Women’s football has been increasing with interest over recent years, especially off the back of a very successful World Cup last time out, when the England Lionesses finished third overall.
These radical domestic changes will have Somerset represented on the national stage by Yeovil Town Ladies FC.
When a ball is kicked at the beginning of the 2018/19 season, top tier women’s football clubs will be running out of the tunnel in front of even bigger crowds as part of a fully fledged professional league (The only one in European competition).
The Football Association has implemented numerous changes and Yeovil Town Ladies FC will be one of just ten clubs who must be a fully professional outfit.
Top tier clubs now making that step to play in a fully professional league, will all experience day time training of between 16-20 hours per week. Plus a new ‘Academy’ structure will extend and enhance the talent pathway, ensuring appropriate high-quality player development and increased support for the 16-21 age group. A major part of that academy programme will be dual career opportunities, ensuring players have an education that matches the elite training at Bridgwater & Taunton College.
Providing an elite performance environment that will produce a greater quality and quantity of players nationwide will increase the interest and excitement via a more competitive league which attracts a greater number of fans and deliver improved commercial viability for the league, clubs, and its business partners.
With broadcasters such as BT Sport, BBC, and other local and national media taking an even bigger interest, this will also drive attendances, which involves criteria set by The FA that all clubs will achieve a minimum of 1000 spectators per game. Together this will drive footfall to Somerset as it gets ready to host even more top tier female sport in 2018/2019 and beyond.
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