Women’s Super League viewing figures soar after switch to YouTube | Women’s Super League

Viewing figures for online-streamed Women’s Super League matches have more than tripled this season following the switch to YouTube as the division’s streaming platform.

Until this summer, WSL matches not selected for live broadcast by domestic rights holders the BBC and Sky Sports were shown on the FA Player, a free online service that allowed fans to watch if they registered for an account. On the FA Player, the record viewership for a WSL match was Arsenal’s home match against Bristol City in 2023-2024, with 78,050 views. In contrast, last month more than a quarter of a million people watched the WSL match between Leicester City and Arsenal live on YouTube, setting a new record for a non-televised WSL match streamed online.

The cumulative total of live views of WSL games on YouTube after three game weeks already stands at 1,576,848, excluding any viewers who replayed the match after it was live. Those viewing figures following the streams will undoubtedly have increased due to the fact that Arsenal – the club with by far the largest number of match fans in the WSL last season – were not selected for live television broadcasts in two of the three rounds. fixtures to date. Their 0-0 draw against Everton at the Emirates Stadium last Sunday attracted the best streaming figures of matchweek three with 148,000 live views.

The most watched match on the streaming service during its opening weekend in September was Manchester United’s victory over West Ham United (184,400). Since that game ended, the replay page has been viewed another 20,000 times.

Selected Women’s Championship is also on YouTube this season, and the opening round match between London City Lionesses and newly promoted Newcastle United set a new streaming record for the second tier of 46,050 live views.

The move to streaming on YouTube, after Women’s Professional Leagues Limited (WPLL) took control of the WSL from the Football Association, comes at a time when discussions are ongoing with broadcasters over the next major television rights deal for the WSL and the Championship beyond . 2025. The existing deal, shared between the BBC and Sky, was due to expire in 2024 but was postponed for another season, giving all parties more time to work on a longer-term rights deal.

At the same time, the rights to broadcast the Women’s Champion League are also up for grabs after 2025, when streaming platform DAZN’s existing deal with UEFA expires.