Investigating the Growing Genre of Queer Sports Romance Novels Centring the Australian Women’s National Football League (AFLW) and Connections to Fandom of Women’s Sport

The production of self-published sports fiction romance novels has grown significantly since developments in technology have allowed affordable access to self-publishing platforms, and social media has enabled authors to connect with wider audiences. While many sports are presented, increasingly representations of women’s sports are finding a place within this landscape, including those depicting diverse and queer romantic narratives. This paper examines the growth of self-published sports fiction that centres women’s sports and queer romance narratives. It considers the ways the form might: drive fandom of women’s sport; connect with new fans who may not fit “traditional” sports fan models; and offer insight on the diverse nature of fan bases of women’s sports. The paper focuses on one emerging semi-professional women’s sporting code, Australian rules football – the national competition began in 2017. We map production of sports romance novels that have accompanied the development of the league and the ways the trend echoes that of previous sports receiving attention from authors of selfpublished sports fiction. In doing so the paper demonstrates a need for more research focus to understand the connection of women’s sports fans to fiction and need for more diverse representations of their lived experiences in texts.