Nikki Doucet’s Post

The transfer of ownership of the Barclays Women's Super League and Barclays Women's Championship to the new independent company, Women's Professional Leagues Limited (WPLL), marks a significant milestone for women's football in England. This move is expected to drive transformational and sustainable growth, making women's football more competitive and entertaining for players and fans alike. WPLL, led by CEO Nikki Doucet (former Nike director), is dedicated solely to women's professional football, ensuring that all efforts and resources are directed towards the growth and development of the women's game. This focused approach is likely to result in significant advancements in the sport, benefiting players, clubs, and supporters. One of the key aspects of this transition is the involvement of each club in the top two tiers as shareholders in WPLL. This fosters a sense of ownership and collaboration among the clubs, which is crucial for the collective growth of the league. Additionally, the Premier League's support through a cooperation and funding agreement will provide the necessary resources to elevate the women's game to new heights. This increased investment is expected to enhance the quality of the league, attract more talent, and improve the overall infrastructure of women's football in England. Furthermore, the new company aims to build a vibrant fan community by leveraging the distinctive qualities and values of women's football. The focus on creating a thriving landscape that prioritizes player welfare and development ensures long-term, sustainable growth for the sport. The mission to build the most distinctive, competitive, and entertaining women's football club competition in the world will enhance the global standing of English women's football. This strategic shift builds on the unprecedented growth of women's football in recent years, marked by increased participation at all levels and significant achievements on the international stage.

Oregon Ravens Womens Football This past year has been a blur and as 2024 is now well under way this felt like a good time to share a new adventure I am on and attempt to rally support. About a month ago I was welcomed into the leadership ranks of the Oregon Ravens Womens Football team as their new Director of Operations. The Oregon Ravens are members of the WNFC. Since joining this venture, I have quickly learned that way more support and attention is needed for yet another women's sport. As I watched Superbowl 58 last night, shouting and cheering at the TV, I couldn't help but think about how amazing it would be for the women that play this exact same sport to get the same level of support, attention and visibility. The commitment from players is as close to equal as you can. The commitment of time is the same. The commitment of mind and body is the same. The element of risk to personal health is the same. The commitment of passion and love of the game is the same. Now you might be thinking wait a minute... there is no way a division 2 player in a women's league is putting as much into the sport that they love as a pro men's team player. However, how many pro men players are working a full time second job? How many pro players are having to pay for the honor to play for their team? How many pro players are having to pick up equipment and trash off of the field when their game is over? How many Board Members of pro teams are working as volunteers in the snack shack during games to make sure fans are fed and cared for? For the women athletes that compete they are all working a second job to support their addiction to women's football. Some are traveling for several hours after a full day of work just to get to the field for practice, only to train for a few hours and turn around and head home before it starts all over again. What is not the same: The commitment of personal financial contribution to play the sport we love is not the same. The time available to commit to the sport is not the same. The stress regarding finances is not the same. What happens when a player is injured is not the same. Access to training facilities is not the same. Access to personal trainers, doctors and fitness coaches is not the same. As a former international athlete, I experienced these inequities and accepted it as the cost of getting to do what you love. Now that I am on the other side of my playing years, I want to help raise awareness and support for women's sport! More specifically Womens Football. If you or someone you know is interested in partnering with me to gather resources, sharing training facilities, assist in raising funds, or just showing up to support your local Womens Football team to carry on the shouting and cheering insighted by Superbowl 58 then reach out, share this post, go to our website oregonravens.com, or join us for our hour-a-thon tonight at: buynowcc.com/hourathon or text DONATION to 44944.

I was interested to see this story this morning. Can I add a little caveat? This is fantastic, of course it is. But that doesn't mean the work is done - the work is just starting. Setting up a girls' team is the first step. Now how are you going to support them through to senior football? Are you offering recreational football as well as a competitive pathway? Are your female players getting the same resources as your men when it comes to training space and time? Are the coaches available? Are there volunteers on hand to get the behind-the-scenes work done? Are you as a club showcasing your women's and girls' achievements just as much as you do the men? Are you investing as much in your women and girls as you do the men? Essentially, are the women and girls as important to you as the men? Because if not, this flurry of teams will disappear, and another generation of female players and enthusiasts will be lost to the game. Again. (I write about a lot of these and related issues in 'Woman Up: Pitches, Pay and Periods - The Progress and Potential of Women's Football'!)

⚽️🏆 The countdown to the 24/25 Women’s Super League and Women’s Championship season has begun! With the Women's Professional Game now independently running the leagues, I am excited about the positive changes ahead for women's football. Expect new broadcast deals, increased brand and sponsorship opportunities, and enhanced club guidance. 📈 Exciting developments are already underway. London City Lionesses under Michele Kang's ownership, introduced Swedish captain Kosovare Asllani as a new signing, alongside Jocelyn Precheur as the team's new manager. The club is also investing in a new training ground and home stadium. 🚩 In contrast, some clubs are moving in the wrong direction. Manchester United's decision to prioritise the Men's team over the Women's by relocating them from their training facilities is disheartening. It's crucial to highlight such disparities in support for women's football, sending a negative message to aspiring young female players worldwide. Let's amplify this conversation to ensure equitable treatment across all clubs and support the growth of women's football. It’s time to advocate for equal opportunities and resources for women in sports. #WomenInFootball #EqualityInSports

Just following on from the small piece I did with EssentiallySports As the US Men's National Team (USMNT) grapples with challenges, pointing fingers solely at Coach Gregg Berhalter is a superficial analysis. The true source of the team's difficulties lies within the US Soccer Federation, a dysfunctional agent fostering closed leagues, hindering investment, and prioritizing MLS control over genuine progress. Their system is far from inclusive and killed a couple of hundred American professional clubs over the last 30 years. The appointment of Berhalter carries a whiff of nepotism, and the federation's decision to dismiss and rehire him speaks volumes about their lack of foresight. Rather than seeking a transformative leader, the federation seems content with a "yes man" catering to MLS interests, potentially at the expense of the team's success. Jurgen Klinsmann's tenure, characterized by a willingness to take risks and and ask questions, unsettled the federation, resulting in an ultra risk-averse approach that impedes the team's growth. The recent flirtation with Jesse Marsch, an MLS-centric figure, underscores the lack of ambition in the federation's choices, evident in Marsch's questionable record at Leeds. I predict Marsch will get the USMNT job once the American fans put pressure on and lose patience with Berhalter. Despite the opportunity to enlist distinguished South American coaches like Marcelo Bielsa and Marcelo Gallardo, the federation opted for mediocrity, showing a disregard for winning mentalities and proven track records in favor of maintaining the status quo. The US Soccer Federation had a once in a generation opportunity hosting the World Cup in 2026 and could have had a real chance with home support if they prepared proactively. The focus on developing a top-down system, particularly with abundant creative youth talent, has been an oversight for the federation. American soccer should spotlight the best players, emphasizing technical prowess and emulating South American play, rather than adhering to a rigid German model that is limiting and not playing to the countries strengths. Embracing immigrant kids with exceptional skills should be a priority, as negligence perpetuates a culture that neglects emerging talents and diminishes the chances of international success. In essence, the USMNT's struggles are symptomatic of a deeper issue within the US Soccer Federation – a lack of vision, an aversion to risk, and a blatant disregard for cultivating a winning culture. The call for change is not just warranted; it is imperative for the future of American soccer

Diversity, inclusion and representation in sport, at all levels needs to be front and centre through governance and regulation - left to its own devices, there will be no meaningful change. https://lnkd.in/ebirphwj

The language you use says a lot about you as an organisation. Even the titles you give members of your team. So choose your words carefully. There’s been a shift in Grand Slam tennis to use the term “ballkids”, to describe the young people that collect the balls on court, during matches. But on the eve of Wimbledon, the All England Club announced it was sticking with the gender-specific terms ball “boys” and “girls”. Whether you agree or disagree with that decision, it’s a really interesting example of an organisation that has a clear idea of where they want to position themselves in the market. (“Traditional” is probably a fair description.) And, most importantly, an example of how to demonstrate your position. It can be something as simple as the language you use. Understanding the market position you want to occupy is really important, for any organisation. It gives your customers a clear expectation of what you have to offer - and why they should choose you. In a competitive market, that’s really powerful. So there are a couple of things you should consider, in your organisation: - What is the position you want to occupy in your market? - How can you demonstrate that position? If you would like to have a chat about your market position and how to change it, I’d be very happy to have a conversation. I’ve been doing this for thirty years, so I'm always happy to share some of that experience. I make time in my diary every week for these conversations, so please do book a call: https://lnkd.in/eYwGAwNH #Brand #Wimbledon #MarketPosition

I was dropping my kids off at school today and heard two elementary school boys arguing about basketball- specifically if Caitlin Clark is better than LeBron James. It was a lively debate. I know that this is because of the media coverage she has been getting- something that women's sports have struggled with historically. This kind of representation in the media is critical to keep girls in the game. Sports can be a game changer for so many reasons: 1. Empowerment: Sports build confidence and empower women to challenge societal norms and stereotypes. 2. Leadership Skills: Sports help women develop leadership abilities through teamwork and decision-making. 3. Health and Well-being: Sports promote physical fitness and overall well-being, leading to healthier futures. 4. Networking: Sports provide opportunities to connect with like-minded individuals, creating valuable networks. 5. Breaking Barriers: Women's involvement in sports breaks down gender barriers and opens doors to new opportunities. Congrats to Caitlin Clark and to the droves of girls who will follow behind her after seeing what she can do.

Heartbreaking news today to read that Wellington Phoenix Football Club vice-captain Chloe Knott has reluctantly made the difficult decision to step away from her professional football role due to it no longer being sustainable for her to manage both her sporting career and a full-time job off the pitch. This further evidences the ongoing challenge to date that many of our own local female athletes are not equitably treated to the professionalism that they are deserving of in order to commit to full time careers in sport. Sadly, it demonstrates a large gap that still exists even after a period of success in women’s football following the FIFA Women’s World Cup just earlier this year.  Even after sell-out games from the tournament demonstrating the appetite to spectate and support women’s football in our country, our local investment still falls short. Notably, the A-league salary cap for our local teams shows a stark gap between the average earnings of the women comparative to the men, with a $2.5 million cap on the men’s side and $600K for the women’s squad. Without any significant upfront investment in the women’s game, growth cannot occur, and the perpetual cycle of funding vs revenue continues for women’s sport which will see more instances of incredible athletes just like Chloe having to make an unnecessary and damaging decision.   The time really is right now, we have momentum on the back of the world cup, a heightened interest in the game and visibility of our female football stars – capitalising on this momentum is essential to the long term growth of women’s football and women’s sport in a wider sense. There needs to be meaningful and manageable systemic change occurring in sport through equitable investment, targeted strategy, brave and ambitious leadership underpinned by safe, fair and inclusive environments and programmes to really change the future for wāhine/women and kōhine/girls in Aotearoa. My hope is that 2024 is the year that sees a real shift in equitable opportunities and outcomes for wāhine/women and kōhine/girls in sport and active recreation, and that the momentum from 2023 is elevated and truly amplified so that progress is maintained and sustained long term. Sarah Leberman MNZM Julie Paterson Susan Sawbridge Mary Gardiner Caroline Wethey Jon TK Erin Roxburgh Tim Corbett Mere Rangihuna Jayne Jordan Pam Elgar ONZM MInstD Women in Sport Aotearoa WOMENZSPORTS Merran Brockie-David Sarah Sinclair  

𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐏𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐮𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐀𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐒𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 Read More: https://bityl.co/O4Fi #WomenInSports #sportswomen #womensports #womensuccess #successfulwomen #NewsUpdate #NewsUpdate #SportsNews #newsdaily