Posted: 14/04/22
After two years of lockdowns and travel restrictions, 2022 is a bumper year for women’s sport. The world’s appetite for televised women’s sports soared during the pandemic – and the interest shows no signs of disappearing now that fans can travel and stadiums are full again.
Last month’s 91,553 world-record attendance for Barcelona’s UEFA Women’s Champions League match against Real Madrid at Camp Nou underlines the remarkable growth in women’s football – and other sports are catching up.
The ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, UEFA Women’s Euro 2022, and other football, golf, hockey, rugby, and volleyball competitions mean a packed international calendar and extensive requirements for bespoke travel.
Women’s sport in the spotlight
The ability of women’s sport to generate substantial TV rights revenue and draw thousands of fans to live events has been matched by growing commercial sponsorship activity in recent years.
The willingness of broadcasters to invest in more airtime for women’s sport has been matched by big deals from sponsors – for example, Visa’s recent agreement to become the first Global FIFA Women’s Football Partner.
As the gap in men’s and women’s sports revenue begins to close slowly, more significant investment and professionalism are inevitable, including the need to keep athletes at the top of their game.
As with their male counterparts, women’s sport entails a busy schedule with complex logistical arrangements – including international travel requirements for individual players, squads, directors, sponsors, media and fans.
The essential role of air charter
The air charter industry plays an essential role in bespoke sports travel, from small jets for individual athletes to wide-body aircraft for squads or supporter groups.
With travel schedules dictated by the luck of a tournament draw, and individual fixtures subject to delays and extra time, few businesses have as many variables as the sports industry.
A fully-managed charter service offers more convenience and flexibility than scheduled airlines – with more control over timing, flying to and from the most convenient airports.
In addition, the pandemic has led to organisations being more aware of the health risks of travelling and protecting the welfare of athletes.
Heightened security, including implementing protective bubbles for women athletes and teams, has become paramount to many sporting events to meet broadcaster and commercial requirements.
Chartering a private flight enables people to stay together in their group without the need for entering crowded airport terminals, with arrivals and departures conducted discreetly away from the public eye.
Chartering an aircraft can also answer the challenges of travelling with large quantities of sports kit – removing the risk of equipment going missing or getting damaged during the handling process.
Finally, charter also enables the fans to follow their team wherever they go – a key component in any sport. Whether you have 50 or 50,000 supporters looking to travel, charter aircraft solutions are available.
ACC Aviation
Success in elite women’s sport is often down to the finest of margins – and travel has a small but vital role to play.
ACC Aviation is on hand to take care of every detail of your trip, from the choice of charter aircraft to bespoke in-flight catering, leaving you free to focus on what matters.
Since 2002, ACC Aviation has delivered market-leading tailored travel solutions to the aviation industry. The peerless service and emphasis on reliability have made the firm one of the world’s fastest-growing and most respected aviation service providers.
Are you planning air travel to the upcoming fixture? Give us a call +44 1737 232 230 or send an online enquiry to our dedicated charter team. We will be happy to look into options for you.
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The first few weeks in 2022 are expected to be busy for the international team and player travel. “We have been working hard this month on private air travel, bringing players and their families into the UK”, says Mitch Broadstock, the ACC Aviation Senior Business Development Manager.
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