The Women’s Super League (WSL) has dismissed concerns regarding its broadcast slots with Sky Sports this season, despite acknowledging that scheduling remains a significant challenge. This comes in the wake of a packed calendar that has reportedly impacted viewership.
A recent match between defending WSL champions Chelsea and UEFA Women’s Champions League holders Arsenal on 8th November drew an average audience of 71,000 on Sky Sports channels. In contrast, last season's equivalent fixture attracted 732,000 viewers when it was shown free-to-air (FTA) by public service broadcaster the BBC during the men's international break. Sources within the sport have identified the Saturday noon kick-off time as a major factor behind this drop-off. However, given that last year's corresponding fixture benefitted from nationwide coverage by BBC, some decrease was expected.
Additional data from this month's Arsenal versus Chelsea match reveals some interesting insights. The average audience of 70,000 for the game signifies a 30% increase in viewership for the Saturday noon time slot compared to the previous season. Moreover, it was observed that around 197,000 viewers stayed tuned in for at least three minutes of the match. It is also important to note that this game coincided with Premier League matches such as Tottenham Hotspur vs Manchester United on TNT Sports and multiple English Football League (EFL) matches on Sky - factors likely contributing to divided viewership.
Navigating through a packed schedule
The WSL and Sky have been striving to establish a flagship broadcast slot free from competition with other leagues. This has led them to earmark most games for midday on Sundays. However, implementing this strategy continues to be challenging due to various constraints including player welfare considerations and competing sports events.
For instance, one of WSL's biggest fixtures - Arsenal vs Chelsea - had to be scheduled on November 8th because Chelsea was playing St Pölten in the Women’s Champions League on November 11th. Holding the WSL game on Sunday, November 9th would have left Chelsea with just over 48 hours between matches, raising player welfare concerns.
Sky has already broadcast five Saturday lunchtime games this season, up from two across the whole of the previous campaign. While WSL is not alone in dealing with an increasingly congested soccer calendar, moving away from its preferred Sunday noon slot could potentially dent viewership by creating clashes with more established sports properties.
Last season's performance
The Guardian reported that last season's average audience for WSL on Sky was 337,000 when most games kicked off later on Sunday afternoons and evenings. This was likely helped by Sky retaining the attention of Premier League viewers.
While scheduling challenges persist for WSL amidst a packed football calendar and a new five-year broadcast deal with Sky Sports and BBC, it remains committed to establishing a consistent broadcast slot free from competition. The league continues to navigate these challenges while prioritizing player welfare and striving to maintain viewer engagement.
