The Women’s Super League is aiming to secure investment outside of the Football Association to expand its activities. A number of parties have been expressing interest in the league in the past, but no deal has been reached yet. But the Board of Directors of the Women’s Super League is close to re-engaging Rothschild bankers, which may help to ensure it can find financing.
Premier League chief executive Richard Masters has made it clear he is interested in taking over the women’s league, but his executives have not yet put forward a credible deal. That doesn’t mean that the football club doesn’t intend to invest. Rather, it will do so to support the wider game and ensure that players can thrive.
Earlier this year, WSL’s governing body rejected a bid from an unnamed private equity firm. However, the league is still looking for funding and has drawn interest from buyout firms. As attendances at its matches have risen, the league is keen to capitalize on the commercial boom.
In December, Barclays renewed its title sponsorship of the Women’s Super League. It also signed a domestic broadcasting deal with Sky Sports. This comes as part of a PS1.6 billion investment from the Premier League between 2022 and 2025. And in May, the FA announced a new strategy for the league that aims to harness the quality of professional football across a variety of teams.
Another potential investment opportunity came this week as the EA SPORTS Corporation unveiled its new Starting XI Fund. With the investment, the company will help to fund women’s football internship programs at each women’s league partner, as well as in-game investments and athlete investments.
An additional source of funding for the league is the Women’s Sports Foundation, a nonprofit organization that helps to empower businesses that prioritize women. Through its Move Together initiative, it has partnered with Athleta to support mom-athletes and create a grant that provides financial assistance to organizations that serve female athletes.
Meanwhile, the Hispanic Women’s League has an endowment fund that supports the League’s scholarship program. The organization uses income from its investments to pay for tuition and other costs. It is also a tax-exempt entity run by its board of directors.
The League’s Education Fund has received multiple million dollar grants from major left-of-center donors. The fund will focus on boosting capacity at state and national levels and building a sophisticated network of activists. Ultimately, the fund hopes to raise funds and advocate for changes in the electoral system.
With women’s sports enjoying a significant amount of investment, it is important to remember the importance of investing in youth development and empowering women. By providing women with an avenue to success, the League helps them to fulfill their potential. Many of the League’s activities have been funded through the Ford Foundation, the Joyce Foundation and George Soros’s Foundation to Promote Open Society.
In addition, the League of Catholic Women Foundation is transitioning from a membership organization to a perpetual grantmaker. Through its support for women in the Twin Cities, the League of Catholic Women helps to build a future of hope for the next generation.
