Student-led startup captures the voice of Gen Z sports fans

A group of 12 female MBA students from the Ted Rogers School of Management have successfully launched a valuable sports-tech startup as part of their studies. They have the likes of TSN and even Billie Jean King interested in what they have to offer.

Victoria Park Analytics is a consulting group that helps businesses understand the likes, dislikes and habits of Gen Z consumers. Specifically, they help businesses and brands identify marketing opportunities to young fans of women’s sports.

Interest in women’s sports has been steadily increasing in recent years. According to Forbes, the NCAA women’s basketball championship saw an 18 per cent increase in viewership (external link)  from 2021. More than ever, female athletes are gaining visibility and influence on social media. With the rise in popularity of platforms like TikTok (U.S. rugby player Ilona Maher has nearly 1 million followers (external link) ), it's no wonder Gen Zers are hopping on the bandwagon. 

“We came together because we had a common interest in sport but saw a gap in the market,” said Aerin England, one of the founders of Victoria Park Analytics. “No one else is providing this kind of information in the market. We are giving organizations direct access to feedback from their target audience and translating it into business strategies.”

Victoria Park Analytics uses focus groups, round tables and analyzes trends like athlete activism and athlete influence in order to identify what resonates with fans of women’s sports. These insights will be incredibly valuable to their clients, especially as leagues like the WNBA consider expanding, potentially into Toronto (external link) . 

“We are able to paint a picture of what is important to a valuable demographic of sport fans. At that point, we can make informed recommendations to these organizations to improve their ability to reach these consumers,” said England.

School of Business Management professor Cheri Bradish is the founding chair of Victoria Park Analytics and acts as a faculty advisor for the group. She has seen the shift in interest towards women’s sports.

“Over the past five years there’s been increased interest in the female sport marketplace. We’re projecting that even more general sports fans will want to see where female sports will go,” she said. “As audiences grow, so do marketing opportunities. No one was offering information from the Gen Z audience.”

By being the first to tap the Gen Z consumer in the women’s sports market, the potential client base for Victoria Park Analytics is vast. Whether it’s a new team or league, or even a broadcaster, the startup is able to analyze how these businesses and brands speak to their audiences and offer ways to engage with this very valuable consumer segment. 

And the group is already being noticed. They were recently accepted into Toronto Metropolitan University’s Future of Sport Lab (external link)  (FSL) incubator. Trailblazer Venture Studio (external link) , a sports incubator co-founded by tennis great Billie Jean King, has met with Victoria Park Analytics and broadcasting network TSN is already using their insights. 

Bradish, who is also the director of FSL, really sees their potential as a startup.

“These students will shape how fans are reached in the future.”