Women’s Super League to review TV slots in summer after concern over viewing figures

Key Highlights

• Read moreIn both cases the WSL was forced to schedule a Saturday fixture because Arsenal and Chelsea, respectively, had Women’s Champions League ties the following Tuesday, with the players requiring two clear days between matches. Poor viewing figures for Saturday lunchtime games have reignited a debate over scheduling, which the WSL will review in detail at the end of the season in collaboration with its main rights holders, Sky and the BBC.
• A summer review is standard practice, with the WSL opting to drop the 6.45pm Sunday kick-off this season after consultation with clubs produced the conclusion that it was off-putting to match-going fans.
• The Sunday evening game was Sky’s best-performing slot for the WSL last season, with an average audience of 144,000. The WSL adopted noon on Sundays for its flagship TV games for the start of a new four-year contract with Sky this season, although the jury remains out on whether this was shrewd.
• The decision to schedule up to four of the six weekly rounds of matches at the same time has proved unpopular and appears to have had a negative effect on viewing figures. The league’s hands are tied in the short term owing to the limited availability of other slots and its relationship with Sky, which wants to avoid matches clashing with its other football programming where possible.
• The WSL can use Friday evenings if there is no live EFL game, with Sky broadcasting Everton v Brighton on Friday 23 January for example, and may look to make greater use of that slot where possible this season. The 2pm Sunday afternoon slot is no longer available on Sky because it broadcasts multiple Premier League games at that time, although some of the BBC’s 14 exclusive matches have been scheduled for 2.30pm kick-offs. Sky has the rights to 118 live matches and lunchtime games have become its default this season, with 49 out of the first 66 WSL matches kicking off at midday or earlier.