Unleashing the Power of Women's Football: Exploring TikTok, Double-Headers, and a Quest for Growing Audiences

Women's football clubs are actively seeking new and creative ways to connect with and expand their audience. Whether through double headers, collaborations with TikTok, or international endeavors, these clubs are constantly exploring innovative approaches. The remarkable achievements of the Lionesses, such as the unprecedented turnout of 87,192 spectators at Wembley Stadium for a Euros final, have demonstrated the immense interest in the sport. As a result, clubs are eager to capitalize on this enthusiasm and uncover strategies to engage with a fresh audience of spectators.

According to a recent study conducted by WSC Sports, a leading AI-driven sports content provider, it was found that the number of avid followers of the Women's World Cup is set to increase by 57 percent, growing from 929 million in the previous edition held in 2019 to a projected 1.472 billion this year.

In a more localized context, research collected by the Women's Sport Trust, in collaboration with insights from Futures Sport and Entertainment, indicated that viewers spent an average of 45 minutes watching Women's Super League (WSL) matches on Sky last season, which is a seven-minute increase compared to the previous 2021/22 campaign.

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TV viewership for the WSL has consistently increased from one season to the next. A recent study revealed an interesting trend among the audience, as there is a distinct group who exclusively watches women's football without tuning into the men's game. In 2022, a total of 8.4 million people watched live WSL matches on TV instead of attending live Premier League games. Additionally, 6.8 million individuals were found to enjoy both the WSL and Premier League matches.

Tammy Parlour, co-founder and CEO of the Women's Sport Trust, stated that women's football has undergone significant transformation in the past five years. It has achieved groundbreaking broadcasting deals, witnessed a substantial surge in viewership, and experienced a notable increase in attendances. These positive trends suggest that the growth trajectory will persist, albeit challenging to sustain such levels. However, a deeper understanding of the factors driving this distinctive audience is necessary, requiring additional research and analysis.

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A recent study revealed a distinct audience who exclusively follows women's football, without any interest in the men's game. According to Parlour, we are still in the initial phase of comprehending the female sport fans at a deeper level. Currently, our understanding is only superficial.

Throughout the year, there is a small group of dedicated viewers who exclusively follow women's football. What intrigued us was the comparison we made between the Euros, the Women's Euros, and the men's World Cup. It revealed something truly exceptional that ignited great excitement, even though we are still uncertain about the underlying reasons behind it.

Could this uniqueness be attributed to the controversies surrounding the men's World Cup in Qatar? Could it be the result of England's women's team making it to the final in the Euros? Alternatively, is there something specific to women's football that contributed to this phenomenon? As mentioned before, we have only begun to explore the surface of this matter.

How Burnley are using TikTok to build fanbase

Clubs are embracing innovative approaches. Consider the case of Burnley Women, a third-tier team. They are pioneering a unique partnership with TikTok to engage and expand their audience, specifically targeting Generation Z (individuals born between 1996 and 2010).

Now two years into the tie-up, which includes streaming all of Burnley's home matches on the social media platform, the club hit one million views on TikTok in April this year.

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Burnley has become TikTok's inaugural creator football team, according to Sanjit Sarkar, TikTok's strategic partner manager for sport. The first Burnley match was live-streamed in August 2021, following the men's Euros. This presented a valuable opportunity for TikTok to gauge the performance of live sports content on the platform. Moreover, Burnley's partnership marks TikTok's initial foray into women's football within Europe, making them the first football team in the UK to frequently live-stream their matches. Sarkar shared these insights with We.

"It's an amazing tale as they emerged as our inaugural football team creators, with every home match being live streamed on TikTok. The partnership flourished from an organic conversation, initially aiming to introduce Burnley to the platform and assist them in reaching their objectives of attracting a new audience and expanding their digital presence. Consequently, this led to the cultivation of a larger following. When Turf Moor hosted the first Burnley Women's match of the season, nearly 3,000 fans attended to witness their 2-1 victory over Liverpool Feds, securing a third-place finish in the FA Women's National League North."

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The deal between TikTok and Burnley has proven to be incredibly successful, according to Sarkar. The global reach of the platform has allowed fans from around the world to access this content, resulting in over a million views for Burnley Women's matches during two seasons. This has significantly boosted the reputation and visibility of their women's team.

Burnley's dedication to the women's team is evident through their significant investments, hosting home games at Turf Moor, and securing additional sponsorship revenue due to their popularity on TikTok. Additionally, by sharing behind-the-scenes videos that showcase the players' personalities and friendships, the club has successfully fostered a deeper connection with their supporters.

"We were delighted by the team's level of engagement and their enthusiastic adoption of the platform. Our approach involved collaborating closely with the players and treating them as if they were skilled TikTok creators. We conducted educational sessions to empower them to make the most of the platform, covering everything from popular trends to various editing techniques such as stitching and dueting. These sessions helped the players gain confidence in their content creation abilities. The team's abundant creativity truly shone through, and once they became more proficient with the platform, they produced some truly exceptional content."

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Tik Tok and other partnerships with clubs are seeking to find the Leah Williamson's of the future

By refraining from securing TV rights deals beyond the top tier of English women's football, it opens up opportunities for platforms to explore inventive methods of attracting new fans. Sarkar is confident that broadcasters need not be apprehensive about this or future collaborations with other clubs. "The ultimate objective is to advance women's football in the UK, expand the fan base, and inspire future talents like Leah Williamson," he stated. "At TikTok, we are introducing the women's game to a worldwide audience through bite-sized digital content, and in some cases, such as with Burnley, by livestreaming matches. Increasing the exposure and engagement possibilities for supporters with the women's game is not only beneficial for the sport and its players, but also for broadcasters and platforms alike."

Widening the fanbase through double-headers

Tottenham took a different approach, drawing inspiration from rugby, when they hosted their first double-header at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on May 20. The women's team faced off against Reading in a crucial relegation showdown in the WSL, immediately following the men's final Premier League home game of the season against Brentford. Remarkably, out of the impressive 61,000 plus crowd, nearly 6,500 fans from the men's fixture stayed behind to witness the women secure a resounding 4-1 victory, securing their position in the top flight.

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In May, Tottenham Women hosted Reading Women at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the WSL. Although the match witnessed the second highest attendance at their homeground for the season, it marked a noticeable decline compared to the near 22,000 spectators who watched Spurs suffer a 2-1 defeat against Manchester United at the main stadium in mid-February.

Former England international Eni Aluko suggests that having more matches at men's stadiums could be a potential solution to prevent fixture clashes and promote a unified "one-club" approach. Aluko stated earlier this year, "Increasing the number of matches played at men's stadiums undoubtedly provides greater exposure to a larger fanbase."

Growing the brand overseas

Football finance expert Kieran Maguire believes that there are additional avenues for women's teams to consider in order to increase revenue and attract a larger fan following. Moreover, he suggests that clubs should not solely focus on ticket sales as a means to achieve this.

According to Maguire, the financial aspects of women's football can benefit and learn from the men's game in more ways than just ticket sales. He cites the example of Bournemouth, a club that only generates slightly over three percent of its revenue from ticket sales. This shows that attracting fans at a reasonable price is not a major concern. Maguire believes that the women's game can also learn from the men's game in terms of building the brands of clubs and expanding them internationally.

Liverpool women were able to partake in the 2019 pre-season tour of the United States, accompanying Jurgen Klopp's squad and utilizing the same facilities. This experience not only increased visibility for the women's team but also demonstrated unity within the club as a single entity.

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Liverpool Women and the senior men's team embarked on a joint pre-season tour of the United States back in 2019

Last summer, Manchester United participated in the highly prestigious AMOS Women's French Cup, where they faced off against formidable European powerhouses Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Paris Saint-Germain. In a parallel endeavor, Tottenham embarked on their inaugural intercontinental tour, heading to the United States, specifically Louisville, Kentucky, to partake in the Women's Cup competition.

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"Expanding the brand of the clubs is another area where the women's game can draw inspiration from the men's game. One way to accomplish this is by strategizing on taking the game overseas."

The Women's World Cup this year is a chance to highlight England's top talent, and it raises the question of whether clubs will eventually travel to distant locations to promote the WSL product. In order to facilitate the growth of women's football, a strategic approach is crucial, and as suggested by Parlour from the Women's Sport Trust, it should also incorporate an element of excitement.

The first priority should be improving the on-field product and implementing effective marketing and activation strategies. We also need to gain a better understanding of consumption habits, the interests of the fan group, and what captivates their attention.

Previously, the women's sport industry promoted the idea of women's sport being inspirational. However, our recent research indicates that excitement is what truly drives fandom. This shift in perspective requires the industry to approach things differently and provides ample opportunities for new perspectives.

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