Government endorses all recommendations made in the summer women’s football review – so what next?
The government has endorsed all recommendations made in the raising the bar report that was released on July 13 this year following a review chaired by former international footballer, Karen Carney. Carney “felt great relief” when hearing that the government had accepted all recommendations of the review. Culture Secretary, Rt Hon Lucy Frazer MP accepted the recommendations on December 4 stating “[w]e must collectively seize the moment and deliver sustained commercial success for the women’s game”. This announcement is timely given the pressure that organisations, fans, and players have placed on seniority to challenge inequalities in sport.
Since England became European champions last year women’s football has taken residency in national and global news. The visibility and voice of the Lionesses helped to secure government funding ensuring equal access to school sport for girls and boys as well creating the Lionesses Futures Fund. Furthermore, event success has positively boosted spectator numbers nationally an example being the sell-out crowd at Wembley for the Chelsea vs Manchester United FA Cup final in May. The public outcry when Mary Earps’ replica goalkeeper kit was not available to buy during the World Cup this year goes some way to demonstrate the popularity of women’s football. So, what did the review into women’s football initially cover?
Recommendations from the review.
In my article in The Conversation I referred to the recommendations made by the review as “hard-hitting” and it is pleasing to see the government has accepted the advice offered. The report in July resulted in 10 recommendations that covered the structure of the elite game, investment, equal prize money, professionalisation, broadcasting and transparent collaboration.
One of the key recommendations from the review related to the full professionalisation of the Women’s Super League and Women’s Championship under the leadership of the independent organisation NewCo. The agreement to go ahead with this structural change came six days prior to the government press release regarding the implementation of the review. Sport and finance expert, Nikki Doucet has been appointed CEO of NewCo having previously been General Manage at Nike Women UK and Ireland.
Notably, the agreement by government to ensure women’s football has a dedicated broadcasting slot has been welcomed. In particular, discussions on women’s football being shown at 3pm on Saturdays (normally a TV blackout slot) is significant and ultimately women’s football deserves its own viewing slot.
What next for women’s football?
Reviews, recommendations, and endorsements are positive steps in the long road to ‘success’ but change and impact from the grassroots level upwards is what we need. The government will want to see their investment and backing feed into their Get Active strategy ambitions, one being to get 1.25 million women more active by 2030.
There remains a need to ensure football is professional in terms of structures and pathways but also relating to player management, job security, and safeguarding. Players need appropriate representation whilst organisational management issues are dealt with. Academic work has highlighted the precariousness of player contracts and working conditions and it is important to also embed these findings into the future development plans for women’s football.
We await the findings of the Women’s Sport Inquiry that opened on December 15 last year which cuts across many themes aligning to the future of women’s football. Dame Caroline Dinenage MP, the Committee Chair for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport welcomed the government’s acceptance of the Carney-review and makes connections between this review and the current inquiry into women’s sport. My own written and oral evidence shared as part of the Women’s Sport Inquiry highlighted the importance of tackling the deep-seated socio-cultural imbalances that exist in our culture in order to make sport inclusive.
It is crucial that investors, broadcasters, clubs, fans and players come together to make these recommendations work in practice. Increased spectator numbers and media coverage will not on their own break through the glass ceiling in women’s football. Addressing gender inequality in sport and the wider societal issues connected with gender discrimination need to be at the fore of decision-making processes to ensure progress and sporting justice.
Further Information
Professor Hanya Pielichaty