Latest news with #Women'sFACup
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
‘It sends a signal': Jim Ratcliffe rebuked for Manchester United Women remarks
Kelly Simmons, the former director of the women's professional game in England, has attacked Sir Jim Ratcliffe over his remarks about Manchester United's women's team, arguing they are 'sending a signal … about what he thinks about women, not just the women's game'. Simmons, one of the most respected voices in women's football, made the criticisms as she outlined what she saw as a general reluctance within established clubs to invest in the women's game. Ratcliffe has previously said he saw United's men's team as 'the main issue' and 'what moves the needle' at the club. He was not at Wembley when Manchester United lost to Chelsea in the Women's FA Cup final two weeks ago, nor when they won last year's final against Tottenham. Related: Williamson 'devastated' by Earps' England exit but Wiegman quiet on talks 'If I was a woman working in United and heard the language Ratcliffe uses, he's sending a signal to me about what he thinks about women not just the women's game,' she said. 'I'm not sure people recognise how powerful that language is in a negative way. It's so disappointing.' Simmons was speaking at the Fair Game conference in London, where financial sustainability and issues around equality and inclusion within football were discussed. Simmons oversaw the professionalisation of the Women's Super League a decade ago and argued the further growth of women's football was being stymied by a lack of investment at club level. 'We are not there as a sustainable sport,' Simmons said, likening the current situation to that during the half-century when the Football Association banned women from playing the game in England between 1921 and 1970. 'This is a second ban where clubs are treating the women's teams as a community endeavour, not treating it as a startup, not investing in it. ' Absolutely nothing is locked in for women's football. We're not in the conversation for funding flows. If you are going to scrutinise clubs to see that finances are robust, then you need to look at the women's game because you know where the money is going to be cut from first; it's the women's team.' Simmons said there was growing interest from private equity groups in investing in the women's game and that she welcomed the prospect. 'A number of clubs in this country and on the continent and Europe are in discussions with private equity,' she said. 'It will bring in a mindset of treating women's football like a business and that is much needed.' While Ratcliffe was not present for the FA Cup final, where United lost 3-0 to Chelsea, the club did send a senior delegation that included co-chair Avram Glazer, as well as representatives from Ineos, Ratcliffe's conglomerate. The United chief executive, Omar Berrada, meanwhile, has made public remarks saying the club are 'very proud' of the women's team and arguing: 'It's really incumbent on us to be there to help them.' Ratcliffe has also spoken of his desire to see the women's team succeed. 'The women's team wear the Manchester United brand and the Manchester United logo, so in that sense they're every bit as important as the men's team and frankly they're doing better than the men's team,' he said.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Jim Ratcliffe ‘sends signal to all women' with lack of support for United's team
Kelly Simmons, the former director of the women's professional game in England, has attacked Sir Jim Ratcliffe over his remarks about Manchester United women, arguing they are 'sending a signal … about what he thinks about women, not just the women's game'. Simmons, one of the most respected voices in women's football, made the criticisms as she outlined what she saw as a general reluctance within established clubs to invest in the women's game. Ratcliffe has previously said he saw United's men's team as 'the main issue' and 'what moves the needle' at the club. He was not at Wembley when Manchester United lost to Chelsea in the Women's FA Cup final two weeks ago, nor when they won last year's final against Tottenham. Advertisement Related: Williamson 'devastated' by Earps' England exit but Wiegman quiet on talks 'If I was a woman working in United and heard the language Ratcliffe uses, he's sending a signal to me about what he thinks about women not just the women's game,' she said. 'I'm not sure people recognise how powerful that language is in a negative way. It's so disappointing.' Simmons was speaking at the Fair Game conference in London, where financial sustainability and issues around equality and inclusion within football were discussed. Simmons oversaw the professionalisation of the Women's Super League a decade ago and argued the further growth of women's football was being stymied by a lack of investment at club level. 'We are not there as a sustainable sport,' Simmons said, likening the current situation to that during the half-century when the Football Association banned women from playing the game in England, between 1921 and 1970. 'This is a second ban where clubs are treating the women's teams as a community endeavour, not treating it as a startup, not investing in it. Advertisement 'Absolutely nothing is locked in for women's football. We're not in the conversation for funding flows. If you are going to scrutinise clubs to see that finances are robust, then you need to look at the women's game because you know where the money is going to be cut from first; it's the women's team.' Simmons said there was growing interest from private equity groups in investing in the women's game and that she welcomed the prospect. 'A number of clubs in this country and on the continent and Europe are in discussions with private equity,' she said. 'It will bring in a mindset of treating women's football like a business and that is much needed.' While Ratcliffe was not present for the FA Cup final, where United lost 3-0 to Chelsea, the club did send a senior delegation that included vice-chair Avram Glazer, as well as representatives from Ineos, Ratcliffe's conglomerate. The United chief executive, Omar Berrada, meanwhile, has made public remarks saying the club are 'very proud' of the women's team and arguing: 'It's really incumbent on us to be there to help them.' Ratcliffe has also spoken of his desire to see the women's team succeed. 'The women's team wear the Manchester United brand and the Manchester United logo, so in that sense they're every bit as important as the men's team and frankly they're doing better than the men's team,' he said.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Disney+ to enter women's football market with Champions League rights
The streaming platform Disney+ is set to show live Women's Champions League matches from next season across multiple European broadcast territories, including the United Kingdom. It is understood Disney+ has agreed a five-year deal which will mean that it broadcasts every single match in the competition live, which is being perceived as a major step forward for coverage of the European women's game's top club competition. The streaming platform's move to enter the women's football market follows the news announced in December that Netflix secured the United States broadcast rights for live coverage of the 2027 and 2031 Women's World Cups. Related: Barcelona are big Women's Champions League final favourites despite 'worst' season In terms of the UK broadcast market, Disney's arrival means that women's football now has a sixth different major broadcaster covering the sport from next season. The BBC and Sky share the rights to show the Women's Super League, while TNT Sports and Channel 4 have secured a new deal to broadcast the Women's FA Cup, while ITV also cover the England women's team's matches – joined by the BBC for major tournaments. Additionally, every WSL 2 match is available live on YouTube next term. Such a wide range of different subscriptions being required by supporters wanting to watch every match live may be a concern for some fans in terms of the cost, although it is also understood there will be some free-to-air coverage of the Women's Champions League in the UK too. For the past four seasons, DAZN has shown the Women's Champions League live across Europe and some matches in the UK have additionally been picked up by TNT Sports. Disney+ is understood to have made a hugely competitive offer, not only financially but in terms of the quality of their production, in their extensive plans for their coverage. The organisation reportedly has around 125 million subscribers globally. The deal was agreed by UC3, a new joint venture organised between Uefa and the European Club Association, meaning that club representatives have been involved in the discussions around the broadcast rights deal. The agency Two Circles were commissioned to work on the deal. The news comes ahead of this year's final, between Arsenal and Barcelona, which is taking place in Lisbon on Saturday. Barcelona are bidding to win the European title for the third consecutive year after eliminating Chelsea in the semi-finals. Arsenal are in their first final since lifting the trophy in 2007. The Women's Champions League has a new format from next season. It is relatively similar to to the recently-revamped men's Champions League format, albeit smaller in terms of the number of teams. The women's event will switch from a 16-team group stage to now having a league phase, expanded to include 18 teams, where teams will be ranked in one league table, before a playoff round and then the more traditional knockout phase. Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United have earned the European spots for next term from the WSL as the top three with the latter starting their qualifying campaign in August. Arsenal's 2007 triumph is the only time a British women's club has ever won the European title.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Disney+ to enter women's football market with Champions League rights
The streaming platform Disney+ is set to show live Women's Champions League matches from next season across multiple European broadcast territories, including the United Kingdom. It is understood Disney+ has agreed a five-year deal which will mean that it broadcasts every single match in the competition live, which is being perceived as a major step forward for coverage of the European women's game's top club competition. Advertisement The streaming platform's move to enter the women's football market follows the news announced in December that Netflix secured the United States broadcast rights for live coverage of the 2027 and 2031 Women's World Cups. Related: Barcelona are big Women's Champions League final favourites despite 'worst' season In terms of the UK broadcast market, Disney's arrival means that women's football now has a sixth different major broadcaster covering the sport from next season. The BBC and Sky share the rights to show the Women's Super League, while TNT Sports and Channel 4 have secured a new deal to broadcast the Women's FA Cup, while ITV also cover the England women's team's matches – joined by the BBC for major tournaments. Additionally, every WSL 2 match is available live on YouTube next term. Such a wide range of different subscriptions being required by supporters wanting to watch every match live may be a concern for some fans in terms of the cost, although it is also understood there will be some free-to-air coverage of the Women's Champions League in the UK too. Advertisement For the past four seasons, DAZN has shown the Women's Champions League live across Europe and some matches in the UK have additionally been picked up by TNT Sports. Disney+ is understood to have made a hugely competitive offer, not only financially but in terms of the quality of their production, in their extensive plans for their coverage. The organisation reportedly has around 125 million subscribers globally. The deal was agreed by UC3, a new joint venture organised between Uefa and the European Club Association, meaning that club representatives have been involved in the discussions around the broadcast rights deal. The agency Two Circles were commissioned to work on the deal. The news comes ahead of this year's final, between Arsenal and Barcelona, which is taking place in Lisbon on Saturday. Barcelona are bidding to win the European title for the third consecutive year after eliminating Chelsea in the semi-finals. Arsenal are in their first final since lifting the trophy in 2007. Advertisement The Women's Champions League has a new format from next season. It is relatively similar to to the recently-revamped men's Champions League format, albeit smaller in terms of the number of teams. The women's event will switch from a 16-team group stage to now having a league phase, expanded to include 18 teams, where teams will be ranked in one league table, before a playoff round and then the more traditional knockout phase. Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United have earned the European spots for next term from the WSL as the top three with the latter starting their qualifying campaign in August. Arsenal's 2007 triumph is the only time a British women's club has ever won the European title.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Sonia Bompastor looks to Europe after Chelsea complete domestic treble
Despite completing the treble without losing a domestic game in her first season managing in England, the Chelsea head coach, Sonia Bompastor, was still not fully satisfied as she set her sights on adding a first European title to club's the honours list. Bompastor's team, who were 3-0 winners against Manchester United at Wembley to finish their 30-match home campaign unbeaten, were outclassed by Barcelona in the Women's Champions League semi‑finals in April. They celebrated the club's sixth Women's FA Cup in 10 years on Sunday, but Bompastor said: 'We are super happy but we didn't win the Champions League, which was also one of our goals. Related: Chelsea's dominance begins to erode the scale of their achievement | Jonathan Liew 'Some of the people there on the pitch were already mentioning 'we are missing the Champions League', so that's who we are, that's our goal. I want to make sure we are all able to achieve that goal, to win the Champions League with the club. 'Everyone is saying 'maybe Chelsea will run away from the pack' in the league in England, but our goal for us is to compete against the best teams in Europe, so it's nice to have this domestic treble but we want to make sure, in the future, and hopefully next season, we are able to compete against the best teams in Europe.' Chelsea have now won 18 major women's trophies – all of which have come in a dominant spell since 2015 – and this year they have appeared further ahead domestically than ever, winning the title by their largest margin, 12 points. Bompastor said: 'We want that competition, to produce our best. We want to make sure we're top of the league and bring everyone else with us – this is what we want to achieve – but we need the other teams to still invest and come with us.' The gap in financial investment between Chelsea and United in terms of budgets was symbolised in the director's boxes as the champions were watched by the Chelsea co-owners Behdad Eghbali and Todd Boehly, whereas United's Sir Jim Ratcliffe was not present for the second season running. There was still a significant delegation of senior United figures – not least the chief executive, Omar Berrada, and the technical director, Jason Wilcox. Related: Chelsea 3-0 Manchester United: Women's FA Cup final player ratings Bompastor said: 'It's really enjoyable for us to see all the people from ownership were here, but even more important to feel they were really behind the team. It just shows as a woman, when you play in football, and the women's game, you are in the right club, and you really want to give that back on the pitch for all these people.' Asked about Ratcliffe's non‑attendance the United head coach, Marc Skinner, said: 'I don't know why Jim wasn't here, but we were really well represented. Omar's up there, we've got the Glazer family in massive support, and Jason as well, so I know [you] are trying to find a story, but we've just lost a final. 'Those are the people I deal with every day. They need to see that [match] for us to be able to look at what we need to do to close a growing gap in finance, that Chelsea have. 'The reality is, it's the investment in the team that needs to happen, it's not whether you're visible. As long as our team is being invested in. We need to close that gap.' Chelsea were also supported at Wembley by their new minority owner Alexis Ohanian, husband of Serena Williams, who bought a 10% stake in the women's club for £20m last week. At half‑time, the Reddit co‑founder told the BBC: 'These are the queens of global soccer and they've got the trophy case to prove it, so I feel so humbled. 'The sky's the limit and what I love about this club is, this club is unapologetically ambitious. This will be a billion-dollar franchise one day.'
