What exactly is the FA doing?

Apparently they are.

If they invested a little in media - ads and stuff,
women's football would have become more popular
and even more people would get to know about it.

That's how it works.
You have to invest first, attract people to come to the games and then get the profit.
It's a stupid and ignorant excuse to say there's no money for women's footie
cos the interest is so little. That's ridiculous.

So their support is like what the Arsenal mens do the women? They support them by holding the champagne bottle as the player of the month

And the photo and short note about is published afterwards in the Women's section of the FA site only
- the section which is visited by existing women's footie fans - that's not exactly getting new supporters, is it?

Get the womens footie on tv. That will create an interest from the sponsors, and that would give the clubs more money, which would give better conditions for women to play, which would improve the quality of the play.... see where I'm getting?

That seems reasonable.

I knew less than little about women's football until a few months ago, but now enjoy going regularly; after seeing my first game, I wanted to go again - and I have been several times.
The bloke I spoke to today doesn't live near Leeds ladies home ground, but he is taking an interest.
This interest that people are taking should be promoted by the FA.

But they are not doing it, but tv must be the best way.

Yep, tv is a very good solution Agent W, and we all know it - the last Euros proove it!

Games on tv => more supporters & sponsors => more money => better conditions => better quality of the games => more and more supporters & sponsors

I am not saying the women should suddenly earn millions like the men do.
But at least someone should take care of the fact that all the best players are in the richer clubs
because they have to leave their previous clubs cos they can't afford to play there
(lvblue has mentioned the petrol bills and so on) Jeez!

I'm just reading that Linköping FC had almost 200 co-op. partners in 2005. They went from 140 to 200 last year, and in 2006 they expect another 50 to join the team. The number of spectators increased from 500 to 750, those who attend every game and not just the big ones.
But what they say is maybe more interesting: "We won't settle down in any way, we will continue to have high goals. We want to be a little better than last year both on and off the field. To be successful with that, an increased commitment both from the audience and our co-operation partners is a demand."

They managed to get a tiny + in their budget too so things seem to go well for the club, 2006 will be their 3rd season in the first league. Their total budget was £219.000.
We have a demand on the clubs that their budget has to be in balance, or they will be degraded to the second division. Like what happened to the norweigan team Asker.

Awesome stuff Agent W

Maybe English clubs / FA should follow the advice

Perhaps we should email the link to this thread somewhere?...

Great information AW, glad to see LFC (reative small club) doing well amongst the others. If only I could be one of the 500-750 watchers; insted i'll settle for information via the Internet

hmm I wonder hwt they mean - have people been misbehaving off the field, haha joke! Well with party lass Frida on board I think the club parties will be a little more interesting.

That's our Frida!

I think the FA are doing a great job with the womens game.

Look at the success of Euro 2005. (Team, TV, newspapers, radio exposure etc)
Look at all the England teams u15s, 17s, 19s, 21
Centre of Excellences all over the place
Free courses for women to take part in
BBC 3 covering the Eng v France game
Tickets £5 to watch these games

The FA are doing everything they can to attract people to watch these games.

How many of you saw that Rachel Yankey and Kelly Smith were on the new England kit launch a couple of days ago. They were in the main picture with Lams, Gerr, Becks, Owen, etc. But how many papers cut them from the picture. Pretty much all the ones I saw. And thats your problem, the media, not the FA.

How many of you are going the Norwich game and how many going to Ewood Park? What are you doing for the game.

I think the question was what does FA do for the clubs. For the league.
And what do you mean by Centre of Excellences all over the place?

Also: what exactly has changed after the Euros?
Europe got to know that England also has a women's team.
Did that bring more people and sponsors to the clubs though?




I saw Kelly and Rachel among the guys on the new kit photos
and I know they were cut from the pictures
- don't you think FA should make more effort to force media to show more of women's football
if it's all media's fault - if they think they won't bother printing their photos
cos nobody knows them anyway? Cos nobody cares?




I'm a random football supporter, I'm not rich at all and I go to every game I can.
I won't cry over 70 Pounds spent when I'll go to Ewood Park.
I'm at every home game in Borehamwood and went to quite a few Arsenal's away games.
And believe me if I had the money, I'd invest it in women's football.

I don't understand why do you try so hard to excuse the FA. You work for them?

It's more of the FA Fault if it wasn't for them stopping the women playing at men's ground in 1921 because it was so popular it would be better today. The media and FA need to work together to promote it. Someone needs to take a risk and pour more money into it.

As for the press courage at the Euro's I only saw little snippets in the paper nothing like we're gonna get when the world cup comes around for the men.

I'm with Agent S when it comes to supporting the game. Like her if I had the money I would invest it into the women's game.

What do you do for the game lvblue?

What I do for the game is for me to know and for you to find out.

Sometimes you have to look at where the game have come from before you critise. Remember the FA only took over the womens game in the last 10 years or so. Before that it was a shambles.

The Euros got loads of coverage in the papers. I saw the broadsheets like the Guardian and Independent do full page spreads on the game. Remember its not about womens football in the media, its about women in sport. You never see any. When was the last time a lady was on the back pages of the newspaper. That skier last week then who. Paula Radcliff going to the toilet in the street, whilst running a marathon, wow, just the coverage women need.

There are loads of books on womens football in this country. I suggest you read them, then tell me the FA do nothing for the womens game.

I believe you asked the same question first lvblue,
and I'd appreciate if you weren't so harsh,
since we're trying to think of what should be done
and who's fault it might be that WEPL is so poor.




This is a discussion board and we're allowed to criticise anyone.
Are you saying the FA is afraid of criticism?
I guess they know they don't do enough then.




I can tell you now, that I don't see the FA do enough for women.
As a random football fan I don't see much going on.
Female footballers appeared in the newspapers during the Euro 2005
and disappeared from them shorlty after.
I don't see any tv coverage of the league games.
I don't see FA or anyone else pushing the media to show more women's football than just one Cup Final.
And according to you, their excuse is that other female sports are also not popular?
Shame on them.

And according to you, their excuse is that other female sports are also not popular?
Shame on them.[/quote]

How womens football is shown in the media has nothing to do with the FA.

I actually think the game gets quite a lot of coverage (compared to other womens sports) The Sunday Mirror, Guadian, my local paper all cover the womens game on a weekly basis.

You then have Fair Game Magazine and Womens Soccer Magazine, do you subscibe to them?

In the mid 80s channel 4 showed womens football on a Sunday afternoon. Thoses games used to get 3/4 million people watching it (remember this was in the days of 4 channels on the TV). So where was all the sponsorship from then. Prime time, great viewing figures, and nothing.

Some people still believe for the game to take off, it needs to be played in the summer months, when there is nothing happening in the mens game. That was why the Euros did so well. It was slotted in when there was no other sport happening. Football had just finished, and cricket and tennis started immediately after.

Remember look at the game in the 70s and 80s and you will see how far the game has come.

lvblue, I know women's game and interest in it have evolved since the 70s and 80s
but it's 2006 and the English league is far behind the Swedish, German and French leagues.
Why could they achieve what England couldn't?

I do buy the Fair Game magazine, I'm wondering why can I buy it online only.
It would have been much better if people who go through sports magazines in shops,
could see it there and buy it if they found it interesting.

I disagree with this: "How womens football is shown in the media has nothing to do with the FA."

I do agree about the season to be played in the summer months though.
Mind you! I agreed with you in one matter

disagree with this: "How womens football is shown in the media has nothing to do with the FA."

How can you say that. The FA put Smith and Yankey in the photo line up and not one paper shows them. Do you want the FA to say you must show their photo in the papers, otherwise you cant have the shot.


The reason you can't buy Fairgame Magazine in the shops is it costs too much money to get it out there. I remember being able to buy it in WHSmiths at one time. I guess lack of customers just meant is was financially viable any more.

Maybe I don't get things right.

Isn't FA = Football Association?

Maybe they should create a WFA and hire people who'd know what's important for women's game.

And yes lvblue, it's awesome that they lined up Rachel & Kelly with the boys,
but you're still talking about international games
and I am still waiting for the answer what does the FA do for the league

As for the Fair Game - if it's so expensive to get it to the shops,
why not raising the price of the magazine? I'd pay more for it - it's worth it.
Don't worry - I am not expecting you to answer that, I'm just thinking out loud now.