Barclays Doubles Sponsorship In New £45m WSL Deal

Liverpool and the other teams in the league look to reap the rewards of a new sponsorship deal worth double the previous amount

Changes are afoot in the top tiers of Women’s football in the UK. The long-rumored takeover of the top two flights finally happened late this summer, with the FA stepping out of the leadership role. In their stead comes Women’s Professional Leagues Limited (WPLL), previously called NewCo. While there are still many unknowns, the change in leadership and governance is seen by many as a chance to see growth through investment in the league at a time when the likes of Deloitte are reporting considerable increases in revenue for the WSL and other Women’s professional sports.

WPLL has not wasted any time in securing new deals and new investment into the leagues they represent. The day of the opening WSL match it was announced that a deal with ESPN was reached to display games selected for broadcast in the UK to audiences in the US, South America, and Caribbean.

ESPN has agreed a one-year deal to broadcast live TV coverage of the Women's Super League exclusively to the following overseas territories: The USA, South America and the Caribbean.
It starts tonight with Chelsea v Aston Villa live on ESPN+

— Tom Garry (@TomJGarry) September 20, 2024

Just a few days later on Monday it was announced that the current sponsor for the top two tiers, Barclays, had reached an agreement with WPLL for a new sponsorship deal starting next season. According the to BBC, the deal is for £45m spread over three years, which is reportedly worth double the existing sponsorship deal. Newly minted WPLL Chief Executive Nikki Doucet was exited for the partnership for the main sponsor to continue on.

“Barclays has been a leading light when it comes to supporting women’s football and they become a founding partner for WPLL as we embark on a transformational journey to grow the game.”

“This record multi-year investment demonstrates long-term commitment and is important because it provides positive endorsement and increased support for what we are trying to accomplish.”

The increased sponsorship money should be a boon for clubs like Liverpool who are investing in their clubs. After a period of neglect, FSG finally turned their attention the the LFC Women after they were relegated to the then FA Women’s Championship. A modicum of investment into the squad and management saw the club promoted back to the WSL, and the club has now seen a renewed focus. The LFC Women have broken their club record transfer fee in each of the last two seasons, and over the same span they have moved into a permanent premier training facility and landed a 10 year lease to move to the larger and more modern St. Helens Stadium.

With the increase in sponsorship revenue, and an expected large increase in the next broadcast deal, Liverpool should have the funds available to make considerable strides in strengthening their already exciting young squad over the next several years. Hopefully FSG continue to grow their investment in the Women’s side of the club.

Source: liverpooloffside.sbnation.com