by In a T-shirt “Everyone observes the lioness” before entering a flight to Basel, the head of the WSL football football, Nikki Doucet, describes the extraordinary progress of England for a third major final as a further “ignition moment” for sport, but the international game has long been on fire.
While not everyone watched in an increasingly broken television landscape, ITVS Peak audience of 10.2 million for the dramatic semi-final victory in England on Tuesday was the largest of the year and with the live reporting on Sunday against Spain with the BBC, more Broadcast Records.
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The challenge for Doucet and the clubs is more of the millions every summer of the millions that are fascinated by women’s football to regular fans who take part in games, watch games on television and buy some of the more and more far -reaching goods that occur across the country in shops. With 84 WSL players who are involved in a European championship from which each game was broadcast live on terrestrial television, the last few weeks have been a dream of the marketing department, especially with new heroes such as Michelle Agyemang.
“Football for women grows, point,” says Doucet. “If England wins on Sunday, there will be another massive moment, but even if it doesn’t win [Kelly]. You will still come and want to watch Hannah [Hampton]. You will now want to see Olivia Smith. And we didn’t talk about it [the Australian star forward] Sam Kerr comes back [from injury] for Chelsea.
“There are more and more icons, more and more players that people want to see, more and more stories they know. This summer was another ignition moment, and if England wins, it will be another massive moment of joy, but even if they are not winning, it is still an incredible performance. Winning is just another cherry on the cake, a cake that grows.”
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The Super League of women was able to use England’s historical success at the winning of the 2022 European Championship for the competition, with the visitor sectors in the league rose by 172%, and the numbers for televisions rose by 33% in the following season, but are now better placed to use the fever of lions and Lioness.
From the responsibility of a small department in the football association for three years, club football is now led by WSL Football, an independent company that is managed by Doucet, with a full-time employee of 60. A new fully professional WSL2, which in September contains a higher minimum wage determination. Every game in the first two levels is broadcast live via Sky Sports, The BBC or YouTube for the first time.
“We are the only country in the world that has two fully professional leagues,” says Doucet. “There is a reason why 84 players play in the euro in the Super League of women. I had a player at the euro that they have to be an international player to play in the WSL. It is the most competitive league worldwide. And to be a great footballer you want to play in the best league.”
With new long-term domestic television orders for the WSL and FA Cup, this season and the largest sponsoring deal in women’s sports with barclays have been starting for another three years, the immediate priority is the increasing number of visitors on the match day. Despite long-term growth trends, which declined the average amount of WSL by 10% last season, a drop-deloitte sports company group, which was attributable to “lack of international football to domestic game”, which should not be a problem this year. The fact that the numbers for television observations had decreased by 35%were more worrying, with Chelsea successfully running away with another mitigating factor with a sixth WSL title.
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As with her path experience on the field in the 1990s and 2000s, Arsenal led the commercialization of women’s football. Before the 2022 euros, the club announced that the following season six home games in the Emirates stage would be laid from their usual soil, and began selling tickets from England’s victory in the final against Germany at the weekend, which led to 16,000 tickets that were sold within 24 hours.
In September 2022, Arsenal attracted a 47,367 WSL record for the derby in North London after the euro victory in September 2022 before achieving a sale of 60,160 against Manchester United in February last year in February last year. The association has also gradually increased the number of games that are played in the Emirates in the past three years, and all its WSL games and the Champions League Knockout games take place there in the upcoming campaign. In the meantime, more than 15,000 seasonal tickets have been sold-a large jump of 1,000, which are available in Meadow Park-and in another innovation will also be available for the first time half a season tickets. Other clubs try to follow their leadership. Everton moves to Goodison Park, and Chelsea and Aston Villa are planning to stage more games in Stamford Bridge and Villa Park.
The WSL has also taken steps to increase ticket sales. On Friday, it was announced on Friday to collapse with the euro final fever, and a slot on Sunday with the 12pm slot approved the broadcasters to give fans more certainty.
“For the clubs Matchday visitor zone and the creation of a fan experience, the rival that goes to one euro has a priority,” says Doucet. “What Everton will do in Goodison Park is really exciting.”
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For Adam Kelly, President of Media Rights at Sponsoring Company IMG, the commercial value of women’s football is “not nearby”. IMG negotiated the £ 45 million-year-annual TV deal of women of women of women of women, which is three times as high as the WSL, so that its Bullisum appears well founded.
“Women’s football really went to another level and begins to realize its commercial potential,” says Kelly. “We believe that there is much more space for growth. The attention of ten million people in this market is extremely valuable. In a very unpredictable radio world, one of the few certainties is that the final will bring more record figures. All three have to do.
“There is a huge advantage because there is a new audience out there. Many people enjoy the tennis of women in a different way than watching the tennis of men, but they are equally valid. We are not near the summit.”
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According to Marcel Knobil, founder of the Superbrand consulting company, the players of England will benefit from the expected growth of sponsoring deals.
“Sponsors want them to be associated with success, and with three consecutive finals, this England team is almost associated with a guarantee,” says Knobil. “The investments of sponsors such as EE, Nike and Xero have increased significantly in recent years, and the achievement of another final will record further acceleration of the income.
