The W-League and WNPL are unable to sustain the weight of talent searching for professional opportunities, and without action, Australian football may begin to haemorrhage its best and brightest.
Conversely, Canberra are the only stand-alone W League club at the moment.
The question is, can Australian football afford to expand the W League? At the moment, the W League revenue streams are very low. The costs of running a W League club are rising with wages understandably increasing as females justifiably demand fair pay.
The realistic answer is no it can’t afford it, but another reality is that it must find a way. With AFLW and women’s Big Bash cricket getting bigger and more popular, football needs to find a way to open up more lucrative opportunities for females.
Pickett, who spent much of last year playing for the University of Wyoming in America on a scholarship, admits the threat posed by other sports is something that footballing authorities need to consider.
“We are already behind the new AFLW bargaining agreement that was announced recently," she said.
"Money isn’t the main reason I play, but it’s a good way to show us we are appreciated. Soccer has so much potential, we just need the investment.”
The good news is that things are happening now that mean this investment may be possible in the future. Clubs are selling W League only memberships. A-League memberships give free entry to W-League games.
The announcement earlier this month that every W League game will be covered by Fox Sports, as well as 14 games beamed live on ABC, is also a step forward for the women’s game. Every game will also be live on the My Football App as well as Kayo.
All of this means that elite level female footballers now have the opportunity to attract more fans at the gate or at home in their lounge rooms, giving them a great chance to generate more revenue.
Justifiably so, as many female footballers have complained in the past they don’t get the same opportunity to make money like their male counterparts.
“The new TV deal is exciting,” said Pickett. “It means more exposure as well as more money. Now the ball is in our court to make our game better.”
The more revenue generated, the more motivation there is for Football Federation Australia (FFA) to grow the W League to 10, 11 or even 12 teams.
This is important to the NPLW system as well, as players will have more opportunities to make it to the big time. This will only encourage players to work hard, stay in the system and improve their product - that is, female soccer. It’s a logical cycle.
It’s the only way forward. The numbers don’t lie, 74 doesn’t go into nine.
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