UEFA's announcement of its seven-year deal with Visa as the first sponsor of UEFA women’s football "deserves the celebratory tone with which it was unveiled," according to Suzanne Wrack of the London GUARDIAN. Because, "for a change, it actually is a groundbreaking deal." Why? Because as UEFA Head of Women's Football Nadine Kessler said, the aim is "to assign a clear value to women’s football." Kessler: "At the end of the day, it’s not about the monetary value, it’s more about showing people this game has value. This is the message we try to send out." One of the "most common criticisms" leveled at women’s football is that it is "unable to stand on its own feet." But the women’s game "has every chance of becoming self-sustaining." The Visa deal is the "biggest sign of that potential to date and it will also accelerate growth." Unbundling the rights to women’s football from the men’s for the first time means UEFA will be able to "measure the worth and growth of the game in its own right like never before." This uncoupling is not "just financial:" UEFA had already separated the Women’s Champions League final from the men’s for the first time. Kessler: "These are two projects which have a similar meaning and background." The Visa deal goes "beyond showing doubters among the public that women’s football has value; it also shows those in power within football that it has value," for their image, for their growth as an organization, and financially (GUARDIAN, 12/11).
