M+C Saatchi Group Expands Global Sports Consultancy with Acquisition of The Women’s Sports Group
The M+C Saatchi Group has announced its acquisition of The Women’s Sports Group Limited (WSG), a specialized consultancy focusing on advisory and media rights within the sporting sector. Following the acquisition, WSG will continue to operate under its established brand and will become part of M+C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment. Rachel Knight and Steph Harries will assume the roles of co-Managing Directors, reporting to Robin Clarke, the global CEO.
About The Women’s Sports Group
Founded in 2020, WSG has positioned itself as a crucial player in providing tailored advisory services across various sports sectors. It boasts a diverse client base that includes:
- Barclays Women’s Super League
- Premiership Women’s Rugby
- Billie Jean King Cup
- Arsenal FC
- DAZN
- Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift
- Angel City FC
The organization’s expertise extends to collaborations with high-profile entities such as the Premier League, UEFA, and FIFA.
Strategic Benefits of the Acquisition
This acquisition is part of a wider strategy by M+C Saatchi Group to bolster its credentials in the sports domain. Earlier this month, they launched M+C Saatchi Football, a management agency aimed at footballers that integrates various facets of athlete representation. Furthermore, in May, they expanded their reach in the Middle East by acquiring DUNE | 23, enhancing their capabilities in sports marketing and commercial strategy.
By merging WSG’s rights and dealmaking insights with M+C Saatchi’s creative and audience growth tools, the newly combined entity aims to provide comprehensive advisory services. This integration places a significant emphasis on maximizing return on investment (ROI) and fostering cultural resonance, particularly in women’s sports, which is projected to see annual revenues nearing $23 billion by 2033, according to the Sport Industry Report 2025.
A Focus on Cultural Power
With the combined expertise of WSG and M+C Saatchi, the firm aims to leverage its proprietary Cultural Power tools to facilitate brands in capturing value through strategic planning and measurable audience growth. Robin Clarke remarked, “WSG brings rare rights market intelligence, senior negotiating muscle, and trusted relationships across the sports ecosystem. Coupled with our creativity, data, and global footprint, we can now help brands, rights holders, and broadcasters grow value end-to-end — particularly in the rapidly growing women’s sport economy.”
Leadership Vision
Rachel Knight, co-Managing Director of WSG, expressed, “Our ambition has always been to elevate women’s sport by unlocking its full commercial and cultural potential. Partnering with M+C Saatchi enables us to combine our rights and dealmaking expertise with their creativity and Cultural Power tools.” Similarly, co-Managing Director Steph Harries stated, “Joining forces with M+C Saatchi will ensure even greater impact, with powerful storytelling and cultural intelligence to deepen connections with fans, brands, and rights holders.”
Conclusion
The integration of WSG into the M+C Saatchi Group underscores their commitment to transforming the landscape of women’s sports by creating a robust framework for sustainable growth and cultural impact. As the market evolves, this strategic acquisition positions the combined consultancy to lead in insights and innovative solutions for stakeholders in the sports industry.
