Introduction

A New Dawn for
Women’s Sports Venues

Authored by

HOK is a collective of future-forward thinkers and designers who are driven to face the critical challenges of our time. We are dedicated to improving people’s lives, serving our clients and healing the planet. Together, we cultivate a culture of design excellence at the confluence of art and science, blending the power of creative expression with a clear sense of purpose. HOK is a global design, architecture, engineering and planning firm. Our 1,600 people collaborate across a network of 26 offices on three continents.

HOK’s Sports + Recreation + Entertainment practice plans and designs world-class sports facilities, specializing in the design of arenas, stadiums, ballparks, entertainment centers and training facilities. These complexes are the centerpieces of successful, vibrant districts, communities and campuses. Current and recent projects include Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, UAE; Avicii Arena in Stockholm, Sweden; Newcastle Gateshead Quays in Gateshead, England; Roig Arena in Valencia, Spain; Scotia Place in Calgary, Alberta; Energizer Park in St. Louis, Missouri; the Jacksonville Jaguars’ Stadium of the Future in Jacksonville, Florida; the renovation of Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina; and a new Major League Soccer Stadium for New York City Football Club.

Learn more about HOK: hok.com

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Energizer Park Market © Michael Robinson Photography

It has been an exhilarating year for women’s sports. All eyes were on Paris as the 2024 Olympics became the first in history to achieve gender parity. Beyond the Olympics, in the U.K. women’s football is attracting record crowds and viewership. Across the Atlantic, the WNBA viewership has surged due to Caitlin Clark’s star power, and the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) is adding a new celebrity investor each month.

It’s no surprise, then, that in 2024, women’s sports are poised to generate more than $1 billion in revenue for the first time and media coverage has nearly tripled since 2021. But what does this mean for our venues? How can our stadiums, arenas and training facilities better accommodate female athletes and spectators? And how can technology improve the experience for all involved?

Designers can reimagine athlete spaces to aid in comfort and performance, advance research, address privacy concerns and offer flexibility across gender identities.

Training spaces should be reworked with a data-driven approach. Much of the existing sports science research has studied male athletes. In fact, just 6% of sports science research between 2016-2020 focused on females. We need to better understand the intricacies of the female athlete’s body rather than assume solutions tailored to men are comparable. Even the most basic training equipment like physiotherapy treatment tables are designed for men’s bodies. Adjustable equipment, flexibility and privacy are paramount for female athletes to truly meet the needs of female athletes.

The limited data we have tells us female athletes appear more prone to certain injuries yet demonstrate greater fatigue resistance and endurance. Partnerships with healthcare facilities and academic institutions could help fund projects while providing a living laboratory with educational and medical research space to study female athletes, collect important data and inform the approach to high-performance, technology-driven training. In addition, dedicated sports science labs driven by AI and wearable technology that assesses, analyses and predicts injuries – similar to the NFL’s Digital Athlete technology – could provide major insights into the body of the female athlete and injury prevention. Resources could also study commonly occurring injuries, pelvic floor health and fertility trends.

Las Vegas Ballpark © Christy Radecic

More than ever before, professional female athletes are leveraging their social media profiles to market products and partner with brands, with more than 5,500 recorded brand partnerships for women in the last year, a 22% increase year over year. Training spaces could provide dedicated social media studios with state-of-the-art recording equipment, green screens and technological resources that educate and support their athletes as they build these partnerships.

To help athletes build their social media profiles – and teams elevate their content – dedicated space to capture “fit checks” or photos of athlete’s game day outfits could be incorporated. This fit check space could include a dedicated backdrop, high- quality lighting and a red carpet-style experience.

The Fan Experience

Women’s sports appeal to a more diverse range of spectators than men’s sports – more females with a wider age range and more families with children. How can designers ensure that the in-venue experience is compelling and engaging for the diversity of fans to keep them coming back?

The way fans consume and interact with women’s sports is highly influenced by technology and social media, which should impact the design of venues. According to The Gist, WNBA viewership matched NBA viewership in the first 11 weeks of the past season, but dramatically surpassed the NBA’s engagement rates. “WNBA fans engaged with team-owned content more frequently than their NBA counterparts: The W averages 272.24 engagements per 1K followers compared to the NBA’s 17.07, meaning it boasts both quality and quantity in its fandom.” This translates to fruitful advertising and brand sponsorship opportunities.

Practical additions like stroller parking near seating sections and expedited security lines with integrated turnstiles technology for families would be a welcome addition for those with young children.

The restroom experience for women vs. men in sports venues is a persistent challenge. There is a time differential between men and women when using these facilities. To provide a distraction for those waiting, venues could leverage technology in the restrooms to keep fans immersed in the action. With more families at women’s sporting events, there are more children needing to be escorted to the restroom – meaning technology, like immersive audio and large video screens, would be welcome, so no one misses a goal or a buzzer beater.

Inside the seating bowl, opportunities abound for a more equitable experience. Family clubs, family-room style seating and adjacent play spaces as a general admission seating product would allow fans— particularly those with children—to enjoy the game while their children play safely nearby. Booster or high-chair style seats compatible with stadium seating could be made readily available to families with small children. Instead of a small playground or play space in an outfield or single section of a venue, these amenities could be strategically dispersed across the venue.

A team app could facilitate community and connection among fans – offering a spot for them to live chat about the game, watch replays, explore team and athlete social channels and order team merchandise right from their seat. In premium spaces or family clubs, small, programmable TVs could feature child-focused content.

The ability to use technologies like frictionless purchasing could help families streamline the experience. Food delivery partnerships with renowned organizations like Uber Eats would facilitate a more efficient and accessible concessions experience, allowing fans to order from their phone with in-seat delivery. Typical concession windows and concourse-facing service stations could transform into back of house spaces for staff to package and deliver to fans. With less need for concession windows, concourse walls become opportunities for interactive media, including zones to capture gameday selfies, video game pods and immersive technology where fans can get to know athletes.

One of the most memorable experiences for all fans is walking the concourse, soaking in the sights and smells of the game. Yet crowded concourses can be challenging to navigate with children. Smart stadium technology allows us to monitor and manage spectator congestion, which could help manage a more family-friendly concourse experience, redirecting traffic during peak times.

A Promising Future

As interest and financial investment in women’s sports continues to grow, our venues must evolve too. A diversified approach to concourse design, seating, security, food and beverage, truly integrated with technology will keep fans of today and tomorrow engaged. This reimagined approach to the athlete and fan experiences — whether in venues purpose-built for women’s sports or shared with males — will capitalize on the current momentum to build a more inclusive future for sports.

Introduction

A New Dawn for Women’s Sports Venues

The Fan Experience

A Promising Future

A New Dawn for
Women’s Sports Venues