WSL is about to start looking incredibly ‘Premier League’ – just how big a problem is that?

At Kingsmeadow, a video display showed a brief overview of Emma Hayes' tenure at Chelsea FC, including the growth of the fanbase from a few thousand at a smaller venue to selling out stadiums. However, this compressed retelling may give the impression that success came easy, which is not the case. Hayes has consistently emphasized that the story began with humble beginnings, specifically with the club providing only a single chair and an office, with no additional infrastructure.

During Hayes' final weeks as manager of Chelsea, she will likely reflect on the impact she has had on the women's game. Chelsea Women have been the most successful team in the professional era and are seen as an example to others. It was evident on Sunday that the team has outgrown their stadium, not just because they were scoring so quickly, but also demonstrated their dominance on the field. Fans were even rating their goals on a scale of five stars via their app.

Chelsea and similar teams serve as the perfect example. The establishment of the WSL and its transition to a professional league during the 2018-19 season solidified the formula: the most victorious teams are those associated with Premier League clubs that are willing to provide financial support for their women's clubs until they become profitable. Let's ponder this notion further: would England be crowned champions at the Euros in 2022 if Emma Hayes never took over as Chelsea's coach? What if Manchester City did not join the Women's Super League in 2011 or if Manchester United did not do so until 2018? What if only the top four teams in the league could afford to be full-time professionals instead of it being the bare minimum standard?

It's possible that there were no other options available. Nowadays, it is quite challenging to picture the WSL without a Sky broadcast contract or the boost in popularity following the Euros. Furthermore, it is even more challenging to contemplate all of these outcomes without the fundamental support of money. However, with the benefit of hindsight, there are consequences. In the upcoming season, the WSL will consist solely of teams associated with Premier League clubs. Bristol City, who are set to face Chelsea and have already been relegated, were the last piece of the puzzle. Crystal Palace are waiting in the wings to replace them.

Last season, Reading's women's team was not doing very well and they were demoted to the very competitive Women's Championship league. This caused the team to receive major budget cuts, which is a common situation. However, Bristol City is taking a different approach. Next season, they will be hosting all of their Women's Championship home games at Ashton Gate. This is because they had a great season with more than 7,000 fans attending their games on average. They earned over half a million dollars in ticket sales which is the highest outside of the top four teams.

Reading got demoted from WSL in the previous season and had their funding reduced (Eddie Keogh - The FA via Getty Images).

The game played by City in front of their home crowd against Manchester United witnessed 14,000 spectators, whereas only 6,000 came to witness an important relegation match against West Ham. When they played in the Championship league recently, their games held at the Robins High Performance Centre saw the highest average attendance as compared to other teams in the league.

It is evident that the City team has adopted a unique approach that has resulted in increased attendance, indicating its effectiveness. Despite being relegated, losing 17 out of 21 matches speaks volumes about the challenges of excelling in the WSL's existing financial framework. However, this doesn't imply that the foundation that Bristol City has established is irrelevant or doesn't hold promise.

If a club is determined to win over its supporters, they can look towards Bristol City as an example.

NewCo, which is set to take over managing the WSL from the FA next season, has been given the responsibility of analyzing the current situation and determining its impact on a sport that has traditionally experienced highs and lows, exemplified by Charlton Athletic and Notts County's histories. The sport's decision to relegate Doncaster Belles to the second tier to accommodate the newly-formed Manchester City Women in 2013 was a symbol of its integration with men's football, and NewCo must now determine if, when, and how to separate the two. For now, clubs such as Chelsea and Manchester City reign supreme on the field, and it may take many years before this trend changes.

Karen Carney, who led the review on women's football in 2023, and NewCo, the company responsible for implementing changes, suggest that the sport needs to explore new ways of making money. This means that women's football might have to adopt innovative approaches to succeed. Nikki Doucet, CEO of NewCo, compared women's football to a start-up, where it can pave its own path rather than following in the footsteps of men's football's 100-year history. However, Carney warned that financial stability may require a more gradual approach to growth than seen in the men's game.

Chelsea has won four league titles in a row and there is a possibility that they might win a fifth one. This is an indication of how firmly established the hierarchy is in the Women's Super League. NewCo's ability to disrupt this hierarchy will determine their success. It remains to be seen if they have the capability to change the status quo, or if the league is already too similar to the Premier League to make that happen.

(First picture: Adam Davy/PA Images via Getty Images) Rewrite the above sentence in simpler English: (First picture: Adam Davy/PA Images via Getty Images)