USWNT icon Ali Krieger talks about a new initiative, Rep Her, shining a light on merchandise accessibility

In a groundbreaking initiative addressing the issue of gender disparities in sports merchandise, Klarna has partnered with TOGETHXR to launch "Rep Her," putting a spotlight on a $4 billion unexploited market in women's sports gear.

The five-time NWSL Best XI selection and two-time Women's World Cup champion, Ali Krieger spoke with FanSided about her role in the initiative, and the significance of it as a whole.

"Klarna, the AI-powered global payments assistant, TOGETHXR, the female Olympian-founded media and commerce company, Sports Innovation Lab, a fan intelligence company, and I have teamed up on a research-backed initiative, called Rep Her, that will shine light on the disparity between men's and women’s sports merchandise accessibility through a data-packed report and limited edition merchandise line," said Krieger.

The first-of-its-kind report put together by fan intelligence company Sports Innovation Lab and Klarna titled Rep Her: Revealing the Unmet Demand for Women’s Sports Merchandise on June 26 revealed some shocking data.

The main one is the fact that for every nine pieces of men’s sports merchandise, women’s sports have just one. If you want to get down in the weeds, it states specifically that the 30-team NBA has nine times more merchandise options than the 12-team WNBA, and the 29-team MLS has six times more merchandise options than the 14-team NWSL. The report highlights the fact that the demand is very much there. It's just a matter of unmet consumer demand.

As a women's sports fan, it's frankly challenging to find what you want online. Donning the gear of your favorite women's club or franchise often requires much more effort than searching for men's sports paraphernalia. The report backs that up.

79 percent of respondents reported that they would purchase more women’s sports merchandise if more options were available to them. In addition, per the report, consumers of women’s sports merchandise are 60% more likely to have trouble finding a style than buyers of men’s sports merchandise. It's about time to give the public what it craves.

To view the full Rep Her report, something I highly recommend you do, click here. If you are interested in learning more, Sports Innovation Lab is hosting a live webinar on July 11 to provide a report read-through and data deep dive, which can be accessed by registering using this link.

"As a female athlete myself, it’s incredibly important to see efforts like these that highlight and address gender disparities in sports, like the gap in women’s sports merchandise," said the 2023 NWSL champion. "This initiative is a pivotal step in recognizing the value of women’s sports and ensuring that fans have the merchandise they want."

Krieger continued, "This initiative aligns directly with my personal goal of advocating for gender equality in sports, and working alongside these three companies felt like a great fit for this."

The custom gear was created by designers Sophia Chang and Mellany Sanchez featuring the phrase “A movement, not a moment,” celebrating their passion for women’s sports and allowing fans to Rep Her with pride. It symbolizes the growth of women's sports amid a landscape shift while providing a way for fans to show their love in a concrete way.

"I really hope this initiative has a huge influence on other brands and retailers and that they see the potential waiting for them in the women’s sports merchandise market," said Krieger. "What we’re hoping to do with Rep Her is spread awareness of the accessibility gap and ultimately provide more styles and options to fans. I do believe through this initiative and the overall increased interest in women’s sports, we will begin to narrow this gap."

Where can you find the custom merchandise you may ask? Krieger explained.

"Fans can shop for the collection on Klarna and TOGETHXR.com. The collection is limited edition, so be sure to shop ASAP! Plus, a percentage of all proceeds are going to Billie Jean King’s Women’s Sports Foundation," said the two-time World Cup champion Krieger. "Klarna has also put together a women’s sports shopping hub on its website and app that helps fans shop for merchandise for their favorite teams easily. Plus, people can use Klarna’s interest-free Pay in 4 option, which I always recommend."

You can see Ali on ESPN's new women's football show, 'Futbol W', beginning July 23 on ESPN2 at 9:30 p.m.