I was disappointed by Everton turnout after Liverpool legends game – but answer is provided by Arsenal

Less than 10,000 people attended the Women’s Merseyside derby at Goodison Park, but it is not as easy as blaming the club.

Less than 10,000 watched Sunday’s Women’s Merseyside derby

Spirit of the Blues, the club’s comeback anthem, was a well-received pre-match selection for this weekend’s Women’s Merseyside derby.

While 9,457 fans showed up to watch Everton and Liverpool battle it out at the Grand Old Lady, it is unfortunate that more people did not heed the song’s rallying cry to ‘get down to Goodison Park’. A game that, in the words of Reds manager Matt Beard, “didn’t feel like a derby” was made possible by the stark difference in gate attendance from the same fixture last season, which was a club record of 22,161.

Nonetheless, there are a few significant mitigating factors for the decline in ticket sales. Just 57% of the 22,161 tickets that were sold by Everton last term were given away for free to different local businesses and schools. The ECHO is aware that this year’s plan did not include giving away free tickets out of concern that some fans might come to believe that going to women’s games is not something they have to pay for.

It is undoubtedly difficult to argue against that strategy. Women’s Super League (WSL) tickets are a valuable product, and not charging for them devalues it—despite the opinions of cynics—into the bargain bin. Fifteen of the twenty-two players who took the field on Sunday afternoon are complete internationals. Many are top-tier athletes who have competed for their nation in World Cups and European Championships.

Not to mention, women’s football is one of the world’s most lucrative and rapidly expanding sports. A major review of the women’s game was chaired by former Lioness Karen Carney, who predicted that the sport could become a “billion pound industry” in the next ten years.

Therefore, it is only fair that clubs—especially those that are navigating rough financial waters—seek to maximize the revenue from their women’s teams. It is also acknowledged that, even with the difference in attendance, Everton made about the same amount of money from Sunday’s game as they did from the Goodison derby the previous year.

“I hope everyone who attended had a great time,” Blues manager Brian Sorensen stated in his press conference following the game. Naturally, our goal is to expand the game to its maximum potential.

“Why there weren’t more (fans) at 1pm on a Sunday is beyond me; there ought to be. In the stands, I noticed a lot of families. However, I was just glad that it was enjoyable to play and that there was a good crowd and atmosphere.”

Nearly every WSL team could be criticized for their inability to regularly draw sizable crowds. Only Arsenal, who account for five of the league’s top attendances, have proven they can consistently sell out the stadium that corresponds to their position in the Premier League.

By the time this season ends, the Gunners will have spent more time at the Emirates than at Meadow Park, where Arsenal Women have called home for more than 30 years, for their WSL home games. In their last two north London games, they have sold over 60,000 tickets apiece, but this kind of success has not happened overnight.

The idea behind the ‘Home Advantage Packs’ this season, which give supporters tickets to five WSL games at the Emirates for £50, has proven to be a brilliant move for Arsenal, as it has allowed them to cultivate a devoted fan base and encourage repeat business. Over 12,000 of the packs have been sold, demonstrating the potential benefits of cultivating a relationship with devoted followers.

That is, in fact, thought to be another reason Everton decided not to give away free tickets this season, as they can now identify the fans who would like to see a women’s match. This allows them more leeway to build rapport with those supporters and entice them to more WSL games, whether they are played at Goodison or at Walton Hall Park, the home field of the Blues.

It’s also critical to note that, despite their deserving of great credit for the fan base they have built, Arsenal does have a number of significant advantages over many WSL teams. Although this may seem like a no-brainer, the fact that they are based in London, a city with a population nearly 20 times larger than Liverpool’s, immediately increases the marketability of their games.

The social media followings of Everton Women and Arsenal also differ significantly. For instance, the Gunners have 1.9 million more Instagram followers than the Blues do (120.4k), and the situation is similar on Twitter (722,8k vs. 59.4k). No matter how extensive your marketing plan, if only a small percentage of people are consuming your content, it will be more difficult to attract large audiences.

There’s also the distinction between the two clubs’ present environments to take into account. The women’s team has placed in the top three of the WSL for each of the previous six seasons, while Arsenal is presently leading the Premier League and has advanced to the quarterfinals of the Champions League.

Sorensen’s team has only won one WSL home game this season, and Everton is currently 16th in the Premier League. Get bums on seats is much easier when there is a near-certainty that your team will win. The women’s team’s cause this weekend will not have been aided by the understandable apathy that has begun to consume a large portion of the Blues fan base in recent months.

“Considering Sunday’s attendance, we sold out our allotment and I know we wanted more for our fans,” LFC president Beard stated. It’s excellent for us. When you’re winning, fans come to the games; sometimes, though, they don’t. I’m not sure, but I’m thinking it might be because Everton has had an inconsistent season. Our fans have been amazing all year, and we have sold out of our allocation. We are grateful that our fans used up all of our allocation.

The Reds draw larger crowds each week than Everton and drew over 23,000 for the Merseyside derby in October. The team plays the majority of its home games at Prenton Park. However, they are also far from regularly selling out Premier League stadiums.

Of course, it’s also critical to keep in mind the financial cost associated with supporting your football team across the nation. Travel and lodging expenses remain the same even though WSL tickets are significantly less expensive than those in the men’s top flight. Additionally, while it may seem like the ideal opportunity to hold a major women’s match at a “men’s” stadium on a rare weekend without Premier League football, for some supporters it’s an opportunity to save money or simply spend more time with their families.

Nevertheless, the attendance of nearly 60,000 spectators at Anfield on Saturday to witness the LFC legends play Ajax is evidence enough that this football-crazed city’s appetite for the beautiful game never seems to wane. In light of this, it is only to be hoped that more supporters will choose to sate their appetites at a WSL match when the next Merseyside derby is held.