ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the development of women’s sport in Spain, and more specifically sports that meet the requirements to turn into professional leagues. We pay special attention to women’s football because of its unprecedented growth and public interest. The professionalisation of Spanish women’s football is important because it opens the door for other women’s sports to become professional. In this chapter, we also discuss the process of professionalisation of Spanish women’s football including labour relationships in sports and the collective bargaining agreement. Furthermore, we explore the economic factors that influence the sustainability of women’s professional competitions in Spanish football. Particularly, we pay attention to those factors that drive the professionalisation process, such as attendance, media coverage, sponsorship, and public funding. The push of Spanish women’s sport towards professionalisation is closely linked to the changes in the regulatory framework of professional sport in Spain as well as the potential of revenue generation.
