Thought of the Week
Will the surge in women’s football help regenerate more than a passion in sport?
January 9, 2025 4 Minute Read
31 July 2022 was a pivotal day for women’s football. Since that time, with England’s historic victory over Germany in the Euros, interest, investment, participation, and attendance at women’s football has grown significantly. Average attendance at Women’s Super League matches has increased from less than 2,000 in the season prior to the Euros, to 7,500 in the 2023/24 season. The fourfold increase could have been higher, but many women’s games are played at smaller stadiums. Still, such has been the increase in demand, that many women’s teams are growing out of their small stadium spaces.
Take Arsenal Women Football Club (AWFC) for example – they traditionally played home games at Meadow Park (shared with Boreham Wood F.C.), which has a capacity of under 5,000. But in the post-Euro euphoria, AWFC tested demand, playing some games at the Emirates. One such match, in September 2022, played against local rivals Tottenham achieved a new Women’s Super League (WSL) attendance record of 47,367. This season, Arsenal Women are playing all their Women’s Super League home games at the Emirates.
While this means more fans can go along, sharing a stadium with the men’s team brings with it challenges. Arsenal Women were due to play Bayern Munich in the Champions League on 18 December at the Emirates and had sold a significant number of tickets. But when the Carabao Cup quarter final draw took place, it meant Arsenal F.C. were scheduled to host their game at home on the same day. The women’s fixture was subsequently moved to Meadow Park. Not only is this a setback for the thousands of ticket holders who need to re-apply, but for Arsenal Women who have been pioneers in attracting more fans, it is a shame to be thwarted in their quest.
So, is the option for Arsenal Women to have their own stadium? If only building a new stadium was that simple a solution. Finding suitable land is a huge challenge, particularly when it needs to be large enough to accommodate not only the stadium but also its associated facilities like parking and transport links. Urban locations are typically preferred, not least for their accessibility, but acquiring urban land comes with higher costs. And building a stadium certainly isn’t cheap. A 50,000 seater stadium can cost up to £1bn for a brand new, ground up stadium development. Moreover, the upfront costs for constructing a new stadium are substantial, and the construction industry is experiencing increasing costs for materials and labour, which can significantly inflate the cost. It is estimated that the cost of building Everton’s new stadium is upwards of £750m. It also takes time, the design alone can take two years, with three to four years of actual construction.
To ensure the commercial viability of any stadium development requires a creative approach to revenue streams. For example, a new stadium would likely need to be multi-purposeful rather than just built for sport. Many stadiums across the UK have already adapted; Tottenham Hotspur stadium has hosted concerts for the likes of Beyonce, and the Allianz stadium (formerly Twickenham) is frequently used for corporate events. Being able to accommodate more than just sporting events would not only increase revenue, but it also ensures the stadium can be used all year round and not just during a specific sports season.
What then would a versatile stadium need? Attracting a wider audience means ensuring inclusivity, whether that is through ensuring the correct provision of facilities, such as baby changing, or considering the different purchasing habits of a more diverse group of fans. This would certainly benefit women football fans, who tend to be made up more of families and younger children. There is a huge opportunity for innovation and no need to follow the traditional men’s stadium approach.
The benefits of building a new stadium would go far beyond accommodating more fans and hosting a wider range of events. Stadiums can boost local economies through job creation and attracting visitors. It is estimated that the development of Tottenham Hotspur’s new stadium has created 1,700 jobs on site and a further 980 jobs locally, and will pump £293m into the local economy each year. The development of new stadiums can also contribute to the wider regeneration of an area through investment into local transport infrastructure and improving public realm. And new stadiums can be designed with their environmental impact in mind, utilising energy efficient systems, renewable energy sources and sustainable materials.
Brighton have already pushed the button and will be the first team in the Women’s Super League to be seeking a women’s only stadium. So, where they lead, will others follow?
Take Arsenal Women Football Club (AWFC) for example – they traditionally played home games at Meadow Park (shared with Boreham Wood F.C.), which has a capacity of under 5,000. But in the post-Euro euphoria, AWFC tested demand, playing some games at the Emirates. One such match, in September 2022, played against local rivals Tottenham achieved a new Women’s Super League (WSL) attendance record of 47,367. This season, Arsenal Women are playing all their Women’s Super League home games at the Emirates.
While this means more fans can go along, sharing a stadium with the men’s team brings with it challenges. Arsenal Women were due to play Bayern Munich in the Champions League on 18 December at the Emirates and had sold a significant number of tickets. But when the Carabao Cup quarter final draw took place, it meant Arsenal F.C. were scheduled to host their game at home on the same day. The women’s fixture was subsequently moved to Meadow Park. Not only is this a setback for the thousands of ticket holders who need to re-apply, but for Arsenal Women who have been pioneers in attracting more fans, it is a shame to be thwarted in their quest.
So, is the option for Arsenal Women to have their own stadium? If only building a new stadium was that simple a solution. Finding suitable land is a huge challenge, particularly when it needs to be large enough to accommodate not only the stadium but also its associated facilities like parking and transport links. Urban locations are typically preferred, not least for their accessibility, but acquiring urban land comes with higher costs. And building a stadium certainly isn’t cheap. A 50,000 seater stadium can cost up to £1bn for a brand new, ground up stadium development. Moreover, the upfront costs for constructing a new stadium are substantial, and the construction industry is experiencing increasing costs for materials and labour, which can significantly inflate the cost. It is estimated that the cost of building Everton’s new stadium is upwards of £750m. It also takes time, the design alone can take two years, with three to four years of actual construction.
To ensure the commercial viability of any stadium development requires a creative approach to revenue streams. For example, a new stadium would likely need to be multi-purposeful rather than just built for sport. Many stadiums across the UK have already adapted; Tottenham Hotspur stadium has hosted concerts for the likes of Beyonce, and the Allianz stadium (formerly Twickenham) is frequently used for corporate events. Being able to accommodate more than just sporting events would not only increase revenue, but it also ensures the stadium can be used all year round and not just during a specific sports season.
What then would a versatile stadium need? Attracting a wider audience means ensuring inclusivity, whether that is through ensuring the correct provision of facilities, such as baby changing, or considering the different purchasing habits of a more diverse group of fans. This would certainly benefit women football fans, who tend to be made up more of families and younger children. There is a huge opportunity for innovation and no need to follow the traditional men’s stadium approach.
The benefits of building a new stadium would go far beyond accommodating more fans and hosting a wider range of events. Stadiums can boost local economies through job creation and attracting visitors. It is estimated that the development of Tottenham Hotspur’s new stadium has created 1,700 jobs on site and a further 980 jobs locally, and will pump £293m into the local economy each year. The development of new stadiums can also contribute to the wider regeneration of an area through investment into local transport infrastructure and improving public realm. And new stadiums can be designed with their environmental impact in mind, utilising energy efficient systems, renewable energy sources and sustainable materials.
Brighton have already pushed the button and will be the first team in the Women’s Super League to be seeking a women’s only stadium. So, where they lead, will others follow?
Thought of the Week
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