The Women’s Super League (WSL) is hot property. Despite the challengers facing all football across the globe, it seems that the women’s game in England is on the rise. That is the obvious conclusion when you learn that there is a clutch of private equity firms looking to splash the cash and acquire a stake in the league. In what is seen as a mark of just how serious the interest is, it is reported that one of the interested parties are global investors Bridgepoint (the firm that owns the rights to MotoGP).
A source close to the Women’s Super League tells us that Bridgepoint has proposed an offer that would see the WSL become the latest elite sporting competition to sell a stake to financial investors, adding:
“Bridgepoint had approached the FA with an offer to buy a large minority stake in a new company that would own the commercial rights of the Women’s Super League.”
Bridgepoint aren’t the only interested parties. The Premier League is still in talks over a potential takeover of the WSL, which is currently run by the Football Association; an FA spokesperson says that as the WSL continues to grow and thrive there is considerable
“commercial interest from a variety of sectors.”
Meanwhile, on the pitch the Women’s Super League clubs returned to training under strict coronavirus protocols a couple of weeks ago and the players continue to make good progress in their fitness quests.
The new WSL season is set to commence on September 5, and one manager desperate to restart will be Chelsea boss Emma Hayes — who has recently been named the LMA Women’s Super League Manager of the Year.
Hayes said she was honoured to receive the prestigious award and added:
“I really just want to say a big thank you to all of my staff for the contributions that they have made throughout this season. This trophy is about the whole group and a big thank you to the players for stepping up another level and thanks once again to our fans for being the best in the world.”
Hayes, 43, has been Blues gaffer for eight years and she spearheaded the Blues’ record-levelling third title triumph last term after the season was cut due to the coronavirus pandemic. Manchester City were league leaders when the crisis forced the cessation of proceedings and Chelsea were given the crown as they were only a point behind with a match in hand.
The top-flight isn’t the only league getting in gear for the restart. The 2020-21 FA Women’s Championship season is set to start on the weekend of 5 and 6 September, with games to be announced in due course.