As Soccer Faces A New Reality, The Women’s Game Cannot Be Forgotten

This time last year, the final preparations were being made for the tournament that promised to take women’s soccer into an exciting new era.

Twenty years after the United States’ win kicked off a soccer revolution in the country, the 2019 Women’s World Cup was described as the “most important in history”.

The tournament was a big success. The idea that people wouldn’t watch women’s sport was proved – as many had long known – to be rubbish. With more than 200 broadcasters present, FIFA estimated the competition had drawn one billion viewers for the first time. TV viewing records fell in various countries.

Some sponsors had seen the wave coming. Nike created specifically-designed kits for women’s teams for the first time and declared 2019 a “tipping point” for women’s soccer. Big brands had started making serious investments after seeing the benefits of partnering with women’s sports.

In November, Chelsea signed Australian forward Sam Kerr – a high-profile deal in a market where the total transfer fees last year were only $652,032. That move was seen as another positive sign of the increasing money flowing into the women’s game.

But that was before the coronavirus pandemic. While every industry has been taken by surprise, including the men’s game, the timing is especially cruel for women’s soccer.

From growing at an impressive rate and with an exciting future to look forward to, global players’ union FIFPRO warned the pandemic posed an “almost existential threat to the women’s game”, in a report last month.

“Due to its less established professional leagues, low salaries, narrower scope of opportunities, uneven sponsorship deals and less corporate investment, the fragility of the women’s football eco-system is exposed by the current situation,” it said.

Most focus since the pandemic hit has fallen on the men’s game – the impacts on clubs and how top leagues can save repaying hundreds of millions to broadcasters. With all the attention there, the fear is women’s soccer, and the support it needs, could get forgotten.

Dr Kenneth Cortsen, a sports management researcher from the University College of Northern Denmark’s Department of Sport Management and coach of Danish women’s team Aalborg BK/AaB, said women’s soccer had come a long way in removing structural problems.

“Governing bodies and supporters of the women’s game have worked hard, especially in the past five years, to promote women’s football and to articulate its positive tangible and intangible features,” Dr Cortsen told me.

“However, branding and re-branding processes of a less fan-rooted sports product such as women’s football needs continued and focused efforts to position all positive tangible and intangible aspects while recognizing what is needed to keep women’s professional football going.”

Dr Cortsen said the “fragile” business model in women’s soccer meant strategic support and urgent investment was needed now from both governing bodies and commercial partners.

“The most important thing right now is that FIFA, UEFA and national FAs, leagues and clubs continue to back women’s football and to show the accountability of economic support and the articulation of its importance,” he said.

“The articulation of female football role models, co-branding activities with men’s football and other branded initiatives are more vital than ever in conjunction with men’s and women’s football coming together in an altruistic and solidary way.

“It would also be a cool message to see competitors such as Nike, Adidas and other actors dependent on the lifeblood of football, joining forces in an attempt to back women’s football.” 

Unlike men’s soccer, at least before the coronavirus pandemic, women’s soccer is still a “somewhat politically and idealistically driven investment”, Dr Cortsen said.

“Suddenly, the women’s game has a longer investment horizon because of coronavirus, which may scare some investors,” he said.

“They are also aware of the economic periodization derived from moving big international tournaments, for example the Olympic Games and the European Championship, normally capable of generating massive spotlight for women’s sports.

“The hope should be that men’s teams investing in women’s football see the potential of co-branding and don’t cut these investment arms because it may result in an expensive symbolic value.

“Nevertheless, football is an ‘ego industry’ and money flows and attention follows the best and most expensive players, so the concerns regarding the men’s game and the transfer market are likely to push women’s football in the background. Therefore, the time factor here is critical.”