Dawn Airey, chair of England’s Women’s Super League and the Women’s Championship, believes the WSL could become the first billion-pound women’s football league in the world.
Speaking to The Guardian, Airey said her prediction was based “on a pretty decent and detailed business plan for over the course of the next 10 years”.
“We look at the growth of attendances, we look at the growth of engagement and broadcast, we look at the increased interest in sponsorship and marketing opportunities, and then we start being more imaginative about what attending a women’s game means,” said Airey. “Not just watching the game, but everything that goes on around it, is there potential for clubs to think differently about their revenues?”
The gulf in revenues between men’s sports and women’s sports is enormous. Airey noted that women’s sports across all codes generate just one billion dollars in revenues yearly compared to half a trillion dollars generated by men’s sports.
“That’s an enormous difference and it shows the enormous potential for women’s sport, and women’s football in particular,” said Airey.
Women’s football exploded in popularity when England reached the final in this year's World Cup. It was the first time England, either male or female, reached a final since 1966.
Accounting firm Deloitte reported that the Women’s Super League generated £32 million in revenues during the 2021/22 season, a 60% year-on-year increase.
In the same season, the Premier League generated £5.5 billion, a 12% rise year on year.
The Women’s Super League and Championship are shifting away from being governed by the Football Association to a new governing body ahead of the 2024/2025 season.