Sky Sports is betting big on Sunday lunch-time football for the Women’s Super League. The traditional 6:45pm evening slot that the league centred itself on has failed to capture audiences in the way they’d hoped.
The move to midday kick-offs does represent a gamble by broadcasters as they seek to find a timeslot that will capture the public’s imagination for women’s football scheduling. After extensive consultations with clubs and supporters, the message was that evening slots weren’t working.
Sources close to the decision-making process suggest Friday night fixtures will also get a proper trial run throughout the campaign. It’s all part of Sky and WSL Football’s experimental approach to find the sweet spot that maximizes both in-stadium attendance and eyeballs on screens.
The timing of the announcement is strategic. With the England national team, the Lionesses, retaining their Euro title against Spain on the back of another storming tournament run, there’s genuine momentum building around the women’s game that scheduling could capitalise on.
This marks the first season of Sky and BBC’s new five-year partnership, though Sky will be shouldering the heavy lifting with 90% of live matches. The deal’s worth approximately £65 million in rights fees.
The shift from 2pm to noon Sunday slots is about more than just avoiding afternoon clashes. Sky wants to create that “around the grounds” atmosphere that makes Saturday 3pm in men’s football so compelling.
Meanwhile, the alcohol trial expansion to 14 clubs, including the big four, shows how the league’s testing boundaries across multiple fronts. The initial four-club experiment produced zero safety incidents across 19 fixtures, with 66% of supporters backing permanent implementation.
Chelsea kicks off the new era hosting Manchester City on Friday, September 5, with Andrée Jeglertz’s first game as City boss. The following day, newly promoted London City Lionesses face the ultimate baptism of fire away to London and European champions rivals, Arsenal.
It’s a bold scheduling gamble, but one that could define how women’s football positions itself in the broadcast landscape for years to come.
Insideworldfootball.com
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