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WE League finally sowing seeds of growth under new stewardship
When J. League Chairman Yoshikazu Nonomura took over the fledgling WE League a year ago, he was tasked with improving the competition's value proposition as a sporting product and bringing the balance sheets to a favorable standing.
The early evidence suggests that a series of scruff-of-the-neck promotional efforts made by the former J. League player have indeed breathed life into this long struggling competition, although all is not yet perfect.
'I feel that this season has been the most exciting yet, with the title race running right down to the final matchday for the first time,' he said during a postseason news conference on May 29.
'Compared to the rest of the world there are areas where we are lagging behind, such as game intensity. But, with time, I am confident we can deliver a style of women's soccer unique to Japan.'
The passing of the leadership baton took place prior to the 2024-25 season opener as Nonomura succeeded Haruna Takata, whose two-year tenure at the helm had become marked by stagnant progress even as the women's game flourishes overseas. Nonomura was quick to cite a lack of synergy between the WE League and other domestic competitions as a key reason behind the shortcomings and noted in his introductory news conference that he wants to improve ties between the WE League, J. League and Japan Football Association (JFA).
Put bluntly, the WE League was largely deemed to have failed to deliver on the ambitious objectives put forth at launch, with meager attendance figures, in particular, showing little to no signs of positive growth. That inevitably deters any would-be sponsors and investors, which are both crucial for the league's financial health.
'Increasing revenue will be key for the league to operate independently without relying on subsidies (from the JFA),' WE League Secretary-General Takashi Kuroda said during the same news conference.
And the early signs suggest that the Nonomura regime is on its way to achieving just that.
J. League Chairman Yoshikazu Nonomura took the reins of the WE League a year ago and oversaw modest improvements in revenue and attendance in his first season at the helm. |
Jiji
The league is expected to gross approximately ¥820 million ($5.69 million) in business revenue for the 2024-25 season, which is around ¥200 million more than the previous season and the largest year-on-year increase since inception. The JFA subsidy is roughly ¥470 million and the league will look to gradually decrease this level of dependence going forward.
As for the bottom line, the league entered the red for the first time since its innaugural season, which can largely be attributed to a ¥270 million increase in operational costs compared with the year before.
Essentially, you could argue that the league is spending money in order to make money.
But it is the healthy increase in gross revenue that highlights the league's newfound growth potential. A big part of that financial boost was due to a marked year-on-year attendance increase to 337,290, up from a total of 271,878 the season prior. The average match also saw an encouraging rise from 1,668 fans to 2,044, and four of the league's five best-attended matches in its young history took place this past season.
These numbers combine both the WE League and its affiliated cup competition, the WE League Kracie Cup.
In March, Sanfrecce Hiroshima Regina welcomed 20,156 spectators to Edion Peace Wing for their match against Urawa Reds, setting a new league attendance record for a single contest. That mark, however, was short-lived as the J. League/WE League doubleheader featuring JEF United Chiba and Omiya Ardija Ventus saw an impressive 26,605 fans at National Stadium in Tokyo during the Golden Week holidays.
Stacked against the Women's Super League (WSL) in England, Japan still has a ways to go despite some progress. Case in point: A record 56,784 fans saw Arsenal beat its city rival Tottenham Hotspur at home at the Emirates Stadium in February, and that was without the benefit of a partnership with the men's league.
A match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Arsenal at Broadfield Stadium in Crawley, England, in May. The WE League has taken positive strides since its inaugural season but still has a long way to go to reach the heights of some of the top overseas leagues. |
Action Images / via Reuters
And how organic Japan's growth has been is up for debate. The stark difference between the average attendance of 2,044 and the match record of 26,605 will likely invite scrutiny. Hiroshima's effort can be attributed to a large club-led community effort to bring in at least 10,000 fans for the game against Urawa. JEF Chiba, meanwhile, reaped the rewards of its doubleheader event and it is not clear how many would have attended without the support of a high-profile J2 clash to follow.
So while the vehicles by which these records were reached exhibit much needed forward-thinking, they are typically once-a-season events that should not be expected on a regular basis.
But regardless of the gate revenue received on the day, the highly attended matches succeeded in broadening the WE League's audience and exposing more people to the product, and that could have a positive impact on the league's balance sheet in the long term.
The question of profitability goes hand-in-hand with player salaries.
Since launch, the WE League's three salary tiers remain unchanged. Clubs are required to have at least five players on Category A contracts commanding yearly salaries of at least ¥4.6 million, with a further 10 or more signed on either B or C contracts, each stipulating anything between ¥2.6 million and ¥4.6 million. The difference between Categories B and C is that B is guaranteed an annual salary whereas C allows for an appearance- and win-based remuneration structure.
The latest FIFA Women's Football Benchmarking Report found that the global average salary of a female soccer player is $10,900. The report also found that the majority of top leagues across the world remain in a state of underdevelopment, with many offering little to nothing in the way of financial remuneration or additional benefits, such as pregnancy support. In that respect, WE League salaries rank higher than most, with its seldom-used maternity support mechanisms also giving the league an additional feather in its cap.
Still, salaries pale in comparison to the top pro leagues overseas. A 2022 BBC report showed the average salary of a WSL player was £47,000 (¥9. million at the time of writing) with starting salaries at around £20,000.
All told, there is cause for cautious optimism in Japan when looking back on the inaugural season of the Nonomura era. The task now is to not let that modest momentum wane and raise the bar a rung or two higher next season.
"We hope (next season) will be one in which we can continue to convey the appeal of the WE League and women's soccer to the wider soccer family here in Japan," Nonomura said.
