Barclays have agreed a “record” deal to remain the Women’s Super League title sponsor beyond 2025, according to The Telegraph.
It is believed that the British bank will pay £9m a season, which is double what the current agreement is worth.
A new company (‘Newco’) is set to take over the running of the WSL and the Women’s Championship from the Football Association this summer, with the main goal of making the women’s game sustainable and profitable in the long-term.
This new contract with Barclays is seen as a great step in the right direction to make that happen, with the current three-year deal (worth roughly £4.5m a year) set to expire next season.
Barclays are also committed to helping women’s grassroots football
In addition to the £9m a year that the WSL will receive, Barclays have also made an even bigger commitment to developing the women’s game in England.
When the title sponsor deal for the 2022-2025 seasons was announced back in 2021, it was confirmed that the bank would invest up to £30m in grassroots projects across the country.
The new TV deal has been kicked down the road
While there is good news on the title sponsor for ‘Newco’, there are more problems to resolve in terms of television rights. Rather than a bumper new deal for the WSL, BBC and Sky have agreed to continue on the current contract for an additional year.
The reason for the delay is to allow more time for negotiations between the league and interested broadcasters. The current contract brings in around £7m to £8m a year but “Newco” want to double or even treble that figure to between £15m to £20m a year. It remains to be seen whether that is a realistic ambition.
