Women’s football in England continues to set milestones in its media expansion. From next season, all Women’s Championship matches will be streamed live and free of charge on the league’s official YouTube channel, according to The Guardian. The move represents a significant increase in coverage of women’s second tier football, from just one match a day to 100% live coverage.
As well as increasing the number of matches broadcast, the production of these matches will be improved. Each match will feature a minimum of two cameras to provide different angles, moving away from the basic single-camera coverage used in most matches this season.
While Sky Sports will retain the right to select certain matches for live streaming, The Guardian reports, these matches will also be available on YouTube, ensuring that all 132 matches next season can be enjoyed by fans anywhere in the world, free of charge.
DIGITAL STREAMING OF WOMEN’S FOOTBALL
The move to YouTube not only expands coverage, but also capitalises on the growing interest in women’s football. This season, Women’s Super League (WSL) matches that were not selected by Sky or the BBC were also broadcast on YouTube, leading to a significant increase in viewership.
A prime example was the match between Manchester United and Leicester City, which reached 271,502 live viewers, a number three times the figures of the previous season when the matches were streamed on the FA Player platform.
TOWARDS PROFESSIONALISATION
The move is in line with the transition of the management of England’s two main women’s leagues from the Football Association (FA) to the Women’s Professional Leagues Limited. The move aims to further professionalise the leagues and position women’s football as an attractive and quality sporting offering to global audiences.
The impact of this strategy can already be seen in the Women’s Championship, where the recent derby between Sunderland and Newcastle reached 81,313 live viewers, setting a record for the league so far.
AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CLUBS
The free broadcast of all matches not only benefits fans, but also offers clubs a global platform to increase their exposure and attract new sponsors. In addition, the enhanced coverage can highlight emerging talent in the Championship, creating a stronger connection between players, clubs and fans.
Next season promises to be a turning point for the Championship, offering the chance to bring women’s football to more people than ever before. Time will tell if this interest is reciprocated… although the growth figures so far point in this direction.
