1K jerseys following the USWNT’s 2019 World Cup win, leaving fans scrambling and providing a catalyst for the team’s players union to launch its own shop last month.

Zooming out: There’s plenty of opportunity in the apparel space — the women’s sportswear industry is rising just as steadily as women’s sports, and leaders have already marked womenswear as their next major growth venture.

• Nike’s already anteing up. The sports giant grew its womenswear business by 20% to $8.5 billion in fiscal year 2021, and is prioritizing the vertical in its future growth plans. Can’t argue with those numbers.