Bring on the criticism: Top female players welcome game-changing broadcast deal for WSL

The FA announced a landmark deal with Sky Sports and BBC to show WSL action

 Jackie Groenen of Manchester United battles for possession with Katie McCabe of Arsenal during the Barclays FA Women's Super League match between Arsenal Women and Manchester United Women at Meadow Park on March 19, 2021 in Borehamwood

More coverage, more money, but more scrutiny and analysis too — top female footballers are embracing the "game-changing” broadcast agreement that will transform the Women’s Super League.

The English Football Association yesterday announced details of a new agreement for the WSL that will see matches shown on Sky Sports and BBC One and Two over the next three seasons.

Sky Sports, which will be showing WSL football for the first time, is replacing BT Sport as the division's primary broadcaster.

Sky are thought to be investing around £10million per season, including production, with additional marketing and exposure commitments taking the figure to around £15m per season — the biggest deal of its type for a women’s soccer league.

Sky will have the right to show up to 44 matches per season, with a minimum of 35. As secondary rights holder, the BBC has committed to a further 22 live games per season, with a minimum of 18 on BBC One and BBC Two. Previously, games have been shown live by the BBC on iPlayer and the red button service.

The remaining matches will be shown on the FA’s online media player.

It is the first time the rights to the WSL have been sold separately from the men's game, with clubs in the league receiving a proportion of the revenue. Part of it will also be distributed to clubs in the Women's Championship, with the split being 75 per cent (WSL) to 25 per cent.

The FA's director of the women's professional game, Kelly Simmons, said the deal was "a game-changing agreement that will transform" the WSL.

Simmons said it will "take us to be the most watched women's sports league in the world" and that she believed it was "the biggest deal commercially for women's football in terms of a domestic deal."

She said: "This is a landmark deal, not just for the WSL but the whole of the women's game.

"It's really going to help us to grow and engage our fanbase. It is bringing in vital new commercial revenue into the league and clubs. And, most importantly in some ways, it's providing a fantastic platform to inspire girls and women to play the game.

"This partnership provides a wonderful platform on which to deliver on our ambitions and really to put the WSL at the global forefront of the women's game.

"When we look at the benchmarks around audience, this without doubt will take us to be the most watched women's sports league in the world.

"It is transformational. This is mainstream, this is prime slots on television, big audiences, week in week out, and I think it's such an exciting step for the women's game. It is quite an emotional moment."

Asked if she believed it was the biggest deal in women's domestic sports history, Simmons said: "(It is) I think the biggest deal commercially for women's football in terms of a domestic deal, and up there with women's sport.

"And then in terms of the audience piece, the biggest for women's sport, definitely."

Simmons said that as well as going to clubs, money would be used for "central investments, new strategic investments, including refereeing".

Emma Hayes, manager of Chelsea, who are top of the current WSL standings, says the deal is a watershed moment in the women's game.

She told Sky Sports News: "This is a day that everyone has been looking forward to, the announcement of a really strong broadcast partner that will help give us the viewership and exposure that the women's game has earned.

"There's no better platform than to be with Sky. Sky will bring the elevation that the women's game needs. It's a partner that is taking women's sport very seriously and football tops that agenda. I hope we can bring new viewers to them with the quality we produce. It's a perfect marriage.

"I think the game has come far since 2012, both as a product on the pitch and the numbers that we are drawing to our games, through attendance and TV figures.

"The rise has been exponential and one that we can continue to see the upward trend. People are getting used to women's football on their screens, so as long as the quality of the product is high, we'll draw fans to the sport.

Manchester City captain Steph Houghton insists WSL players will relish the greater scrutiny — and criticism if necessary — that more exposure will bring.

"That's what we want, we want to be under that spotlight and have the scrutiny. Team performances are the most important but individual performances will also be highlighted, whether that is good or bad.

"I watch Sky Sports News regularly and see the analysis of games on a regular basis, that's the level we want. We want to be spoken about just because we are footballers."

Manchester United's Lucy Staniforth says deeper tactical and technical analysis will only broaden the appeal of the women’s game.

"I want to see those people in the studio critiquing our games and maybe that's a part of women's football that is missing at the moment is that high-level analysis and specific programmes that are aimed at looking at tactical and technical elements of games.” 

It remains to be seen how the new deal benefits players directly in their pay packets. Salaries for full-time players can fluctuate wildly in the WSL — from around £30,000 per annum to six-figure deals for the most sought after international stars.

There are several Ireland internationals playing regularly in the WSL, including Ireland captain Katie McCabe, Arsenal’s regular left back, who retweeted news of the deal.