The chief executives of the Football Association, Rugby Football Union, and England and Wales Cricket Board have united with major broadcasters, including Sky Sports and ITV, to petition the UK government for tax credits aimed at enhancing the television coverage of women’s sports. This collective initiative, signed by 25 influential figures, seeks to extend the audio-visual expenditure credit scheme, which currently benefits independent films and children’s television, to encompass women’s sports production.

Sent to Chancellor John Healey on Friday, the letter coincides with the return of the Women’s Super League (WSL), which is now the second-richest league in women’s sports globally, trailing only behind the National Women’s Soccer League in the US. However, the WSL faces significant hurdles in attracting broadcasters in a saturated market. Despite every WSL fixture being broadcast live in the UK this season, the BBC has controversially discontinued its weekly highlights program, The Women’s Football Show.

The joint letter highlights a stark reality: only 13% of televised sport viewed last year involved women, a situation the signatories describe as a market failure with economic and public health repercussions. They argue that enhancing live production of women’s sports will not only meet the growing global demand but also yield substantial economic benefits, increase visibility, and strengthen the UK's position in global sports.

The call for tax credits aims to rectify this imbalance, proposing that similar incentives available to independent film companies could generate £6.5 billion in indirect public health benefits by 2035. The signatories assert that creating a favorable ecosystem for women’s sports production will lead to job creation and significant returns for the Treasury.

In summary, the initiative seeks to foster a more equitable broadcasting landscape, providing women’s sports the attention and resources they deserve.