There is momentum behind the Lionesses’ plans to change the game

08/10/2022

As Williamson also urged, the Women’s Super League has also experienced a record spike in interest for season tickets and marquee fixtures. The result of Euro 2022 and England’s win has fuelled increased demand and clubs are looking to capitalise on the success with several already reporting record sales. Arsenal have sold out of season tickets for the first time, while Chelsea have done so for the second year in a row. The WSL champions will also return to Stamford Bridge for the first time since 2019 in their season opener against West Ham. Arsenal’s first clash against Tottenham at the Emirates, the Merseyside derby at Anfield and the Manchester derby at the Etihad are other fixtures that will attract crowds into the 10,000s, with many tickets already sold.

There will be challenges to come and, as an organisation, the WSL will have to not only learn to cope with a new level of attention but also to capitalise on it. Making the growth last is another aim and there are obstacles to overcome that have sometimes been at play in holding back development. Fixture changes at short notice were an issue last season, while the kick-off times at 12pm and 6:30pm on Sundays for TV games are also not the most conducive to travelling fans. Fixture clashes can also force fans to choose between men’s and women’s teams. West Ham’s trip to Stamford Bridge on the opening weekend, for example, comes as the men’s team host Newcastle in the Premier League.

But as the Euros showed, the start of the journey is set to attract a football crowd that is younger, welcomes families and is more inclusive. It will also not just include football. Already, the Commonwealth Games have shown how England’s hockey team continued on the wave by beating Australia to win gold for the first time, while the dominant Red Roses side will look to carry forward momentum when the Rugby World Cup gets underway in Australia and New Zealand next month. They say action speaks louder than words, but there has never been more of a determination to deliver on both.

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