On the pitch and off, women’s football in England has "never been better," according to Jake Cohen of the London INDEPENDENT. FA Women's Super League attendance is "at an all-time high and there is increasingly more investment from sponsors in the sport and in the players." Nike is, "by far," the biggest commercial sponsor of women’s football and has been involved in the game since the '90s, when it "first began its long-standing partnership" with the U.S. national team. Nike U.K. & Ireland Communications Dir Claire Parnell said, "At Nike, we love and support brilliant football. There's no question brilliant football is being played by women and we support the continued growth of the game." While Nike is the "most prominent sponsor," it is "far from the only" company that has recognized the positive return on investment that getting involved with women’s football can bring. In June '15, SSE signed a four-year deal with the FA to become the title sponsor of the women's FA Cup. Sports marketing firm Synergy Managing Dir Lisa Parfitt "works directly with SSE on its sport sponsorships." FA Cup was identified as an "ideal vehicle" for SSE's brand. Parfitt said, "The FA separated the rights from the men's and women's FA Cups, which opened the door for a sponsor to become the first standalone sponsor of the women's FA Cup, which was a very attractive proposition." Base Soccer Head of Women's Football Georgie Hodge said, "Commercial opportunity is growing exponentially, especially if you look at where we were even just a few years ago." It "is telling" that Base, one of the U.K.'s largest football agencies, has prioritized developing its women's division. Football is a business, and the women’s game is "no different than the men’s game in this respect." Sponsors will "only get involved if they are confident in seeing positive returns on their investments." Hodge said, "In my opinion, what appeals most to brands, commercial partners and sponsors is the ever-growing development of women's football from grassroots to the highest level. This means opportunities that cater to a wide array of businesses alike" (INDEPENDENT, 8/3).
