Women's Super League plans to engage "Taylor Swift fanbase" for future growth

Doucet, who leads the newly formed Women's Professional Leagues Limited (WPLL), shared her vision of making the WSL the most distinctive and entertaining women's football competition in the world.

Doucet explained that the WSL's growth will require not only significant investment but also a deeper understanding of the different types of fans. She identified three distinct groups: hardcore supporters, fans who attend men's games but bring their families to women's matches, and a third group that she compared to "Swifties"—fans who became interested in women's football through the Lionesses and are not yet deeply tied to the men's game.

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Taylor Swift (@taylorswift)

"In the middle, you have a fan that’s come in through the Lionesses, untethered to the men’s game. They’re not tribal and they’re learning about us. They’re trying to find highlights, they love the players, and that’s the biggest group that the football ecosystem doesn’t know enough about. That’s your ‘Taylor Swift fanbase’ for that particular analogy. And I don’t think anyone talks to them in the way that we need to. We have a responsibility to.”

Doucet acknowledged that growing the women's game presents unique challenges compared to the men's game. She pointed out that women’s football has to work harder to prove its return on investment, even though it has stats comparable to other sports and brands.

"It’s harder than I thought. Because women’s football has to do more to prove the return on investment... It’s different to men’s football. It’s easy to sell men’s football today," she said.

The WSL is set to kick off the 2024-25 season in September, starting with a high-profile match between Arsenal and Manchester City. Defending champions Chelsea will face Aston Villa as they begin a new chapter following the departure of long-time manager Emma Hayes.