It has brought in media rights specialists, Women’s Sport Group
The FA is looking to monetise women’s football rights for the first time.
Since 2011, the BBC and BT Sport have shown the Women’s Super League (WSL), only covering production costs in return – reports The Telegraph. The FA also launched the FA Player – a free streaming service covering every WSL game – for the 2019-20 campaign.
However, with the new round of rights being sold for the 2021-22 season and beyond, the governing body has brought in media rights specialists Women’s Sport Group. All FA-controlled women’s football club and national team fixtures will be available.
Women’s football has been growing in popularity in the UK, with a record-breaking 28.1 million people tuning in to the BBC for the Women’s World Cup on television and online.
In addition, Manchester United reformed their women’s side in 2018 and are now back in the top flight – adding a big name to the league as it grows.
The FA’s director of women’s football, Kelly Simmons, said of the appointment: “Women’s Sports Group are in a perfect position to help us take the Barclays FA Women’s Super League to the next level.”
Meanwhile, Women’s Sport Group founder and first female non-executive director of the FA, Dame Heather Rabbatts, added: “The next round of media rights for women’s football is hugely important to the long-term success of the game.”
“There has been great momentum within women’s football since last summer’s World Cup, where over one billion views were recorded. We will be looking to build on this to further elevate the value of women’s sport.”