More than 1,000 pubs have signed up to BT’s Red Lioness Pledge, which aims to inspire venues to show more women’s football and help create support for the game.
Launched in November last year, the Red Lioness Pledge asks pubs and clubs around the UK to commit to screening all women’s football matches live, from the FA WSL through to internationals featuring the Lionesses, as well as creating inclusive and welcoming environments for women’s football fans.
Stonegate Pub Company, which hosted a screening of the Lionesses’ match versus Japan in the SheBelieves Cup at one of its London venues, has committed 150 of its pubs to the Pledge. Stonegate joins Greene King and dozens of independent pubs to get behind the Red Lioness Pledge.
Bruce Cuthbert, director, commercial customers BT Sport said: “With Stonegate’s support this weekend, 1,000 pubs have now joined BT’s The Red Lioness Pledge. Women’s football is a great opportunity for pubs and clubs to appeal to as wide an audience as possible, and I’d urge all pubs to join the Pledge by visiting btsportprint.co.uk/redlioness.”
Stephen Cooper, Sports Marketing Manager, Stonegate, said: “Sport is our true passion and we’re committed to providing the ultimate venues for fans to watch their favourite games. We’ve also pledged to drive our own support for women’s sport in pubs, by inviting our managers to commit to the Red Lioness pledge in partnership with BT. This means that each of our pubs will be going the extra mile to get behind the Women’s Super League and England Women’s Team – it’s fantastic to see so many partners join the cause. We can’t wait to get behind the Lionesses.”
Denise Coyne, of independent pub The Sibthorpe Arms, said: “The Red Lioness is a really positive initiative. It shows that football is not just about the men and that the women are doing great things too. We show the games and have developed a solid fan base for it.”
This season is BT Sport’s biggest season of women’s football yet, with more matches than ever before. Over the whole season, BT Sport will broadcast at least 30 live women’s football matches including the Lionesses, Barclays FA Women’s Super League, FA Women’s Continental League Cup and the Women’s FA Cup.
