Do you think that the board see the ladies team as a better way to progress the club to top flight level? It's a helluva lot cheaper to become an elite women's team and get to the PL and compete financially than it is the men's game. The women's game is still very much in its infancy professionally but there has definitely been a surge in its broadcasting/status in recent years. Do the owners / board possibly see this as a better way forward both on the pitch and ultimately commercially?
Opinions and all that. I think commercially it is far more viable. If I had put in their level of investment I'd be looking at all avenues for a return - this for me is easily one of them.
I think if they’d put the amount of money they’ve invested into the the men’s team, into the women’s team, it would take much much longer to get a return on their money. There may be money in the WSL but we’re 5 or 6 tiers below that, and there are a lot of big clubs trying to get into the WSL. A couple of decent cup runs and a promotion to the Championship would be a much quicker process to get some money back, should they actually start to take any out of the club.
One of the main things holding back the women's game is people who feel the need to compare it with the mens game. Supporting the women's team has no material impact on the mens team. What they get is a by product of the men already existing - facilities, sports science etc. It's probably true that the chances of Barnsley FC Women reaching the top flight are greater than the chances of the nen doing the same. But the return for doing so is miniscule compared the men. So if you're suggesting the board are supporting the women in the way they do as a means to gain a return on investment, then I think you're way off the mark.
With the amount of money they invest every year there's no way they'll ever get that back from the women's team unless something massively changes in terms of revenue. Even in the WSL (top flight) income is around £4m a season per club. That's tiny when compared to men's football. Even in league 1 the average is £10 million or so.
To put it in context, £4m for the year would be around a 40% uplift on current turnover Sky TV deals are now worth 17 times what they were when it started. Now's the time for the club to get in as you're part of something early. Wages in comparison are a fraction of what the men earn at the top level, so there's a likelihood of he margins being better pro-rata'd If money can be made when the stadium is stood empty it makes sense to do it - if alot of top clubs are looking to get into the WSL that might tell its own story
No chance of the WSL, the top clubs are muscling in and it's rapidly becoming a mirror of the Greed League. JAQ has said all along that the long term realistic aim is the Womens' Championship.
The club are only half harrised backing them! No equipment won’t let them use first team or academy training pitches just the Astro.
In a word no. I've followed Barnsley fc for over 50 years and watched my daughter play for Barnsley Ladies from the age of 9 up to playing on Oakwell for the first team. No way will investment go into women's team like the mens. As someone has said they're only allowed to use astro turf and not allowed full facilities.
