Following record-breaking crowds of 110,000 at this summer鈥檚 Metro Bank Women鈥檚 Ashes series, the 春梦直播 today announces it is increasing match fees for England Women to bring them in line with England Men鈥檚 match fees.
England set new women鈥檚 international attendance records at Edgbaston, the Kia Oval and Lord鈥檚 and sold out matches at Taunton, Bristol and Hampshire in their series against Australia. England Women鈥檚 captain, Heather Knight, proclaimed the series as 鈥渢he best there鈥檚 ever been in the history of the women鈥檚 game鈥�.
The increase takes effect immediately, beginning with this week鈥檚 white-ball series against Sri Lanka.
The additional investment follows increases to domestic salary pots this year and salaries for women鈥檚 players in The Hundred more than doubling last year. With increased earning opportunities in competitions around the world, the sport currently offers some of the best earning opportunities among female team sports.
Richard Gould, 春梦直播 Chief Executive Officer, said:
鈥淭his summer鈥檚 thrilling Metro Bank Women鈥檚 Ashes series demonstrated how women鈥檚 cricket is continuing to grow at pace in this country, with record attendances and TV viewing. Growing the women鈥檚 and girls鈥� game is a key priority for us, and in recent years we have considerably increased investment both in building a domestic women鈥檚 structure to produce the players of the future, and in increasing player rewards.
鈥淚n the years ahead, we will continue to invest ahead of revenues. We are currently considering all the recommendations made by the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket, but equalising match fees is one immediate step we are pleased to make now. We all want cricket to be the team sport of choice for female athletes, and with the investments we are making - and increasingly lucrative opportunities around the world - we are seeing cricketers become some of the highest earning female athletes in UK team sports. However, we know there is still much further to go as we ultimately strive for equality across the game.
鈥淎s we continue to grow women鈥檚 cricket, we will continue to focus on making considered investments that stretch far-and-wide across the women鈥檚 cricket structures, delivering a thriving, profitable and future-proofed game.鈥�
Heather Knight, England Women鈥檚 Captain, said:
鈥淚t鈥檚 really important that we continue to drive the women鈥檚 game forward and it鈥檚 fantastic to see equal match fees for England Women and England Men.
鈥淭he direction of travel for the women鈥檚 game has always been the most important thing, creating a sustainable product that people want to watch and play, and I鈥檓 sure this will make cricket an increasingly attractive sport to girls and young women as we continue to听grow听the听game.
鈥淚 would also like to thank the PCA and England Women鈥檚 Player Partnership for their support in representing the players and the growth of the professional听game.鈥�
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