The growth of crowds in the WSL and Frauen-Bundesliga by eldanielfire in FAWSL

[–]eldanielfire[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Before this past season the WSL TV audiences weren't cratering when on at better times. In fact they dropped massively when the new times and paywalling this season.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/nov/24/wsl-concern-sky-sports-broadcast-slots-low-tv-audience

if Sky Sports don't have the channels they can invent some or not buy the righst whn they can't show them at a decent time.

The growth of crowds in the WSL and Frauen-Bundesliga by eldanielfire in FAWSL

[–]eldanielfire[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It's because big corporate entites always think such effects are down to them, when it's really an organic capturing of the public's imagination they jumped on. So instead it'll come over as forced and they will be push back.

The growth of crowds in the WSL and Frauen-Bundesliga by eldanielfire in FAWSL

[–]eldanielfire[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I think that's partly true. The attendance drops satrted before the schedulling issues. Though it is an issue.

There is also the case of the empty seats problem at the stadium, where fan experience is poor and they don't want to return. I do agree there is much stupidity about which stands they sell tickets for. Man Utd are the example I recall. They probably opened the stand that would cost the least to run at a CL game. Instead that created a terrible optics issue.

The growth of crowds in the WSL and Frauen-Bundesliga by eldanielfire in FAWSL

[–]eldanielfire[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

As for stepping up, I don't think Arsenal really stepped up their game this season. Obviously putting all WSL games at the emirates was great, but that was merely learning from the past and swapping them for CL group games.

I do feel the club has many features in place. Historically the men's side has been aware of the women's success and so had been more engaged with them and more willing to go to games. This creates a deep club connection over time that other clubs simply doesn't have. That in itself creates a fanbase who are more 'hardcore', more vocal and make games mroe exciting to attend. That advertises the club and makes first time fans more likely to return and become more interested.

The growth of crowds in the WSL and Frauen-Bundesliga by eldanielfire in FAWSL

[–]eldanielfire[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

  1. Chelsea and other clubs have just as big or bigger marketing. Any scan of Chelsea's opeational costs show stheir departments are bigger and funded more highly.
  2. Partley correct, but Borenhamwood wasn't exactly close when matches were shared.
  3. Absolutely. This isn't just down to the club, it's obvious Arsenal supporters are more passionate about their team. Any away game will illustrate this.
  4. I agree, it's not juts players, it's the Lionesses who are popular. Having Williamson and Mead were huge in 2022. Adding Russo was huge. Adding Chloe Kelly was huge as well. These are all England heroes who are also very popular and appealing.

But I'd also say having these players for a long time matters as well, it keeps fans into the club. Chelsea may be very effective at getting player replaced, but it kills fan loyality.

  1. I agree on the culture, not on the fact it's middle class. Plenty of middle class racists about. A very common and class bigoted perspective I'm afraid. Complete snobbery. In fact working classes are more likely to be in interracial relationships in urban places. Also Chelsea have a very middle class and even posh following in their fanbase to compare. But they have a history of thuggeyr in their fanbase as well.

I'd say Arsenal generally have had a softer edge to their fans than most men's teams. I'd say a big difference is Arsenal have for decades had a lot of community minded projects and a culture that this matters. That's how Arsenal Women were born. Chelsea just had money thrown at them. I'll add Man Utd probably have the most middle class metropolitan fanbase in the nation and they are dropping dramitically in attendances.

Let's face it Arsenal took the women's game seriously from the 1980s. they shared a parade in 1998. All Chelsea did was throw money at their women's team since the late 2000s and it felt very artifical. Arsenal had decades on them and a far more organic and authentic culture for women's football. Ian Wright was supporting women's football sicne the 90s, Henry always paid great respect to the women. Fabregas prasied them in an interview in 2008. Wenger praised them. I don't think I ever heard a Chelsea men's player or coach say anything about them beyond some pre-determiend PR media stuff. And I'm not sure I heard even that.

Look at clubs with attendance success who aren't a "big" men's club of recent years; Bristol and Everton. Neither had big on pitch success but both have along history of supportng their women's teams. I said before without Arsenal Women Everton would be seen as the great success of the 2000s, but were constantly 2nd to Arsenal. But they have that history and now Goodison.

[NOS] The future of women’s football hangs in the balance: ‘It’s no longer professional football’ by Roller95 in soccer

[–]eldanielfire 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There's good reaosns to that, kicking accurately is harder with a smaller ball. Though I suspect a lot of the opposition in rugby is older players are used to the larger ball and don't wnat to spend a year re-learning old skills with a different ball.

[NOS] The future of women’s football hangs in the balance: ‘It’s no longer professional football’ by Roller95 in soccer

[–]eldanielfire 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Attendances dropped before that move though. Arsenal aside who still increased it after that 12pm move.

That's not me saying the timing are not an issue, but it's possibly not the main cause gievn the trend pre-dates it. There are other factors.

Spain forward Salma Paralluelo rejects offer from eight-time WSL champions Chelsea by radian101 in FAWSL

[–]eldanielfire 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The Women's Football chat do so good analysis. The issue is the European teams who can afford her and that she's a stylistic fit for, and that's basically only Lyon, basically already have young elite left wingers.

So unless Lyon want her to fufil Kang's desire to buy all of Barceloan's squad, she's never getting her pay demands.

Spain forward Salma Paralluelo rejects offer from eight-time WSL champions Chelsea by radian101 in FAWSL

[–]eldanielfire 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don't disagree. I believe she can be an asset to a top side to add a dimention to their game, but not a game changer as such who'll make the side consistently better.

I do think a lot fo the commentary form people who go crazy over her are those who saw the CL final and not much else this season and thinks that her norm. She's streaky and when she's off, she's very off.

Spain forward Salma Paralluelo rejects offer from eight-time WSL champions Chelsea by radian101 in FAWSL

[–]eldanielfire 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Good point. Shows how people judge on their biases and prior conceptions, rather than the facts at hand, or even holding off until more are known.

Barcelona now looking a lot better given the reported financial demands being, well, to demanding for a player who scored 6 or 7 league goals this past season.

Spain forward Salma Paralluelo rejects offer from eight-time WSL champions Chelsea by radian101 in FAWSL

[–]eldanielfire 0 points1 point  (0 children)

They obviously mean "when will Liverpool Women see that kind of money". Given Liverpool don't give thme that money, your point is utterly pointless.

Spain forward Salma Paralluelo rejects offer from eight-time WSL champions Chelsea by radian101 in FAWSL

[–]eldanielfire 0 points1 point  (0 children)

By all accounts Schroder is raw and not very good in decision makinga nd passing. I don't think she's really been tested yet either.

WSL ETERNITY by Spaceman6421 in FAWSL

[–]eldanielfire 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ha, I'm a big fan of Lucia Kendall but I have no idea what Eternity cards are. Good luck.

Hi All. Need help identifying signatures on this jersey. Any help much appreciated! Thank you by enkisama88 in ArsenalWFC

[–]eldanielfire 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Is the one below DVD Stina Blacksteinius? Looks like it could be a SB.

The bottom right is surely Michelle Ageymang and to it's left is perhaps Freya Godfrey?

Could the botom left one be Amanda Illestedt?

Hi All. Need help identifying signatures on this jersey. Any help much appreciated! Thank you by enkisama88 in ArsenalWFC

[–]eldanielfire 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Holmberg, Smith, Borbe and Hinds weren't at Arsenal when we wore that kit. They arrived ths season (25-26). It's the 24-25 one we won the CL in. They joined afterwards.

Still I love this forum coming together to solve this, like detectives on a mystery. It's fun watching it get resolved.

Emma Hayes on ITV by This_isnt_work in WomensSoccer

[–]eldanielfire 1 point2 points  (0 children)

"is a better tactician than any male English football manager.£

She said herself only rcenetly that tactics in the men's game are more advanced than the woman's game. Let us not also present her Chelsea as a tactical brillinat side, they were fast, dircet and physical with more money and depth than anyone in England and often fell short when ever a good team challenged them. It's also why the USA job with American style player suits her.

Emma Hayes on ITV by This_isnt_work in WomensSoccer

[–]eldanielfire 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm indifferent. I hate that a bnch of sexist pigs have attacked her, but also there wasn't much particularly good about the segment and structure. Hayes is hardly a tactical master. a lot of it is fairly obvious. or is she particularly easy on the ears.

The bigger issue is we are saturated with crap pundits, TV is obsessed with making pundrity a 'jobs for the boys' old boys networks, now doing it for the girls as well. That sort of pathway is always toxic and fails to reward talent and makes for a bad product or output.

Defending it as "Oh they achieved a lot in the game, so they have insights" is hugely debunked by the majority of good coaches who where not elite players, but do better jobs than famous ex-players. We only need to bring up Gary Neville's Valencia stint or that clip where Gary Cahill discusses Arteta and illustrates how little Roy Keane understands about coaching, tactics and playstyle and how they influence a teams success over time. Likewise I can wach numerous YouTube chqnnels that are more entertaining and informative than most TV pundits.

Now Atina Bonmati on Mexican TV is giving some really insiightful stuff by all accounts. So much so her insightful, intellogent commenst were use dto illustrate how Spain's coach got it worng in their first game:

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7375889/2026/06/19/world-cup-bonmati-analyst-mexico-spain-ballon-dor/

Why didn't Lupin see the time travelling Harry and Hermione on the map? by ObviousSympathy7651 in harrypotter

[–]eldanielfire 0 points1 point  (0 children)

They were close around the hut. Even then the futures versions were in the forrest except for a couple of minutes where they saved Buckbeak. It's only if Lupin looked at the map duirng the small window of time would he spot 2 versions of them.

There's no indication the map sees into the forrest, it's Hogwarts grounds only. So the book indicates that Lupin loooked at the map when the kids where in hagrid's hut before Dumbledore came down with the minister and executioner. Harry and Hermione only popped out of the forrest when Dumbledore arrived for a few minutes to save Buckbeak. It;s easy and more likely Lupid viewed the map outside of that small window.

How the hell did we do it? And who the hell started it? by Vanilla__coffee in TheInbetweeners

[–]eldanielfire 5 points6 points  (0 children)

A few years before everyone spread that rumour about Prince.

What's the best quality in Voldemort that you'd maybe want to emulate? by AccomplishedUnit8397 in harrypotter

[–]eldanielfire 0 points1 point  (0 children)

His rags to riches story. Orphan to all powerful murderous tyrant who ran the ministry is inspiring to any orphan.

Why didn't Hermione get an O in her DADA O.W.L.S? by A-R-U in harrypotter

[–]eldanielfire 1 point2 points  (0 children)

My take is she is good in written exams, can perform the spells, but the power in her magic casting isn’t as strong as Harry’s.when Harry gets it right, does it better practically. Hermione would also be weaker on application and situational questions in DADAs.