INEOS Sports Investments Neglect Women’s Teams Despite £2.5bn Commitment
INEOS, the petrochemicals giant led by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, has invested heavily in sports like football, cycling, sailing, and running. Oddly, the company doesn’t seem interested in women’s sports at all.
This article looks at INEOS’ sports investments, what it seems to care about, and its lack of support for women’s teams and athletes.
INEOS’ Extensive Investments in Men’s Sports
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INEOS has poured over £2.5 billion ($3.3 billion) into sports in the last eight years. Its portfolio features big names like Manchester United, OGC Nice, Lausanne-Sport, and the INEOS Grenadiers cycling team.
The company also owns a third of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One team. That’s a lot of high-profile action.
Football Ventures
INEOS holds stakes in football clubs such as Manchester United, OGC Nice, and Lausanne-Sport. The company has focused its spending on men’s teams, especially at Manchester United, where the men’s squad brings in nearly all the club’s income—£640 million out of £650 million.
Ratcliffe has openly said he prioritizes the men’s team because of its huge revenue. It’s a pretty clear business-first approach.
Cycling Dominance
INEOS took over Team Sky in April 2019 and rebranded it as INEOS Grenadiers. The team’s been a powerhouse, with riders like Bradley Wiggins, Chris Froome, and Geraint Thomas winning the Tour de France.
Even with calls from people like former UCI head Brian Cookson to start a women’s squad, INEOS hasn’t moved into women’s cycling. The silence is noticeable.
Other Sports
INEOS has backed projects in sailing and running too. The company supported Eliud Kipchoge’s historic sub-two-hour marathon in 2019.
But when Faith Kipyegon tried to run a mile in under four minutes, INEOS didn’t publicly get involved. That absence stands out.
Lack of Investment in Women’s Sports
Despite all this spending on men’s sports, INEOS has barely touched women’s sports. The pattern shows up in football, cycling, and sailing.
Women’s Football
INEOS’ involvement in women’s football is tiny. Manchester United’s women’s team gets far less support than the men’s side.
Over two seasons, the women’s team spent just £16 million, compared to Arsenal’s £26 million and Chelsea’s £33 million. That gap feels especially glaring with the Women’s Super League growing so fast.
Women’s Cycling
INEOS keeps missing chances in women’s cycling. They signed France’s mountain bike and gravel world champ Pauline Ferrand-Prevot in 2022, but didn’t build a team around her.
Other top men’s teams like Visma-Lease A Bike and Lidl-Trek have started women’s teams, yet INEOS hasn’t joined in. Seems like a missed trick.
Women’s Sailing
INEOS’ support for women’s sailing is also lacking. The company sat out sponsoring the women’s team in the 2024 America’s Cup, even though it’s heavily involved in the men’s event.
Instead, Athena Pathway—the women’s team—got backing from Cobham-Ultra. That’s a letdown, considering the women’s America’s Cup is a historic first.
Missed Opportunities and Potential
INEOS’ reluctance to back women’s sports just doesn’t add up, especially with so much room for growth. Deloitte predicts revenues in women’s elite sports will jump 240 percent from 2022 to 2025, hitting at least $2.35 billion (£1.75 billion) in 2025.
Commercial Potential
Investing in women’s sports could pay off big for INEOS. The growth in women’s sports keeps beating expectations, and there’s real money to be made here.
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By supporting women’s teams, INEOS could boost its brand and tap into the rising popularity of women’s competitions. Why not get in while momentum’s building?
Corporate Social Responsibility
Backing women’s sports would also look good for INEOS. Supporting women’s teams fits with the company’s values—“kids and sport,” “fitness and health,” and “doing the right thing.”
It could also help fight off the idea that INEOS is stuck in old-school or even sexist thinking. Maybe it’s time for a change?
Conclusion
INEOS has poured plenty of money into men’s sports. Yet when it comes to women’s sports, the company’s support is, well, pretty much missing.
They’ve let several chances slip by to back women’s teams and athletes. It’s odd, considering the growth and revenue just waiting to be tapped in that space.
If INEOS put some real investment behind women’s sports, it could seriously boost its brand. There are commercial wins and a shot at showing they care about equality—plus, isn’t corporate social responsibility supposed to matter?
If you’re curious and want to dig deeper into how INEOS handles its sports investments (and what they’re not doing for women), check out the original article.