The BBC and Sky Sports have renewed their rights deal with the Women’s Super League for the 2024/25 season.The pair originally acquired the rights in 2021, and that agreement had been set to end with the current campaign. The competition’s viewership has grown since the deal began, with record audiences for both broadcasters reported this season and the recent Manchester derby reaching a peak of nearly 600,000 and an average audience of 485,000 on Sky Sports.The additional year will see Sky Sports and Now broadcast up to 44 matches, up from a minimum of 35 in the first deal. Sky Sports managing director Jonathan Licht said: “It’s a hugely exciting time for women’s football in this country. Extending our partnership with the Women’s Super League with more matches than any other broadcaster is fantastic news for Sky Sports customers. Audiences have increased hugely over recent years and we’re proud of our contribution to the growth of the game and women’s sport more broadly, showing 70% of all live action last year on our channels.”Meanwhile, the BBC will again show 22 live games, with at least 18 of those shown through BBC1 and BBC2. All BBC fixtures will be available on iPlayer. Philip Bernie, interim director of BBC Sport, said: “Women’s football has reached unprecedented heights, with the Lionesses’ huge international successes at the Women’s Euros and World Cup, and a terrific contest for this season’s WSL title. We are pleased that BBC Sport will continue to showcase the great excitement of our domestic league by extending our partnerships with the Women’s Super League.”The BBC will also have regular highlights on The Women’s Football Show and across the BBC Sport website, social channels, and app, as well as continue running the Women’s Football Weekly podcast hosted by Ben Haines and England international Ellen White. Sky Sports will also have wraparound content to go with its live fixtures.Nikki Doucet, CEO for the Women’s Super League and Women’s Championship, said: “We’re very pleased that Sky Sports and BBC Sport are continuing their broadcast rights partnership with us for a further season.“The past three years have been incredibly exciting for the women’s game - each broadcaster’s coverage of the Barclays Women’s Super League has helped to take the game to another level and open it up to new audiences, and we’re looking forward to seeing that continue and momentum build as we move into a standalone entity.”WSL chair Dawn Airey said earlier this season that the WSL hopes to become the first women’s football league with club and league revenues over £1 billion.
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