BNU research reveals positive experience for women supporters at Wycombe Wanderers

Buckinghamshire New University (BNU) and partner Wycombe Wanderers are pleased to share the findings from its 2023 survey into the experiences of women at football matches, which gathered responses from 78 female supporters based on their visits to the Chairboys' Adams Park stadium.

Led by BNU Associate Professor, Dr Fiona McCormack, the research followed a similar survey on the national picture by the Football Supporters Association two years earlier and will help to inform the current experiences of women supporters as the second edition of the FSA’s survey is now live.

Dr McCormack’s research found Wycombe Wanderers was committed to creating positive spectator experiences for everyone, with a particular focus on the experiences of female spectators and the identification of ways that the club can act to improve this experience.

Respondents were invited to form a focus group alongside club and university representatives to share anecdotal findings of their experiences at Adams Park, alongside the statistical data, and now – on International Women’s Day and Women’s Football Weekend – the findings can be revealed.

Family friendly

Results showed that the club fares better than the national average (when compared to the FSA survey results from 2022) in relation to the experiences of women at matches, and suggested that more women begin attending matches after the age of 21 at Wycombe Wanderers than elsewhere, with data also showing that the notion of women attending games as a companion of their partners was inaccurate with less than one in 10 reporting that they attended with their partners initially.

However, having a shared interest is clearly an important factor in sustained participation, as 37% of women in the club’s survey reported that they attend with their partners today, demonstrating that family remains a key factor in sustaining participation with fewer than 8% of respondents attending alone, indicating a positive outcome for the club in that the environment feels safe for single women.

The biggest deterrent to attending regular matches were ticket prices and the cost and distance of travel (80% of respondents), which matches the national sentiment, but anti-social fan behaviour and atmosphere did not rank as highly in the club’s survey as it did in the national research, with women at Adams Park citing work and family commitments as the second most significant barrier to attendance.

The survey and focus group highlighted inadequate toilet facilities as a factor in negative experiences of attending matches at Adams Park, but the family-friendly aspect of the club and its stewards was highly commended and was deemed to be influential in encouraging repeat attendance at matches.

More than half of the survey respondents had never experienced poor behaviour and abuse, while around 20% reported experiencing sexist comments or chants, and about 5% receiving unwanted physical attention.

In general, the survey found that Wycombe Wanderers have lower levels of negative behaviour and good levels of satisfaction compared to the national average, although the focus group and qualitative comments suggest that the now outdated male culture at games is no longer accepted or tolerated by women generally and in particular younger fans.

Future progress

The club has identified areas for improvement in the experience of women at Adams Park, as suggested by the survey, with priority being given to the increase of awareness of the club’s text anonymous text messaging service for anti-social (including sexist) behaviour, whereby any supporter in the ground can send a text message to 07591 049982 including details of the type of abuse and location of the incident, in order to alert the stewarding team. Respondents would also welcome greater communication where possible of the outcome of such reports when they are made, in order to demonstrate the club’s zero-tolerance approach to anti-social behaviour.

In addition, the club will give consideration – as suggested by one focus group attendee – to a concession to young parents for whom their rising cost of living may be a deterrent towards attending games, as well as looking to provide a space for very young children to be accommodated and entertained during the game to prevent parents from needing to leave early.

Respondents highlighted initiatives such as ‘Family Day’ promotions as a positive step towards introducing new attendees and encouraged the retention of such initiatives in the future, and called for an upgrade of toilet facilities around the stadium to bring them to a consistent standard in all areas.

The strong presence of female stewards was commended and encouragement was given to the increased presence of women in supporter-facing roles, including in the club’s TV and audio coverage of matches.

Respondents are also keen to eradicate foul language from the Family Stand in particular, acknowledging that this is one area of the stadium whereby a zero-tolerance approach to swearing should be adopted, and ask the club to consider a strategy to make online forums relating to Wycombe Wanderers safer.

Dr Fiona McCormack, Associate Professor at BNU, said: “This research has built on an important national study to provide a more qualitative insight into the lived experiences of women supporters at WWFC. I hope that the results both celebrate the significant areas of good practice adopted by the club, and will encourage further discussion on the inclusion of women spectators in all aspects of the club operations.”

Wycombe Wanderers said: “We’re thrilled with the outcomes from the survey and focus group which demonstrate that on the whole Adams Park is a safe and welcoming environment for female supporters, while we also welcome the feedback which will shape the next stage of improvements and developments around the stadium. The club has strong family values and a commitment towards equality, diversity and inclusivity at its core, and we thank Buckinghamshire New University for driving the survey and focus group, and for analysing and presenting the results, in order for us to better understand the experience of female fans.”

You can read the full research here.