Women’s Game Needs Women’s Support, Says Judy Murray At #sibc

Judy Murray has warned that women’s tennis needs to be targeted towards women’s media, while highlighting the growing opportunities to get involved with the sport at the grassroots level.   

Speaking to Clare Balding at the Sport Industry Breakfast Club, supported by MP & Silva, the leading international media rights company, Judy Murray commented: “When Serena (Williams) stops playing, and if Sharapova does end up disappearing forever, we’ll have lost two box office superstars – not just for tennis but in female sport as a whole – and women’s tennis will have to work a lot harder to try and replicate that interest.”

The recent French Open win for Garbiñe Muguruza could also represent an opportunity for British stars such as Johanna Konta – who Murray also backed to one day make the top ten – as the game enters its most open era since the Williams sisters entered the scene.

On widening the audience of the game, Murray suggested: “Women’s sport will always predominantly be watched by a women’s audience. Therefore, instead of getting hung up on how many column inches we have on the back pages, we should be targeting the women’s magazines that women read and trying to build profiles around women athletes through women’s media.”

Judy, mother of Grand Slam and Davis Cup champions Andy and Jamie, is also a huge advocate of getting children active through play, and runs a number of programmes such as Miss-Hits and Tennis on the Road, in a bid to boost activity amongst the next generation.

“When the kids were very young, as soon as they could walk, I was rolling and kicking balls to them. So they developed hand to eye co-ordination, so it wouldn’t matter what sport they wanted to try later on, they’d be able to give it a try. Nowadays, a lot of parents now have more money and less time, so kids are put into coaching programmes instead, and learn how to hit the ball, rather than play the game. They’re two very different things.

“Kids learn best by copying, they don’t take in loads of technical, verbal instruction. Our sport gets far too technical, too early. I look at something like skateboarding, who teaches skateboarding? It’s an incredibly technical sport but everyone learns by copying each other or clips on YouTube. They’re just playing, and we need to go back to that.”

Speaking on how tennis can improve on its structure for players starting out, Judy added: “There needs to be a big push growing the game at the grassroots. The teaching needs to offer more optimism and make it more informal. It becomes too competitive too fast and you’ll lose them.

“I want to see a lot more informal, fun competitions, and more support for parents. As a sport, we’re relying on the parents to make things happen for the children, so lets support them to do that with resource and education.”

There is also big opportunities in the grassroots sector of the game for new brands to get involved and reach a new audience, claimed the former Great Britain Fed Cup captain.

“The big sponsorship in tennis is of course on the players and the competitions, because that’s where the payback is. But there’s so many products and brands prime for the family audience, it’s a great opportunity to support a funday that could be attached to a big event, showcase the sport and help children develop the skills they need to take up the game.” 

The Sport Industry Breakfast Club is the industry’s number one networking event series with four content-led networking breakfasts over the course of the year. Each event welcomes up to 200 guests from across the industry for an interview with a panel of leading figures from the world of sport and business.

Memberships are now available, with access to the two remaining events in 2016 available for £350 + VAT, with further speakers to be announced soon. Find out more here.

Judy Murray, alongside Andy and Jamie, was also presented with the Outstanding Contribution to Sport Award at the BT Sport Industry Awards 2016 in April. Tables are now available for the BT Sport Industry Awards 2017 at this year’s prices. Find out more here.