With participation and attendance rising, a new approach is needed for sports facilities and venues that not only accommodate but celebrate women’s sports from grassroots to elite level, writes Nina Lloyd, director of planning at Turley
Women’s domestic sport in the UK last year commanded almost 48m viewers. With both an increase in participation and fan engagement, including record-breaking attendance at games across multiple sports, planning for the women’s game should be rising to the top of organisations’ and clubs’ agendas.
Despite the demand for additional sports infrastructure across the UK, much of our existing facilities are outdated or inadequate to accommodate need. Women’s sport requires a new approach – one that recognises the distinct needs and opportunities of women’s teams, from elite and top-tier facilities to grassroots clubs, to accommodate rising diversity of participation.
Shared spaces or dedicated women’s sports facilities?
Is there a genuine need to build new, purpose-built and dedicated venues for women’s teams, or should some of our existing venues and training facilities support an intensification of use?
Sharing existing stadiums and facilities offers immediate access to world-class infrastructure, but can teams afford a compromise in fixtures? By expanding and evolving our existing sport infrastructure, alongside more holistic scheduling, we could see, for example, a stadium being utilised more across the week, presenting the opportunity to
test the business case for standalone women’s sports facilities.
However, with men’s teams currently having priority at these venues due to a packed fixtures calendar, a separate challenge arises regarding the ability to maintain the required quality of playing surfaces.
A recent Financial Times report on WSL clubs, for instance, confirmed that women’s teams will play just three of their 11 home games in main stadiums this season, with only two teams playing there full-time.
Evidence indicates a clear demand for standalone women’s venues and facilities. With the Women’s Rugby World Cup later this year already having sold a record-breaking 275,000 tickets, is it a missed opportunity that this cannot be hosted at women’s rugby venues? Are our venues capable of supporting their evolving audiences who are demanding a live experience?
With the UK set to host the 2035 FIFA Women’s World Cup, what better way to support the game than to be the first nation to host an international women’s tournament in women’s purpose-built venues!
Designing for the modern fan
Across all sports, fans are increasingly demanding more from their experience. Dwell time is increasing through fans arriving earlier and staying long after the sporting event has finished, seeking a full day experience.
Wimbledon is a great example of this – spectators may watch only one or two matches, but they spend the entire day immersed in the atmosphere. Smart stadiums could partially address this by leveraging technology to enhance experience, provide additional content and offer interactive opportunities.
This evolving fan behaviour calls for new stadium designs that accommodate longer stays and richer experiences.
Women’s sports are increasingly attracting a different audience to the men’s game. Research shows that more families, younger people and members of the LGBTQ+ community attend women’s events. There is a real opportunity for developers to design new stadiums and facilities to be not only more sustainable but also more inclusive, incorporating enhanced hospitality zones and social areas to encourage and sustain longer dwell time.
Planning as an opportunity
Whether it’s creating new facilities or upgrading existing infrastructure, accommodating the growth of women’s sport will require planning. Navigating the planning system can be complex, but with early collaboration between experts in both the planning and sports sectors, these challenges can be transformed into long-term benefits.
Early engagement of a consultant team will better shape the project, drive efficiencies and create lasting legacies that enhance participation, fan experience and community connection.
With the National Planning Policy Framework supporting the provision of sports venues and facilities and the government committing funding to improving facilities, planning offers the opportunity to create a lasting legacy in the built environment that mirrors the values of women’s sport.
The green future of sports
As women’s sport grows, so does the opportunity to set new standards for sustainability in sports infrastructure. Modern stadiums should be built with energy efficiency, environmental impact and long-term adaptability at their core.
Forest Green Rovers’ eco-stadium – an all-wooden, 5,000-seat venue designed to be the world’s most environmentally friendly sports stadium with an adjacent business park – demonstrates how sustainability and collaboration can go hand in hand, ensuring long-term
environmental and economic viability.
Levelling the playing field
Women’s sport is no longer a developing market – it is well established and growing. To recognise and sustain this momentum, infrastructure must evolve to meet the ambition of the game. Strategic site selection, adaptable design and a focus on inclusivity and sustainability will be key to shaping the future of women’s sport.
The demand is clear, the audience is engaged and the opportunity is here. Through effective planning and investment, we can ensure that women’s sport is not just accommodated but truly celebrated in the built environment.
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