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The Women’s Super League will review its broadcast slots at the end of the season amid disappointment at some viewing figures during the first half of the campaign.
An average audience of 59,000 watched live Sky Sports coverage of Arsenal’s 2-1 win over Liverpool last Saturday lunchtime, even fewer than the 71,000 people who watched Arsenal v Chelsea on Sky in the same noon kick-off slot last month, leading to criticism from fans about the scheduling of such flagship games.
In 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. Such kick-off slots often clash with junior and grassroots games, which has had an impact on viewing figures.
The Saturday lunchtime slot is particularly problematic for the WSL because it is often up against a live Premier League game on TNT Sports. The scheduling of Arsenal’s game last weekend was especially challenging because it clashed with the men’s side’s Premier League match at Aston Villa, which kicked off live on TNT 30 minutes later.
WSL sources said average viewing figures for the Saturday lunchtime game had risen by 11% this season, although Sky broadcast only two games at that time last season, so a meaningful comparison is difficult.
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