Introduction to the New Season
When Bayern Munich takes on Bayer Leverkusen in the Allianz Arena on Saturday evening, it will be more than just the start to the season. Over 50,000 tickets have already been sold, which has affected the league’s dynamics. The midfielder of Bavaria, Georgia Stanway, expressed her astonishment at the opportunity, stating that having 50,000 tickets sold is incredible. She emphasized the need for entertaining football to involve the fans.
A Landmark Season for the Bundesliga
This season will be a landmark for the league, with more Bundesliga games being broadcast on free television throughout the season than ever before. The opening game will be broadcast on the German public broadcaster ARD, in addition to Magenta Sport and DAZN. Despite the positivity surrounding the new season, questions remain about the league’s competitiveness compared to others, such as the Women’s Super League (WSL) in Great Britain and the National Women’s Super League (NWSL) in the USA.
The Bundesliga Expansion Comes with Risks
The league expansion was announced in June 2024 by the German Football Association (DFB), following a growing interest in women’s football after Euro 2022 and the 2023 World Cup. This season, 10 free games will be shown on the public broadcaster ARD/ZDF, and every Monday evening, games will be available live on free-to-air Sport1. All 182 league games will also be displayed on the paid online streaming platform DAZN. Although domestic TV rights rose by 16% compared to the previous deal, the cycle for the period from 2023-24 to 2026-27 was a modest €5.2 million per year.
Infrastructure Challenges
The infrastructure remains a problem, with Bavaria’s campus having a capacity of only 2,500 and Wolfsburg’s AOK stadium having a capacity of 5,200. This limits the scope of the Bundesliga visitor destination for marquee games. While Bayern and Wolfsburg can occasionally use the Allianz or Volkswagen Arena, these are not regular events.
Competitiveness of the Bundesliga Remains Questionable
Since the 2013/14 season, only Bayern Munich and Wolfsburg have lifted the league trophy. Bayern completed their first domestic double last season by dethroning Wolfsburg in the German Cup. The chase makes some standards, with Eintracht Frankfurt ending in the Champions League places for three years and recently investing millions in training facilities. They added the Australian international Hayley Raso this summer to strengthen their attack alongside Nicole Anyomi.
WSL Dominated by Chelsea
The England WSL has recorded rapid growth in recent years, with three of the five highest transfer fees of all time spent this year alone. However, the league faces a similar problem in a lack of competitiveness, with Chelsea winning six titles in a row. The league has managed to transform dominance into growth, with Arsenal’s Champions League win and the decision to host all league games in the Emirates Stadium this season reflecting the increasing demand.
NWSL Better Built for Competitive Parity
In contrast, the NWSL based in the USA is structured to avoid dominance, with a single table format and a playoff with eight teams, allowing more clubs to realistically compete. The league thrives financially, with a broadcast contract of €240 million and over 2 million fans. Most clubs play in stadiums with capacities over 15,000, offering a larger space for growth.
Conclusion
Compared to the WSL and the NWSL, the Bundesliga still plays an opaque income, visibility, and depth. However, German football has the infrastructure, player base, and fan passion. The record attendance this weekend shows that the demand is there, and the league can use its expansion to transform into a competitive product from week to week, making fans return.
