The Women’s Championship may be rebranded as Women’s Super League 2 starting from the next season, according to a report by the Guardian. This change would see the second tier of English women’s football return to its former name. The division, which is currently positioned below the Women’s Super League in the English football pyramid, was initially named WSL 2 when it was introduced in 2014. It retained this title until it was rebranded as the Women’s Championship prior to the 2018-19 season, coinciding with the switch from a summer to a winter season for domestic women’s football. However, it appears that the division could soon revert to its original name.
Although no final decision has been made regarding this name change, the proposal was first put forward over a month ago, as confirmed by multiple sources. It is believed that the majority of shareholders have given their provisional support following a meeting in October. It has been known since July that the names of the top two leagues might undergo changes. It is expected that the name of the top tier, the WSL, will remain unchanged, unlike the period between 2014 and 2018 when the top tier was labeled WSL 1 alongside WSL 2. Under the latest plan, the “1” would not be reinstated.
The proposed new combination of WSL and WSL 2 from next summer is said to have been tabled to “unify the brands,” according to sources familiar with the discussions. Any change to the second tier’s name would need to pass further legal hurdles before being approved by the new company managing the division, temporarily known as Women’s Professional Leagues Limited. However, it is understood that the proposal has already cleared its first significant hurdle, following the initial shareholders meeting in October. The member clubs are essentially the principal shareholders in the new entity, which took over from the Football Association in running the top two tiers in August.
According to sources, it has also been suggested that the long-term name of the company operating both the Women’s Super League and the second tier could be Women’s Super League Ltd, under the plans being discussed. While no final decision on this potential change has been made, it would further emphasize the WSL from a branding perspective. League officials have previously stated publicly that the name WPLL was merely a temporary company name. The entity was originally referred to as “Newco.” The name of the company is primarily important for administrative purposes.
There are currently 11 teams in the second tier, following Reading’s last-minute withdrawal from the league in June due to financial reasons. However, this number is expected to return to 12 teams next summer. Crystal Palace won the division last season, and Birmingham City currently leads the table this term. The Guardian also exclusively reported on Monday that every match in the second tier will be streamed live on YouTube from next season.
Source link: https://www.theguardian.com
