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Tobin Heath Breaks Down The World Sevens Football Experience

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a day ago

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Tobin Heath Breaks Down The World Sevens Football Experience

Tobin Heath Breaks Down The World Sevens Football Experience | Full Time Podcast It has been billed as women's football 'reimagined,' but with the inaugural edition behind us, what really is World Sevens Football (W7F) offering to the sport's global ecosystem? This week on Full Time, hosts Tamerra Griffin and Meg Linehan are joined by USWNT legend Tobin Heath to discuss her role in developing the innovative seven-a-side tournament as chair of the player advisory council. Why was W7F such a breath of fresh air for players, and how can it disrupt the status quo? Then The Athletic's Charlotte Harpur, joins the podcast to give her perspective from covering the W7F on the media side and the concerns regarding its hand-picked competing teams. Plus, Charlotte gives her inside view on Tuesday's sudden news that Mary Earps has retired from international soccer. 42:03 Now Playing Paused Ad Playing

Rabiot, Maignan & Cherki arrive at Clairefontaine before facing Spain

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a day ago

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Rabiot, Maignan & Cherki arrive at Clairefontaine before facing Spain

U.S. Women's Soccer Team returns to Allianz Field [RAW]

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3 days ago

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U.S. Women's Soccer Team returns to Allianz Field [RAW]

Tobin Heath on World Sevens Football: ‘We're going to continue to build and force innovation'

New York Times

3 days ago

Business
New York Times

Tobin Heath on World Sevens Football: ‘We're going to continue to build and force innovation'

The inaugural World Sevens Football (W7F) tournament — a three-day, seven-a-side competition featuring eight of Europe's biggest clubs in Estoril, Portugal — was an overall success. With rolling substitutions and no offsides, the format allowed players to showcase their flair and creativity, while the smoke cannons and live music created a festival-like atmosphere that lit up social media. Advertisement More impressively, Bayern Munich walked away with $2.5 million after defeating Manchester United 2-1 in the final — more than what Arsenal earned for winning the Women's Champions League, and more than Chelsea received for their Women's Super League and FA Cup triumphs combined. On the latest episode of 'Full Time,' Tamerra Griffin and Meg Linehan were joined by two-time World Cup winner and United States women's national team legend Tobin Heath, who also serves as chair of the W7F advisory council, to discuss the tournament's future and what might come next. A partial transcript has been edited for clarity and length. The full episode is available on YouTube below or in 'Full Time' feed on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Griffin: Can you talk to us about what growth looks like for this tournament? I know there are plans to have multiple tournaments a year culminating in a sort of Champions of Champions tournament. But obviously, scheduling is a big behemoth of a challenge to tackle, so how do you imagine growth after such an explosive introduction? Heath: It's funny because there's so much congestion in the calendar, it's just so ugly. We did step on a lot of toes and some people aren't happy about this, being the big traditional entities that think they own football and the idea of football. But then I take a step back and think, 'You go do it then. You go innovate women's football. You go bring investment into women's football.' Because these traditional competitions, where women's football has always taken a backseat to men's football and followed the exact same patterns, aren't helping women's football. The P&Ls of these clubs are not pretty, so if there's an opportunity to inject fuel and capital into women's football, in a new, innovative and fun way, that's positive. And let me tell you, the schedules are going to clear, just look at the prize pool we set. Bayern just went home from a three-day fun kickabout with more money in their pockets than Arsenal did winning the Champions League in an extremely stressful match, so I hope that the governing bodies and these landlords of football are taking note. Because ultimately nothing's stopping them from innovating and giving to women's football. But right now, it's just like we're stamping the women's side with a men's competition with way less money. That doesn't sound like innovation to me, and that's not prioritizing women's football. So for me, it's almost a provocation which we're going to continue to build, then hopefully it's going to force innovation. Advertisement To get to what you said about what's next, what's next is more competitions. We want this to be a global event where you're seeing and meeting teams and players for the first time in a way like you've never seen before in global football. I left World Sevens with new favorite players and a better understanding. And I must say Bayern's team was just awesome by the way. Linehan: I really did not expect that from them (laughs). Griffin: It surprised us all. I was like, 'Where is this personality coming from, and where was this there before?' It was the biggest surprise of the tournament. Heath: Exactly. The storytelling literally wrote itself, and I'm so in love with that team now. They are awesome, and I didn't even know that before. This is the part about women's football that is so beautiful, and we need to let them write their own stories. So I'm a new fan of football from the event, which is ridiculous because everybody knows I'm a soccer junkie and I'm watching everything already anyway. Linehan: You've mentioned how World Sevens could appeal to a new generation who maybe don't want to sit through a 90-minute football game, which is really interesting. You've also highlighted the tension between the traditional side of football and whatever World Sevens is and wants to be, as they throw things up against the wall and see what sticks. But how do you balance that tension and just stress the point of, 'Listen, we've got to find new audiences, focus on the next generation, and just go to them a little bit more.' Are you excited by that part of the work too? Tobin: Yeah, I'm really excited about it because I do think there is an increasing gap that's happening between the current generation and the current format of football. All things are meant to be innovated, and I'm not saying let's change 11s, but I think this can be complementary to 11s. What was really beneficial for me was that, coming off this tournament, I went immediately to watch the Champions League final. And no disrespect to the Champions League final because it's probably the greatest competition in global football, but the difference in the experience was night and day. You can't really see what's going on in the field. Being in the stadium, you're also really far from it, it's really long, and there are not as many actions. Advertisement Everyone also looked exhausted on the field, and the difference in energy was massive. People were on the ground just trying to catch their breath, and they were understandably exhausted because it's the end of the season. But the contrast between the two was so crazy that I really appreciated it, because it just showed how vastly different the two things are. But I must say I loved both of them, and I definitely loved Arsenal winning because it made it way more fun. Otherwise, I probably would just be saying that I liked my experience at World Sevens. But being there just showed me why this is needed, because the way that the Sevens worked is that it spoke to this current generation and how they're watching things. It was made for social media, and it was made to bring you on the field with these players. I want to produce it even better and differently next time. This was only the first iteration of it. But if you were there and you were on the field, it's almost like you were courtside at a basketball game. There are also way more ways to monetize it, way more interactions, and more personalization between you, the players and the teams. I got a crash course on Bayern and now they're my favorite team. I'm even thinking, 'If the German players can carry that vibe into the Euros, Germany could maybe even win it.' That's how tangible this felt. Everybody saw that the organic nature of this format was built for this age. This isn't anything we had to ask for, by the way, it just organically happened because of the player's experience and the new format. You can listen to full episodes of Full Time for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and watch on YouTube. (Top Photo:)

Yahoo

24-05-2025

Entertainment
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Inside World Sevens Football: A $2.5m prize pot, rolling subs, DJ sets and plenty of personality

ESTORIL, Portugal — Tobin Heath, two-time World Cup winner with the United States women's national team, thinks football has become too professionalised and prescribed. 'We're missing the fun, the feel of what football is, what I fell in love with,' she said. 'I don't see it enough anymore. It's being coached out too young.' Advertisement Enter World Sevens Football (W7F), a three-day seven-a-side tournament, with a $5million (£3.7m, €4.4m) prize pot, the inaugural edition held in the seaside town of Estoril, a 30-minute drive from Lisbon, involving eight of the biggest European clubs. The tournament includes rolling subs, no offsides, DJ sets, smoke cannons and a lot of personality. Manchester United marked their on-pitch arrival with different walk-ons: forming a human pyramid, doing the limbo, cartwheels and sporting charades while Bayern Munich pulled off a 10-pin bowling stunt. Fittingly, the two teams that appeared to have the most fun made the final. Bayern were crowned champions after beating United 2-1, taking home $2.5million (£1.9m, €2.2m) while United cashed in $1m. Advertisement 'We're used to playing with a lot of pressure on our shoulders, so coming here, it was just nice to enjoy it,' said Bayern captain Glodis Perla Viggosdottir. 'Embrace the chaos,' said tournament organisers to players at their welcome event on Tuesday. The soundtrack from the Jaws film plays before a penalty. Draws are non-existent. Instead, when the scores are tied, five minutes of five-a-side golden goal style follow before sudden-death penalties. 'It's like when we were kids again,' said United captain Maya Le Tissier after a penalty shootout win against Paris Saint-Germain. 'There's no pressure, everyone is just laughing, having fun.' Advertisement Le Tissier sums up the overwhelming positive reaction from players. The hosts, who paid for each team's flights and accommodation, have made the players' experience a priority, ensuring everything is up to standard. W7F is a tonic to the — in United's Gabby George's words — 'gruelling' season in which players put themselves 'under immense stress and pressure.' Gotham FC minority owner Jennifer Mackesy and her husband, Scott, have made a personal investment of $100million over five years. Jennifer Mackesy is also part of the Todd Boehly/Clearlake Capital group, which owns Chelsea. How can we promote women's football? That was the question co-founders Mackesy and former investment banker Justin Fishkin, who met at a Gotham game, asked, which gave birth to this competition. The plan is to have four editions held around the world, similar to tennis's Grand Slams, with a fifth champions of champions edition. Basketball and beach volleyball, which Mackesy attended last year at the Paris Olympics, have inspired the type of atmosphere organisers want to create. Advertisement 'For too long, the legacy of the men's infrastructure and competition has been pushed down to women,' said Fishkin. 'I'm obsessed with the seven-on-seven format,' said Heath, who is a member of the W7F player advisory council. 'We saw the number of attacking actions. It dazzles you. I'm just geeking out. A 90-minute football game is not speaking to the next generation.' The aim is to reach a different audience, and the format, according to Fishkin, is 'made for the new social-media consuming sports fans'. Adrian Jacob, former general manager for Chelsea Women, involved in signing players such as Sam Kerr and Millie Bright, and now head of football at W7F, knew Mackesy from Chelsea. Their conversations started in November. Advertisement The biggest challenge has been the race against time. The last four clubs were only announced two weeks before the tournament started, with contracts being signed at the last minute. 'You have to persuade them that it's a good idea and it's real,' said Jacob. 'Then take the plunge into something they've never seen, create something which could at times appear completely bonkers and get them to trust you.' Jacob visited 10 different stadiums in Lisbon, which is also the host city for the UEFA Women's Champions League final between Arsenal and Barcelona this afternoon (Saturday). Work started last Saturday evening to turn the Estadio Antonio Coimbra da Mota stadium around after Estoril men's 4-0 win against Estrela. Four stands house cabanas for the VIP area, a party deck, the players' lounge and general admission. White lines and the W7F badge were repainted on the grass pitch, and the 8,500-capacity stadium was reduced to create a more intimate experience. Advertisement There were even changes throughout the competition. Bayern's Tuva Hansen had her yellow card, issued for taking off her shirt after scoring, rescinded. 'No, we want to celebrate,' said Heath. 'That is the essence of football.' On day one, there was music playing to ramp up the tension when there was a corner kick, but organisers then decided to play music throughout the match. Manchester City's interim head coach Nick Cushing would like to see rules allowing players to run the ball immediately from free kicks or dribble from throw-ins like in field hockey to make the game even quicker. 'You don't know until you try it,' said Jacob. 'We don't have to fit within certain parameters. They are Americanisms, but it's just not staying within boundaries that are in 11-aside football. We can do whatever the hell we want.' The fans spoke to, who have all travelled specifically for the Champions League final and found out about W7F on social media only a couple of days before, loved the personalised feel, fast-paced format and thumping bass. Advertisement 'I love the rolling subs and the chaos with the bibs,' said Brighton fan Richard McGrath, wearing a Bayern shirt with Stanway on the back. 'Bayern have got the fun down (to a tee). Did you see their bowling ball when they all came out?!' 'I didn't expect the big clubs to be here and some of my favourite players playing,' said Kelly Lock, who flew by herself from Australia for the Champions League final. 'I just saw Pernille Harder and Magda Eriksson!' There have been some teething problems, though. 'The security was a total disaster, nobody knew what they were doing,' said McGrath. 'They were confiscating bags because there was nothing on their website about what you should or shouldn't bring to the ground. The food service inside the stadium has been disorganised. The fan park is cash-only for the drinks. What's that about? Advertisement 'Having the grandstand and this party zone — which is clearly not a very party zone — as two separate things, doesn't make sense. People should just be able to move between the two.' The name is also still growing into its existence. Before the tournament, when you typed 'World Sevens Football' into Google, the sponsored advert reads: 'Join World Sevens Football — The world's best women's rugby teams.' Attendance on the first day was around 150, and the atmosphere was not too dissimilar to lockdown football when you could hear players speaking to each other. But hosting games in a remote location on a midweek afternoon does not help. At times, it felt like there were more VIPs, including Angel City owner Julie Uhrman, than fans. But that calibre of people could be potential sources of investment, so getting them to see the product firsthand is important. Advertisement By Friday afternoon, though, there was a real buzz about the place with fans gripped by end-to-end action. The tournament sold nearly 3,500 tickets, with Friday's prices starting from €30 for a semi-final general admission ticket to €500 for a VIP cabana spot. The first two days attracted a viewership of 800,00 across broadcaster DAZN's channels, which does not include impressions on social media clips, video on demand or highlights. By comparison, last year's Champions League final between Barcelona and Lyon attracted an average viewership on DAZN of about 3.6million. There are also some potential minefields regarding financial sustainability and player welfare. Advertisement Whereas Barcelona and Arsenal have toiled all year to reach the Champions League final, Bayern Munich and Manchester United took home $2.5million and $1m respectively in prize money over three days. It is split 60-40 between the club and players. Even third-placed PSG cashed in $650,000 while City won $350,000. The four teams that exited the group stages earned $125,000 each. The winners' cheque is around six times more than the Champions League winners will earn ($398,000). Such prize money will transform a club's transfer window budget. For context, United's total expenditure was $12million for the 2023-2024 season. Such money could distort the competitive balance in domestic 11-a-side leagues. 'Competitive balance is possibly even more important in women's than men's football because it is in the growth stage,' Christina Philippou, an associate professor in sport finance, who finds the format promising from a business perspective, told . 'Yet we are already seeing massive rifts which could be detrimental to the long-term sustainability of women's club football as a whole.' Advertisement Some may see this format as disrupting women's football. 'Disrupters sometimes become the norm though, particularly when it comes to the next generation,' said Philippou. 'Women's football doesn't need to compete against itself,' said Jacob. 'The reality is the Champions League, the FA Cup, the championships are the bread and butter of a professional footballer. We're not saying we're going to be bigger than you. We're trying to create a different space to help amplify the movement together. 'Let's give people something else to really enjoy. Let's put more money into the women's football ecosystem.' It is a wake-up call for UEFA and FIFA. Advertisement 'Even among the top clubs, there is no rich club in women's football,' said Jacob. 'What this can do is make the top tier invest more and realise there are other ways of bringing investment into women's football. We don't have to be reliant on everything that has been traditionally done.' The other question is how and when W7F will make money. 'That is not our focus right now,' said Mackesy. The usual revenue streams of broadcast, commercial and attendance still apply to women's football, but will this be sustainable in the long term? 'New ventures tend to lose money in their first few years so fan and commercial interest are better indicators of how sustainable it will be long term,' said Philippou. Advertisement Plans for a North America edition in November or December are under way with Fishkin describing the American market as 'super important' while he confirmed 'teams from Brazil, Mexico and the United States are ready to participate'. There are also plans for expansion beyond eight teams. The biggest sticking point is fitting it around domestic schedules and player loading. Fishkin would welcome European clubs to come to North America. United's Dominique Janssen and Le Tissier, as well as Bayern's Sarah Zadrazil and Viggosdottir said they would definitely go if calendars aligned. 'I can't wait to go to another one!' said United fan Laura Amedde. 'Even if it was in North America, 100 per cent.' However, one serious injury could have marred the tournament. Some of City's players opted not to come and prioritised rehabilitation, and Georgia Stanway supported her Bayern team-mates from the sidelines. United's Ella Toone felt some tightness during the tournament and decided not to risk it, given the upcoming Euros. Advertisement Many players, such as City's Jess Park, said it helped players keep 'sharp' ahead of a major tournament, while United's Grace Clinton said W7F was a 'better outcome and gives us more fitness' than regular training. Heath also believes players need to keep their fitness ticking along and recognises that only a small percentage of the top players are overloaded. 'Most of the footballing population are being underloaded,' she said. 'There are so many players that are just craving for minutes.' As the tournament moves around the world, Fishkin wants to give other lesser-known clubs a platform too, which also provides scouting opportunities for players. W7F were able to construct the tournament because seven-a-side football is not recognised as an official form of football under FIFA's governing body regulations. Compare that to cricket, where all the different formats come under one jurisdiction. Advertisement 'The point is to remind the game that this is where the game started,' said Anita Asante, former England international and member of the W7F player advisory council. 'I started playing football in a ball court in my local estate. For so many players, that's how the introduction to football came: street football, playing in the local communities, in parks. 'It is a reminder that enjoyment is part of the game, allowing players to express themselves is part of the game, that's why players get selected, for their talent, individuality, and ingenuity. That's what we want to recapture. This format definitely allows players to do that.' This article originally appeared in The Athletic. Manchester United, Bayern Munich, Soccer, NWSL, Sports Business, UK Women's Football 2025 The Athletic Media Company

Latest news with #TobinHeath

Tobin Heath Breaks Down The World Sevens Football Experience

Rabiot, Maignan & Cherki arrive at Clairefontaine before facing Spain

U.S. Women's Soccer Team returns to Allianz Field [RAW]

Tobin Heath on World Sevens Football: ‘We're going to continue to build and force innovation'

Inside World Sevens Football: A $2.5m prize pot, rolling subs, DJ sets and plenty of personality

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