DLA Piper’s Women in Sport initiative hosted their annual in person event on 29 November 2023 joined by the sporting presenter, icon and former gymnast Gabby Logan. During the evening, we discussed Gabby’s journey to becoming one of the most recognisable sports broadcasters in the UK and her hosting of major sporting events, including the Women’s World Cup earlier this year.

As an accomplished former athlete, Gabby confirmed that sport runs in her blood and it has played a major part of her life from an early stage. This shaped her personality, instilling discipline, time management and helping her smoothly transition into the sporting entertainment and broadcasting industry. 

She shared with us the opportunities she embarked on along the way, starting from a part time job in radio whilst at university, to becoming the first female presenter of a live football match in the UK.  Gabby emphasised the benefits of her studies in Law, and her experience in journalism as a columnist helping her on-screen presenting. She also talked about the trust she was shown in being given the role of interviewing athletes at a time when the industry was heavily male dominated. Through the help and support of her mentors, she has paved the way for other women to take on similar roles and is a phenomenal role model. 

As a woman in sport (and regularly the only woman in the room), Gabby has witnessed an increase through the years in the participation of women in the sporting world. She commented on the positive direction in which women’s sports is heading with great increases in sponsorship opportunities, viewership figures and investment. In the broadcasting sphere women are now part of the conversation and are able to demand and make change. 

Gabby also gave us an insight into the future of women in sport, highlighting the need for more research on women’s nutrition, the correlation of menstrual cycles and athletic performance, and the need for advancement in women’s sport clothing and training. 

The UK’s women’s sport industry is a growing market and the future holds further growth, greater investment, wider reach of audiences and better sporting experiences for fans. This includes a potential to see women coach men’s teams and perhaps a push for sport parity between the men’s and women’s games.

This was a great end to a busy year for the Women In Sport initiative with regular publishing of content on our MSE Today blog and vlog series which can be accessed here. 

The initiative, headed up by Claire Sng and Christina Sharma, aims to provide an opportunity to elevate and debate issues relating to women’s sport, to provide a platform for women who work in the sports industry and to bring together like-minded individuals interested in joining the conversation. With equality, diversity and inclusion being key boardroom issues, the promotion of women’s sport and women working in sport is high on the agenda within the firm and for many of our clients – not just those in the sports industry, but those across all sectors with stakeholders who have an interest in sports e.g. brands that are rightsholders, technology providers to major events, the media industry and more. If you are interested in getting involved, please don’t hesitate to contact Claire or Christina.