The Professionalisation of Women's Sport: Issues and Debates

As women’s sport continues to grow and develop there is an increasing need to critically examine the conditions in which women as athletes operate. The Professionalisation of Women’s Sport discusses the processes of professionalisation in women’s sports as distinct from, and different to, that seen in men’s sport, identifying different challenges that face the growth of women’s elite sport.

Within this collection, the complex and often fragmented nature of women’s involvement across a range of sports are critically discussed. Contributions span the fields of sport sociology, sport history, sport economics and beyond, and across the varying geographical contexts of North America, Europe, Australia and South Africa. Examining American football, basketball, cricket, cycling, golf, ice hockey, tennis, rugby union and rugby league, scholars consider the emergence of professionalisation, the role of the media, and experiences in and of women’s (semi-)professional sport.

The Professionalisation of Women’s Sport is an essential reference point for any student, researcher or professional interested in, or working in, elite women’s sport settings.

Ali Bowes is a Senior Lecturer in the Sociology of Sport at Nottingham Trent University. Ali is interested in socio-cultural, qualitative explorations of women in elite/professional sport settings. After gaining her PhD from Loughborough University, she has published research related to elite women’s sport.

Alex Culvin is an Academic in Sport Business at the University of Salford Business School. Alex's research interests lie in elite sport, business management, policy, work and gender. She is currently co-editing two books on professional women's sport and professional women's football respectively. Alex is the Chair of the of the Football Collective, a global network of football scholars. Alex completed her PhD in 2019, in the first study to examine professional football as work for women in England. As a former professional footballer, Alex had unique access to professional footballers and maintains considerable networks within professional sport. Alongside this, Alex has had her work published in the Telegraph Sport, BBC Sport and the Athletic.