Women's Super League to Review TV Slots in Summer Amid Disappointment Over Viewing Figures
The Women's Super League (WSL) has announced plans to review its television slots in the summer after viewing figures for several matches fell short of expectations. The decision comes as concerns over scheduling have reignited debate among fans, who feel that certain games are not being showcased at the best possible times.
One of the main issues has been the allocation of noon on Sundays, which was introduced as part of a new four-year contract with Sky this season. However, the WSL's flagship TV games have proven to be unpopular with fans, leading to criticism over the scheduling decision.
A recent example of this was Arsenal's 2-1 win over Liverpool at lunchtime last Saturday, which drew an average audience of just 59,000 viewers. This is a significant decrease from the 71,000 who watched Arsenal v Chelsea in the same slot last month. The WSL has since been forced to schedule several Saturday matches due to fixtures clashes with other teams' Women's Champions League ties.
The viewing figures have also raised concerns over the impact of scheduling on match attendance. With the league facing criticism for not being able to secure more attractive slots, fans are starting to feel that their clubs are missing out on high-quality TV coverage.
As a result, the WSL will be reviewing its television strategy in collaboration with Sky and the BBC. A summer review is standard practice, with past reviews leading to changes such as the introduction of Friday evening matches and the dropping of certain kick-off slots.
The league's relationship with Sky has also been under scrutiny, particularly over the allocation of Sunday evening games. While some fans have enjoyed the Sunday night coverage, others have felt that it has overshadowed more high-profile matches on other days.
In response to the disappointment over viewing figures, WSL sources pointed out a modest increase in average viewership for Saturday lunchtime matches this season – although this was still lower than expected.
The WSL's decision to review its television slots is likely to be seen as an effort to address fan concerns and improve overall engagement with the league. However, it remains to be seen whether the changes will have a positive impact on viewing figures in the long run.
The Women's Super League (WSL) has announced plans to review its television slots in the summer after viewing figures for several matches fell short of expectations. The decision comes as concerns over scheduling have reignited debate among fans, who feel that certain games are not being showcased at the best possible times.
One of the main issues has been the allocation of noon on Sundays, which was introduced as part of a new four-year contract with Sky this season. However, the WSL's flagship TV games have proven to be unpopular with fans, leading to criticism over the scheduling decision.
A recent example of this was Arsenal's 2-1 win over Liverpool at lunchtime last Saturday, which drew an average audience of just 59,000 viewers. This is a significant decrease from the 71,000 who watched Arsenal v Chelsea in the same slot last month. The WSL has since been forced to schedule several Saturday matches due to fixtures clashes with other teams' Women's Champions League ties.
The viewing figures have also raised concerns over the impact of scheduling on match attendance. With the league facing criticism for not being able to secure more attractive slots, fans are starting to feel that their clubs are missing out on high-quality TV coverage.
As a result, the WSL will be reviewing its television strategy in collaboration with Sky and the BBC. A summer review is standard practice, with past reviews leading to changes such as the introduction of Friday evening matches and the dropping of certain kick-off slots.
The league's relationship with Sky has also been under scrutiny, particularly over the allocation of Sunday evening games. While some fans have enjoyed the Sunday night coverage, others have felt that it has overshadowed more high-profile matches on other days.
In response to the disappointment over viewing figures, WSL sources pointed out a modest increase in average viewership for Saturday lunchtime matches this season – although this was still lower than expected.
The WSL's decision to review its television slots is likely to be seen as an effort to address fan concerns and improve overall engagement with the league. However, it remains to be seen whether the changes will have a positive impact on viewing figures in the long run.
! Like, who thought it was a good idea to play Arsenal vs Liverpool at lunchtime? I mean, I love the Gunners and all, but come on! 59k viewers is just not enough, you know? 
It's like they're trying to mess with our Sundays. And don't even get me started on the scheduling conflicts 
... it's like they're playing with fire, trying to balance everything and still please everyone.
The WSL needs to get its priorities straight, if you ask me. But hey, I guess reviewing the TV strategy is better than nothing... fingers crossed they'll make some changes that actually work! 
. I mean, we're talking about women's football here, which is already an underdog sport compared to its men's counterpart. But instead of giving it a boost with better TV slots, they're having to re-think their strategy because fans aren't showing up.
. And yeah, 59,000 viewers for an Arsenal vs Liverpool match? That's low, even for a non-league match! 
. Are we going to keep having Sunday evening games that only attract die-hard fans, while leaving out other matches that might actually appeal to a broader audience? No thanks 
.
. Maybe it's time for them to rethink their TV strategy and make women's football more mainstream 
.
. The noon Sunday thing has definitely been a letdown, especially with matches like Arsenal vs Liverpool drawing in under 60k viewers 
. Some fans love the Friday evening matches and others are still waiting for more weekend games 
️.
. Maybe we'll get more high-quality slots for Saturday matches or even some weekday games? Fingers crossed! 
. who thought that was a good idea?! it's like they're trying to put women's footy in the shadows or something. 
anyway wsl should def do somethin about this lol maybe give more priority 2 high-profile matches or somethin?
Yeah, that's not exactly the buzz we were hoping for 
. And now they're reviewing their whole TV strategy? Hopefully they can get it right this time, or we'll just be stuck with another mediocre season 
u guys are doing so much for womens football!!! i feel u fans r gettin frustrated tho 