From hype to habit: How leagues and clubs build value in an attention-driven global market

Record-breaking crowds at UEFA Women's EURO 2025 and multiple sold-out UEFA Women's Champions League finals underline the ability of the women's game to capture attention. The next step is turning those moments of excitement into behaviours that bring fans back week after week.

At the Business Case for Women's Football event, Women's Super League CEO Nikki Doucet, Disney+ senior vice president of the Sports EMEA Media Network Frank Rutten, New York Liberty CEO Keia Clarke and Pedro Iriondo, FC Badalona Women CEO, brought perspectives from different markets and stages of development.

Together, they considered how leagues, clubs and broadcasters can encourage regular fan engagement, build experiences for different audiences and work together to turn growing interest into long-term value.

Creating consistency for fans

Turning attention into regular engagement starts with making the product easy to find, follow and enjoy.

"We have to drive visibility and make it as easy as possible to be a fan," Doucet said. "Broadcasters are so important, as is trying to find a predictable kick-off time for women's football."

Rutten also stressed the importance of predictability in relation to building viewing habits.

"The best strategy is not that people only find out a match was played because they saw the result," he said. "People need to know when the match is happening and where it's being played, to create some consistency."

Turning one-off spectators into regular fans was a key topic of discussionSebastian Widmann/Getty Images

Iriondo is tackling the same challenge from a different starting point at FC Badalona Women, where the focus is on removing the barriers that can stop new fans from engaging.

"We're very focused on accessibility," he said. "Where do you buy tickets? Where is the match being played? How do you get there?"

For Clarke, however, getting fans to return is not only about access. It is also about understanding why people want to attend New York Liberty games and creating an experience that appeals to different audiences.

"We strive to be the best summer party in Brooklyn," she said. "Some people come because of the basketball. Some people come because of the mascot. Some people come because we have the game at 2pm on a Sunday and you can bring the kids out."

"Wherever you are, we want to meet you there, and we have something for everybody."

That thinking has shaped everything from ticketing to merchandise, with the Liberty offering both premium and accessible entry points while using fan data to understand what different audiences value.

Working closely with broadcasters can unlock greater visibilityAlex Caparros/Getty Images

Partnerships accelerate progress

The speakers also highlighted the value of working across organisations rather than in isolation.

Doucet stressed how partnerships can not only raise standards but provide commercial value, while Iriondo underlined the role of leagues and broadcasters in creating visibility and a more consistent narrative around the club.

For Clarke, long-term relationships with values-aligned brands have transformed the Liberty's business.

"Our business has been completely transformed by our ability to lock arms with specific brands that want to make long-term investments with us," she said.

Rutten pointed to the importance of the same approach between UEFA, clubs and broadcasters.

"We're not competing with each other; we're working for the same purpose, and that's audience growth."

The message was consistent – capturing attention is only the starting point. Long-term value comes from making women's sport easier to follow, giving fans reasons to return and working together to turn interest into lasting engagement.