With the NFL continuing to increase the number of games it plays in London – and with last year's Raiders-Texans matchup taking place in Mexico – you might think the league's biggest opportunity for growth lays in foreign markets.
But contrary to popular belief, the NFL's fastest-growing market already has a deep passion for the sport. The same goes for football at the college level.
Football's fastest-growing market are women.
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The numbers don't lie: In 2015, 47% of Super Bowl viewers were female. 50% of women identify themselves as football fans, and if you've ever attended a college football game or watched one on television it shouldn't surprised you that 57% of college females attend three or more of their school's games each season.
This passion for football isn't just limited to fandom either.
This month high school student Holly Neher became the first female in the history of Florida football to toss a touchdown pass.
Turn outs, 1,715 females just like Holly played 11-man high school football during the 2013-2014 season.
What it all adds up to is an incredible opportunity not only for women to make deeper roads in football at the high school, college, and professional levels, but also it's a golden opportunity for the sport to cater to an audience equally as passionate as their male counterparts.
Check out these eye-popping stats courtesy of Ohio University that includes ways marketers can leverage the incredible purchasing power of female fans.
