29th August 2024, 10am BST, the Women's Sports Alliance
We are delighted to announce that Steph Houghton, former England Lionesses captain of 8 years, former Manchester City player, and MBE recipient, has joined the Women’s Sports Alliance (WSA) as a new member of our Advisory Board. Steph, a trailblazer in women’s football, brings invaluable experience and passion to our mission of advancing the commercial value of female athletes globally.
STEPH HOUGHTON'S NEW ROLE: EXPLAINED
The Women’s Sports Alliance Advisory Board has been actively contributing to our mission for nearly 2 years, meeting online every two months and in person twice a year to discuss our strategic direction. Our most recent in-person board meeting took place in 2024 at the iconic home ground of Surrey County Cricket Club, The Oval. Each board discussion focuses on key areas such as brand engagement, strategy and positioning, and building relationships to further our goals.
The board is comprised of experts from diverse sectors including sports brand, public relations, agency management, finance, technology, and education. With board representatives based across Europe, South Africa, and Australia, our advisory board brings a truly global perspective to our discussions. This geographical diversity enhances our ability to understand and address the unique challenges faced by female athletes worldwide.
In her new role on the Advisory Board, Steph will be instrumental in shaping the WSA’s global strategy and supporting our founder, Jordan Guard, in advancing our mission. At the heart of Steph’s responsibilities will be guiding our female athlete support strategy and identifying innovative ways for the WSA to enhance the commercial value of female athletes. As Steph said in her announcement interview, “At the Women’s Sports Alliance, we are showcasing the true value of female athletes. We are driving commercial growth and highlighting more investment opportunities in women’s sport.”
MANCHESTER CITY STAR WELCOMED BY NEW COLLEAGUES
Jordan Guard, Founder of the Women’s Sports Alliance, expressed her enthusiasm about Steph joining the Advisory Board: “Steph brings a unique perspective as an elite athlete who has experienced the evolution of women’s sport first-hand. Her insights will be invaluable as we work to elevate, inform and unite female athletes on and off the pitch. I am looking forward to leaning on Steph to enhance our athlete offering and I know she is really eager to make a difference to the next generation of female athletes.”
WSA Advisory Board Chair and former adidas VP sales, Phil Benton, also shared his excitement: “It is fantastic to welcome Steph onto the Women’s Sports Alliance Advisory Board. She will bring to an already great team of people an extra dimension with her skills, experience and unique insights gained across a fantastic career in football both domestically and internationally. She will really help the Advisory Board to further understand the challenges of athletes within women’s sport, particularly in football, and importantly will help drive creative solutions with the board to help achieve the WSA's ambition. I am really looking forward to Steph being part of the team.”
HOW STEPH HOUGHTON WILL SHAPE THE FUTURE OF WOMEN'S SPORT
Reflecting on her own journey, Steph is committed to using her platform and experience to help shape the future of women’s sport. She acknowledges the commercial challenges she faced in her early years, stating, “The biggest challenge I faced as an athlete was always the lack of commercial investment in my early years of playing. It wasn’t until women’s football was televised more and grew in popularity that commercial opportunities started to come more regularly.”
Steph believes that the current challenges female athletes face include a lack of equal opportunities and visibility. When asked, 'what do you see as the biggest challenges female athletes are still facing today?', Steph answered “Parity. Both on and off the pitch. We need to be accepted as female athletes and given equal opportunities, on and off the pitch, for playing the most popular sport in England.”
The mission of the Women’s Sports Alliance resonates deeply with Steph, especially our commitment to ensuring female athletes are recognised and rewarded equally. “In 2023, no female athlete made the top 200 highest-paid athletes in the world list. By 2030, we are committing to ensuring that female athletes represent at least 50% of that list,” Steph shared. "To do this, we need to give female athletes equal opportunities and support as male athletes. This is why I am excited to join the Women’s Sports Alliance Advisory Board.”
Looking ahead, Steph is eager to collaborate with other members of the Advisory Board, such as Phil Benton, Amanda Partington, Lucynda Davies, Kate Owen, Jon Buckthorp, Clare Probyn, Donna Stelling, Carla Molinaro, and Amy Smith. “I’m really excited about playing a part in achieving the mission that the Women’s Sports Alliance has set out to achieve. I think for me, it’s important that I lean on my athletic experience and give honest advice, to best support female athletes.”
Steph Houghton’s addition to the Women’s Sports Alliance Advisory Board marks a significant step forward in our mission to drive equality and commercial growth in women’s sport. We look forward to the incredible impact she will make in her new role and are excited to see the advancements she will help achieve for female athletes worldwide.
Additional Note: We are currently gathering an Athlete Guiding Group (of 10) to sit alongside our Advisory Board. If you're a female athlete and interested in joining our mission, please get in touch by emailing jordan.guard@wsportsalliance.com.
