SSE, the parent company of SSE Airtricity here is to sponsor the Women’s FA Cup in England in what is being seen there as the latest advance in nothing less than a ‘social revolution’.
The deal is worth in excess of £1 million over the next four years and a significant portion of this has been ring fenced for the support of girls football at grassroots and community level.
It also means that the SSE Women’s FA Cup Final will be held at Wembley Stadium for the next four years.
“We’re entering this partnership with one simple ambition – to make a difference to the future of women’s football and sport,” said SSE Managing Director of Corporate Affairs Alan Young.
“SSE’s investment will help drive the women’s game forward and together with The FA we will help continue to grow the sport, giving thousands more girls regular access to the beautiful game.”
“We’re already supporting the talent of tomorrow with our SSE Next Generation programme, helping 100 young athletes across Scotland, England, Wales, and Northern Ireland reach their potential.”
Last year Continental Tyres signed a transforming agreement with the FAI in support of Women’s football here in Ireland. The Women’s FAI Cup Final has beaten the English version to being hosted at the Aviva Stadium last year and broadcast live on RTÉ television.
The investment of Continental followed that of Liberty Insurance in Camogie, Aon in Women’s Rugby, Tesco in Ladies Gaelic Football and AIB in club level GAA.
Across the world business has woken up to the fact that Women’s sport has a great deal to offer at what is presently a better value cost than the highest levels of men’s sport.
The opening match of the Women’s World Cup in Canada last week drew the biggest ever audience for a Canadian national Sports Team. It is being broadcast live to 215 countries around the world.
It’s a story we have been telling for three years, and which was amplified by last week’s Audience with Clare Balding, hosted at Croke Park by Liberty Insurance and by publication of the Wise Up survey into participation and attitudes.
The tide has turned here and around the world. Now it is up to sport to catch the wave and media and sports marketing companies to make sure they are on the right side of it.
