Chelsea manager Emma Hayes has called on the Women's Super League to have "more ambition" amid mounting concerns that the women's game is hazardously undervaluing itself by consistently playing in small stadia.
More than 37,000 fans packed out Stamford Bridge to watch Chelsea's 3-0 London derby victory over Tottenham Hotspur, which fired the Blues to the top of the WSL table over Arsenal and Manchester United. And Hayes admitted in her post-match press conference that she was "absolutely certain" such displays were further proof that the women's game is swiftly outgrowing its current landscape.
“We'd like to be here more,” Hayes said. “I think we all know that solving the conundrum in the women's game around what do we do from small stadia, you know, is there a medium-term plan to go medium-sized stadiums before eventually everybody comes home to the large stadium? I don't know.
“But I'm absolutely certain we're all outgrowing our small stadiums, that I'm sure off.”
The atmosphere at the Bridge was raucous from the off, celebrating not only Hayes' return to the touchline after a six-week absence but also the 30th birthday of Chelsea Women and a decade under Hayes, in which the Blues have claimed 11 trophies and successive league titles and served as a vanguard for women's football's boom.
And Hayes, who has previously advocated for a more business-like approach to the women's game, emphasised the need to complement the searing growth with better financial investment.
“It's important that there is a business cost to playing," Hayes said.
“I think one of the biggest things that perhaps we don't talk enough about is how cheap women's football is. I really believe we have to increase the overall pricing structure if we're to play more in these places because there is a cost implication of doing it.”
Chelsea currently play at Kingsmeadow and while the team have made the stadium a particularly daunting fortress for oppositions, the ticket prices are hardly eye-watering, with their upcoming Champions League group stage clash against Real Madrid costing just £9 for a general sale ticket, according to the Chelsea website.
“And I think the audiences are there, not for every game [here], but certainly for maybe eight games or 12 games a year. But we have to be more ambitious for ourselves. Because is it too cheap to watch women's football? I think it is, especially for the top games.”
The win over Spurs extended Chelsea's winning run to nine matches in all competitions. The Blues return to action on Wednesday with their Champions League clash against Real Madrid.
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