THE ROUTES TO FURTHER GROWTH
UNDERSTANDING BARRIERS TO ATTENDANCE AND ENGAGEMENT I f we can understand the barriers to more frequent and regular attendance and engagement, we can take positive steps to remove them. The survey found that there were two sets of barriers: emotional and practical. WOMEN’S FOOTBALL FOLLOWING IS TYPICALLY MORE PASSIVE AND LESS EMOTIONAL Emotional connection / level of fandom with women’s & men’s football
31% are “fans” of women’s football
EMOTIONAL BARRIERS – CREATING A NARRATIVE A lack of emotional connection is a barrier to more frequent engagement: fans are interested and want to engage with the women’s game, but many don’t feel the same need and passion we see in the men’s game. As we have seen, most (81%) football followers have engaged with women’s football at some point. Similarly, most (82%) would claim they follow the sport, at least in passing. However, most of these are casual followers: two-thirds of those who follow the men’s game claim to be ‘fans’ whereas only just over a third (38%) of those who follow the women’s game feel the same. And where fandom does exist in the women’s game, it is often more focused on international teams than club teams.
28% FOLLOW IN PASSING
18% SHOW NO INTRESEST
19% BIG FANS
13% HUGE FANS
22% FOLLOW CLOSELY
WOMEN’S
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82% follow women’s football
65% are “fans” of men’s football
12% FOLLOW IN PASSING
22% FOLLOW CLOSELY
31% BIG FANS
34% HUGE FANS
MEN’S
Sources: ECA/MTM Sport Future of Fandom tracker, July 2022 QY2- How much do you follow women’s professional football? QD2. Which of the following, if any, do you currently support or follow? Base: All football fans by market, May 2022 to July 2022: Total (2,665) * Figures have been rounded up and don’t display decimal places. The total based on the actual figures is 100%
100% follow men’s football
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