DAZN removes paywall on women’s football including the Champions League to encourage growth

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Image credit: Victor Velter / Shutterstock.com

British sports streaming service DAZN revealed its decision to cancel the subscription fee for women’s football content throughout the remaining 2023-24 season in the UK, in order to help promote the women’s game.

Its New Deal for Women’s Football campaign has been introduced to help boost investment and make the women’s game financially sustainable.

The New Deal campaign is calling for clubs, sponsors, media and broadcasters and rights holders to get involved and come together to build a major global commercial sport.

The original strategy that was outlined in the agreement was that in the initial two years of the broadcast deal (21/22 & 22/23 seasons), where all 61 matches were available for free viewing.

Then in the 2023/24 season it moved to a subscription-based model, locking out fans from being able to view the games live on DAZN or its YouTube channel for free.

This announcement affects all Women’s Champions League matches, as well as the Women’s leagues in Spain, Germany, France, Italy, and Saudi Arabia, which will now be accessible without cost.

This means the remaining 29 Champions League matches, 48 Liga F matches, 48 in Frauen Bundesliga, 15 Saudi Women’s league and 50 in the Italian Serie A Femminile will be broadcast for free in the UK.

DAZN released a statement last Thursday that mentioned the reason why the streaming company decided to make the games free.

“This will drive audience growth and provide a new global home for women’s football, offering greater access to games, content and the international women’s football community,” confirming that the decision is part of its new campaign to “ensure a commercially robust future for women’s football.”

DAZN’s co-CEO of women’s sport, Hannah Brown explained what this move means for the future of the sport.

“The women’s game has significant commercial potential,” she said in a statement.

“Without it [the New Deal campaign] a golden opportunity to accelerate growth is lost.”

The numbers released by DAZN since the start of their partnership agreement with the Women’s CL also suggest that there is a magnification on women’s football.

In the competition’s inaugural broadcast year for the 2021/22 final they got 3.6 million in global viewership and a cumulative viewership of 64 million. This went up to 5.1 million for the 22/23 final and an 87 million cumulative global viewership total.

The decision to make women’s football accessible is the right one at the expense of money earned through subscriptions. The best way to grow the sport is to maintain a healthy audience and to not restrict women’s football from the masses in its time of extreme growth.

Professional Footballers Australia unveil 2024 scholarship recipients

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Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) has confirmed this year’s recipients of its annual scholarships, rewarding members for outstanding professional and personal development.

The scholarships are named after previous Football Victoria president Kimon Taliadoros and former Socceroo Craig Foster, honouring players developing in areas such as education, business, media, advocacy and community impact.

Each recipient receives $2,500 towards their development.

The PFA Kimon Taliadoros Scholarships are awarded to two players each year who demonstrate excellence in education or business.

The scholarships celebrate the drive and dedication of players who are committed to their professional development.

Wellington Phoenix’s Annalie Longo received the award for pursuing her coaching credentials through the Oceania Football Confederation A Licence, while also diving into the football media scene as a commentator with Sky Sport.

The New Zealand international is also the creator of the Fantails junior programme in her home country.

This initiative aims to engage young girls in football as part of New Zealand Football’s legacy plan for hosting the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Western Sydney Wanderer’s defender Gabriel Cleur also received the PFA Kimon Taliadoros scholarship, for his personal development. He is studying a Bachelor of Psychological Science and has completed a Diploma of Counselling.

Cleur has also done work regarding mental health and well-being, serving as a well-being officer and mental coach at Blacktown Spartans, supporting the NPL2 boys team.

The PFA Craig Foster Scholarships acknowledges the important role footballers play in shaping their communities and society and is selected by the PFA Executive.

Adelaide United’s Chelsie Dawber is one of the recipients of the scholarship where she has made a significant impact in her community via the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and recently launched her own business to support underprivileged communities in South Australia.

Brisbane Roar’s Chelsea Blissett is the second recipient of the PFA Craig Foster scholarship through her work in spreading awareness regarding eating disorders.

The former Melbourne City player is currently studying a Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics, aiming to raise awareness and provide education for community football clubs, furthering her impact on public health.

Rita Mankowska, the PFA’s Head of Player Development, congratulated the players and acknowledged their professional and personal development:

“Personal development is at the heart of what we do at the PFA, and these scholarships reflect our commitment to supporting players’ lives on and off the pitch,” she said in a media release.

“Each of the recipients this year are not only developing themselves but are ensuring their journey of self-development is also impacting others.

“Whether that is through initiatives in grassroots football or the broader community, these players demonstrate the importance of holistic career development.”

The PFA also released its annual Player Development Report highlighting record investments in mental health support and education funding for PFA members.

In the past 12 months, the organisation also facilitated coaching courses, health checks, and expanded support for past players.

The program continues to promote a player-centric approach within the professional football industry.

EURO 2024 Success: Lessons for Australia for the 2026 Women’s Asian Cup

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A comprehensive study by Nielsen Sports, the world leader in sports data measurement and fan insights, revealed that UEFA EURO 2024 will have an economic impact of €7.44 billion ($12.27 billion AUD) for Germany and the ten host cities.

Over 90% of this amount stems from spending by the 2.7 million ticket holders (with 44% coming from abroad), organisers, and accredited personnel, along with the indirect and induced economic effects.

The largest expenditures included accommodation, travel to and within the host cities, and food and beverages both inside and outside the stadiums.

The study also highlighted that nearly two-thirds of ticket holders used public transport within the host cities.

Furthermore, the event generated a total of €571 million ($941 million AUD) in advertising value for both the host cities and the country, due to their global media presence and visibility.

The conclusions of the study demonstrate the tournament’s positive impact in several areas:

  • The 51 matches were attended by 2.7 million spectators. 1.7 million were unique ticket holders, who attended at least one match.
  • 22% of the Ticket Holders were female, with the average age of all ticket holders being around 43 years old.
  • On average, 23% of ticket holders came from the host cities, 33% from the rest of Germany and 44% from abroad.
  • 97% of international ticket holders said they wanted to visit Germany again. On average, 79% of ticket holders said they would recommend visiting the city that had hosted their match.
  • 78% of all ticket holders rated UEFA EURO 2024 as positive, implying positive associations with the host cities and host country by extension.
  • 85% of host city residents stated that hosting UEFA EURO 2024 gave them a sense of pride
  • 73% said that EURO 2024 had made a positive contribution to the common good and cohesion in the host city.
  • More than a quarter of residents said that they had been inspired by EURO 2024 and played more than two hours more sport than before.
  • Ticket holders stayed for almost two days on average, with 87% staying for up to three nights.

The full report can be found here.

Bernd Neuendorf, president of the German Football Association (DFB), said:

“The study provides impressive evidence that UEFA EURO 2024 has had a wide range of positive effects across the ten venues and the country as a whole,” Neuendorf said in a statement.

“Not only did it provide us with great matches and a fantastic atmosphere in the stadiums; it was also an economic and social success.

“Thirty-six years after EURO 1988 and 34 years after peaceful reunification, Germany has proven to be a football-loving country, a friendly host and a reliable partner for the organisation of major sporting events.”

How can Australia benefit?

In 2026, Australia will host the AFC Women’s Asian Cup with the host cities confirmed to be Sydney, Brisbane and Perth.

Similarly, the results of the Germany EURO 2024 success compare closely to the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in terms of social impact and its effect on participation and attendance rates in women’s football.

Record numbers of viewers and grassroots sign ups suggest that this even and the one upcoming in 2026 stretch far beyond the Matildas’ results on the pitch.

However, it’s worth noting that the Asian Cup in 2026 produces a fantastic opportunity for iconic silverware and to continue the momentum set by the previous World Cup, with women’s football setting the foundations nicely to leapfrog into the mainstream.

The event is forecast to also attract thousands of out-of-state visitors, generating millions in visitor spend, while also delivering a cumulative broadcast audience of over 100 million across the event.

Conclusion

EURO 2024 proved to be a resounding success, offering a refreshing return to a popular footballing nation after the controversies surrounding the previous tournaments in Qatar 2022 and Russia 2018.

The Nielsen Sport report highlighted the significant benefits Germany reaped as hosts, both economically and in terms of global visibility.

Looking ahead, the upcoming 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup is poised to further elevate women’s football, shining a spotlight on the sport while generating substantial revenue and exposure through tourism.

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