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Arsenal supporters may now be accustomed to packing the Emirates Stadium for women\u2019s matches but the experience of playing in front of tens of thousands remains \u201csurreal\u201d to veteran Jen Beattie.<\/p>\n
The Glaswegian returned for a second spell with the Gunners in 2019 having previously won a league title, two FA Cups and a pair of League Cups in a four-year stint between 2009 to 2013.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday, Arsenal announced 40,000 tickets have already been sold for their Women\u2019s Super League encounter with defending champions Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium on December 10 \u2013 a figure which is becoming a regular occurrence rather than any kind of novel development.<\/p>\n
Despite the large attendances becoming more routine, Beattie admitted to the PA news agency: \u201cThey\u2019re still exciting. I don\u2019t think it will ever not be.<\/p>\n
\u201cI mean I\u2019m 32, I\u2019ve been in the game for a long time, I\u2019ve played in front of crowds that aren\u2019t that big, so to still be a part of it now and to see the crowd numbers growing and becoming consistent is surreal, to be honest.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut it\u2019s credit to the club, the way that they\u2019ve pushed the funding behind the marketing, behind games, and of course, the fans that have bought into what we\u2019re trying to do.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think selling out the Emirates will ever become normal for me. It will be just as surreal and just as exciting every single time. I don\u2019t think I\u2019ll ever get used to that.\u201d<\/p>\n
The numbers speak for themselves. On October 1, Arsenal set a new WSL attendance record of 54,115 when they played Liverpool at the Emirates in their league opener, following that up with over 35,000 against Aston Villa two weeks later.<\/p>\n
Including the upcoming Chelsea contest, each of Arsenal\u2019s WSL matches at the Emirates Stadium since the start of the 2022-23 season \u2013 after several members of the squad lifted the Euro 2022 trophy with England \u2013 have generated crowds of at least 35,000, the club also ticking off a first sell-out at the stadium for last season\u2019s Champions League semi-final.<\/p>\n
The PA news agency understands Arsenal have also experienced a 314 per cent year-on-year increase in total ticket sales for women\u2019s games between the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons.<\/p>\n
Beattie can uniquely speak to what her club is doing behind the scenes. In 2022, the cancer survivor signed an extension that also saw her adopt a dual role which involves mentoring academy players and working with Arsenal\u2019s commercial and partnerships teams.<\/p>\n
We don’t want to completely emulate the men’s game<\/p>\n
She said: \u201cIt\u2019s important for them to see how much the women\u2019s side actually want to be involved in those big decisions, making the staff aware [that] we really value having an impact, because we care about it.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think that men\u2019s football went on at such a fast growth so many years ago, but we wanted to kind of tailor it. I think we all just have a responsibility that we\u2019re part of the big change that\u2019s happening.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are so many similarities to men\u2019s football, but there are so many differences, and I think it\u2019s about things we want to make different as well. We don\u2019t want to completely emulate the men\u2019s game.\u201d<\/p>\n
Arsenal skipper Kim Little and vice-captain Leah Williamson have also been active in consultations about next year\u2019s plan to move the WSL and Women\u2019s Championship into an independent \u2018NewCo\u2019, which will result in a restructure of power in a move similar to the Premier League\u2019s 20-club governance model.<\/p>\n
Beattie, meanwhile, has been serving as a Scottish FA and McDonald\u2019s grassroots ambassador, and believes striking the right balance between enjoyment and opportunity is pivotal when it comes to keeping girls in the game past their primary school years, when a 2022 Women in Sport survey found 43 per cent who once considered themselves \u2018sporty\u2019 drop out.<\/p>\n
She added: \u201cIt is still a very male-dominated sport, but I think as long as fun is the number-one aspect, making it not too stressful, I think that\u2019s what keeps kids in it, and creating a pathway up to professionalisation (and) giving support to schools, to education.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs long as there\u2019s a pathway and an opportunity for kids to stick to, that\u2019s the most important thing.\u201d<\/p>\n
:: Jen Beattie was speaking at the annual Scottish FA Grassroots Awards in partnership with McDonald\u2019s Fun Football. The awards recognise volunteers who are dedicated to making a real difference to community football in Scotland.<\/p>\n