Sky Sports Increases Women’s Athlete Appearances For WSL Launch

As the 14th season of the Women’s Super League (WSL) kicks off this week, research by Sky Sports reveals watching female athletes inspires young women to take part in sport.

For the fourth season in a row, Sky Sports will show 44 matches from the WSL as part of a joint broadcast deal with the BBC. To mark the start of the new season tomorrow, a new survey by Sky has found that 88% of respondents believe that watching female athletes on TV inspires young women to take part in sport.

An additional 68,000 girls in the United Kingdom have already played football since England won the UEFA Women’s Euro in 2022. However, research by the Football Foundation, the charity of the Premier League, the FA and the Government , revealed “poorly lit stadiums and entrances, inadequate changing facilities and late night kick-off times can keep women and girls away from the stadium.”

With broadcast coverage being important to the promotion of female athletes, 79% agreed that TV plays an important role in increasing the visibility of sports models. To promote this, Sky Sports brought together one player from each of the twelve WSL sides for a fashion show, as part of their Editions series, with their clothing representing each athlete’s personality and the intersection between fashion and football.

As a WSL Press spokesperson explained “the goal was to present the athletes as the modern, diverse, athletic models they are. This was achieved through styling by starting the player’s look with not with their new home jersey for the 2024/2025 season before that.

Those who responded to the survey said that eliminating bias is the main reason for having good role models in sports. The use of four non-white English athletes in the shot put is significant in a country where the women’s sport has long been seen as a problem for attracting girls of different races.

Two years ago, the Football Association was forced to apologize after a video it released on International Women’s Day celebrating the impact of WSL players showed a visible lack of of variety.

The individual’s use as fashion icons shows how female sports fans are influenced by the image of their favorite players. More than a third of those polled said that footballers are increasingly prominent in celebrity culture and fashion and almost half of 18-29 year olds polled (44%) said they I bought a fashion item worn by a character. .

Led by key Lionesses members, featured players are Leah Williamson (Arsenal), Alex Greenwood (Manchester City), Lauren James (Chelsea), Maya Le Tissier (Manchester United), Taylor Hinds (Liverpool), Jessica Naz (Tottenham Hotspur). ), Maz Pacheco (Aston Villa), Viviane Asseyi (West Ham United), Hayley Nolan (Crystal Palace), Megan Finnigan (Everton), Poppy Pattinson (Brighton & Hove Albion) and Janice Cayman (Leicester City).

Manchester City manager Alex Greenwood is one of the featured players. He said: “The WSL is an amazing league and to have every club represented in this game with Sky has been great for them. While we are in different clubs, we have come together in it to continue to inspire. fans and push the women’s game forward.”

19% of those surveyed said they received direct encouragement from the female athletes they watched, motivating them to participate in sports or physical activity themselves. The online survey was commissioned by Sky Sports and carried out by market research company Perspectus Global. 2000 British adults were asked questions between August 15 and 19.

Head of Women’s Sport at Sky Sports, Jo Osborne said “at Sky Sports, we aim to showcase the exceptional talent in women’s sport, not only to entertain, but to inspire fans and encourage greater participation among the younger generation. next. Women’s Super League teams together for this shoot is a great way to start the season and build excitement to see these amazing players back in our games this week.”

Arsenal v Manchester City will be shown exclusively in the United Kingdom on Sky Sports and NOW streaming service on Sunday. Coverage starts at 11:30 BST on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Showcase