A comparative study on female top sports leagues between Japan and the United States.

本研究的目的是通过分析日本l联赛和美国WUSA的观众特征差异，为日本女子体育联盟的发展提供有用的信息。两个联赛在运营上的巨大差异预计会对观众产生很大影响。数据是通过对2001年6月至11月英国联赛和WUSA三场常规赛的观众进行自我管理问卷调查收集的。研究人员共收集了1312份回复（其中314份来自英国联赛，998份来自美国职业棒球联合会）。两大联赛的对比显示：1)WUSA的女性上座率为62.1%，l联赛的男性上座率为72.1%；2) 94.2%的WUSA观众是与家人或朋友一起观看比赛的，而在l联赛中有40.2%的观众是独自观看比赛的。3)受1999年女足世界杯（WWC99）热潮的影响，WUSA的人气很高，73.8%的WUSA女性观众更喜欢女足而不是男足。在社会心理因素方面，l联赛和WUSA的观众都受到足球兴趣因素、审美因素、比赛戏剧性因素和健康环境因素的影响。WUSA的观众，尤其是女性观众，非常重视树立榜样，支持女子体育运动。另一方面，l联赛的观众与替代成就、娱乐和对球员的兴趣因素有很好的联系。这些发现表明，女子足球在美国的普及是基于以下因素：1)WWC99的成功；2)女性明星球员的存在是实现性别平等的榜样；3)女性支持女子运动的意愿；4)观赏性体育作为一种健康娱乐的地位，可以与家人和/或朋友一起享受。

The purpose of this study was to obtain useful information for developing female sports leagues in Japan by examining the differences of spectators' characteristics in the L. League in Japan and the WUSA in the States. Large differences in operating the leagues were expected to have a large affect on their spectators.The data were collected by a self-administrated questionnaire for spectators at three regular season games of the L. League and the WUSA between June and November in 2001. Researchers collected a total of 1,312 responses (314 from the L. League and 998 from the WUSA).A comparison between the two leagues revealed: 1) 62.1% of attendance was female in the WUSA while 72.1% in the L. League was male; 2) 94.2% of attendance in the WUSA came to the games with their family and/or friends while 40.2% in the L. League came alone, 3) Triggered by the booming of the Women's World Cup in 1999 (WWC99), the WUSA poses a large popularity, and 73.8% of female spectators in the WUSA preferred female soccer to male soccer.As to the socio-psychological factors, spectators in the L. League and the WUSA were both affected by the factors of Interest in Soccer, Aesthetics, Drama of Game, and Wholesome Environment. Spectators in the WUSA especially females placed importance on Role Model and Support Women's Sport. On the other hand, the L. League spectators were well connected with the factors of Vicarious Achievement, Entertainment, and Interest in Player.These findings suggested that the popularity of female soccer in the United States was based on the following factors: 1) success of the WWC99; 2) existence of female star players as role models for realization of gender equity; 3) women's will for support of women's sport; and 4) status of spectator sport as a healthy entertainment one can enjoy with one's family and/or friends.