Ashleigh Plumptre: 'I deeply hurt people by moving to Saudi Arabia'

The article discusses the challenges faced by the Saudi Women's Premier League (SWPL) in growing its attendance and fanbase. The league is struggling to attract large crowds, with most matches taking place in stadiums with a capacity of less than 15,000. This lack of attendance has made it difficult for the league to compete with other women's football leagues around the world.

The article quotes Plumptre, who plays for Al-Ittihad and the Nigerian national team, as saying that "we don't have many fans" and that there is a need for more community initiatives to get children attending games with their families and giving out free tickets in schools. She also notes that the league needs to work on its marketing and promotion to attract more fans.

The article highlights the importance of fan engagement and attendance in the success of women's football leagues. It notes that the lack of attendance has a negative impact on the league's finances and reputation, making it difficult for clubs to attract new players and sponsors.

Overall, the article suggests that the Saudi Women's Premier League needs to work on its marketing and promotion efforts, as well as investing in fan engagement initiatives, to grow its attendance and fanbase.
 
I feel like women's football is still stuck in a pretty small niche πŸ€”. I mean, we have all these amazing female players out there who are super talented and passionate about the game, but they just need some more support from the fans and the league itself. It's not just about getting more people to come watch games, it's also about making the experience fun for the families and kids in the community.

I think the SWPL needs to get creative with their marketing efforts πŸ“±πŸ’‘, like social media campaigns that showcase the players' personalities and stories, or partnerships with local businesses to offer special deals for fans. And yeah, giving out free tickets in schools is a great idea! Kids are always excited about sports, especially when it's female-led πŸ€πŸ‘§.

But at the end of the day, it's all about building that community around the league and making people feel welcome and included 🀝. If they can do that, I'm sure the attendance will follow πŸ’ͺ!
 
I mean, who wouldn't want to watch a bunch of ladies kickin' a ball around for 2 hours straight? I'm sure it's not like they're gettin' paid or anything πŸ€‘. But seriously, 15k capacity stadiums? That's cute. I bet the crowds are just dyin' to see Al-Ittihad play... said no one ever 🀣.

I feel bad for Plumptre and the lasses tryin' to make it happen, though. It's not like they're gettin' any love from the fans or the media. Maybe if they start givin' out free tickets in schools and whatnot, people'll finally take notice? I mean, who doesn't love a good school field day? 🏟️

It's all about fan engagement and attendance, huh? Yeah, no kidding. It's not like there are other things more important... like, say, Netflix and chillin' 😴. But seriously, can't we just give these ladies a break and show some love for women's football? πŸ€—
 
I mean, I get why they're struggling - it's not like Saudi Arabia is a huge market for sports πŸ€”. But 15k capacity stadiums? That's kinda small for a league that claims to be premier 🏟️. I think what Plumptre said makes sense tho - community initiatives and schools can be a great way to get the next gen into football πŸ‘¦πŸ½. But have they thought of ways to make it more exciting for fans in Saudi Arabia? Like, do they even have social media influencers or content creators who are passionate about the league? πŸ“±πŸ’»
 
I feel kinda bad for these talented ladies playing footy in Saudi Arabia πŸ€”. I mean, they're already crushing it on the pitch, but when you're not even getting a decent crowd at your games... it's tough, right? I'd say the league needs to get creative with its marketing and promotion – maybe partner with some of those popular Saudi influencers or use social media to spread the word πŸ“±. And those community initiatives Plumptre mentioned? Absolutely brilliant! Getting kids involved in footy would not only attract more fans but also help develop the next gen of female players πŸˆπŸ‘§.

But, you know, it's not just about getting more bums on seats – it's about creating a sustainable future for women's football in Saudi Arabia. I'd love to see the league invest in some decent facilities and training programs, too... that way, they can attract top talent from all over the world 🌎. The sooner they get this sorted, the better off they'll be! ⚽️
 
πŸ€” I think it's kinda weird that people are complaining about lack of fans when they're playing in stadiums with tiny capacities 🏟️. Like, what did they expect? The league needs to step up their game, but let's not forget that these players are already talented athletes competing at a high level πŸ‹οΈβ€β™€οΈ. It's not like they're just going out there for the fun of it... and yeah, maybe some community initiatives wouldn't hurt πŸ’‘. But marketing? That's easy to say from the outside looking in πŸ˜’. If they want to grow their fanbase, they need to start by attracting more locals πŸ“Ί, not just relying on expats who might not even be interested in football πŸ€·β€β™€οΈ. And let's be real, it's not like other leagues are exactly flooded with fans either... everyone's struggling πŸ™…β€β™‚οΈ.
 
it's not surprising they're struggling with low attendance... i mean, who wants to pay money to watch women play football when you can watch the same game on the telly at home? πŸ€·β€β™‚οΈ and let's be real, these stadiums are tiny - like, what's the point of even having a league if no one's gonna show up? πŸ˜’ i feel bad for Plumptre and her teammates, but they need to step up their game (no pun intended) or else they'll just get left behind...
 
🏟️ they gotta step up their game, it's not rocket science... more free tickets in schools, community events, social media promotions... all that jazz πŸ“±πŸ’» the fans are there, but nobody knows about it 😐 what's the point of having a league if nobody shows up to watch? πŸ’Έ
 
🏟️ idk how hard can be to get more fans for a women's football league πŸ€”... they just need to make the games more fun πŸŽ‰, like add some music, food trucks πŸ•, and prizes for the winners πŸ’₯... maybe even have some celebrity appearances 🀩 to draw in more people... and yeah, promoting it on social media πŸ“± is key too πŸ‘€... but what if they just do all these things and still no one shows up πŸ˜”? maybe its not that easy to make a big league out of nothing πŸ’Έ
 
I feel bad for these ladies, they're trying so hard but it's just not happening πŸ€•. I mean, you gotta imagine playing in a stadium with less than 15k people, it's like a different experience altogether. And when you add to that the fact that many of the stadiums are outdated and lack the facilities that top-tier leagues have, it's no wonder they're struggling to draw crowds 🏟️.

I think Plumptre makes some great points about community initiatives and schools getting involved though. If they can get more families and young girls into the stadium, that's gotta be a positive step forward πŸ’–. And marketing-wise, I'm sure it won't be easy but if anyone can do it, Saudi Arabia's got some of the most amazing advertising folks in the world πŸ“Ί.

But you know what? The bigger picture is that women's football leagues everywhere are facing similar challenges 🀝. It's all about building a sustainable ecosystem where fans feel welcome and included, whether they're from Saudi Arabia or anywhere else 🌎. Let's keep supporting these amazing athletes and helping them grow their fanbase πŸ’ͺ.
 
I think the SWPL is missing out on some opportunities πŸ€”. I mean, we all know how awesome women's football is! πŸ’ͺ But seriously, it seems like they need to focus on building a community around the league. Like, getting schools involved in promoting the league and giving out free tickets to kids would be amazing 😊. It would not only increase attendance but also get more young fans into the game.

And I think social media is key here πŸ“±. Clubs need to be using Instagram and TikTok and all that to reach a wider audience, share highlights of the games and stuff. Like, who doesn't love watching goals scored by Plumptre? 🀩 We need to get more fans excited about women's football in Saudi Arabia! πŸ’₯
 
I feel bad for those ladies playing footy in SA, it's crazy how hard they're struggling to get people to show up πŸ€”. I mean, I love a good match, but come on, 15k is like nothing! πŸ˜‚ You gotta have some way to get the word out and make it appealing to new fans. They need to think outside the box and be creative with their marketing and promotions πŸ“ˆ. And yeah, getting kids involved is key, who doesn't love football? πŸ€ It's not just about the game itself, but also about creating a fun experience for everyone. I'm sure those ladies will figure it out though, they're clearly passionate about what they do πŸ’ͺ.
 
I feel bad for these ladies trying to build a women's league from scratch πŸ€”. It's not easy making a sport popular from the ground up. But, I think they're on the right track by focusing on community initiatives πŸ‘₯...like giving out free tickets in schools? That's a great idea! You gotta get the next gen involved if you wanna grow the fanbase πŸŽ‰. And marketing? Yeah, that's important too πŸ’‘. Can't just sit back and hope fans come in on their own, gotta go out there and make it happen πŸ’ͺ.
 
It's quite disheartening to see a women's football league like SWPL struggling with low attendance πŸ˜”. I think one of the main issues here is the lack of visibility & exposure for the league πŸ“Ί. With most matches taking place in relatively small stadiums, it's hard for fans to feel connected to the game or to get excited about attending matches. We need more community-driven initiatives like you mentioned, Plumptre 🀝, such as free ticket giveaways and school events to get kids & families involved.

Marketing & promotion are also crucial here πŸ“ˆ. The league needs to create a buzz around its matches & teams, highlighting the achievements of players like Plumptre and showcasing the exciting game itself πŸ’₯. With some concerted efforts in these areas, I'm confident that SWPL can grow its fanbase and establish itself as a major force in women's football πŸš€.
 
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