SSE’s sponsorship of The SSE Women’s FA Cup has been shortlisted in the Sponsor Partnership of the Year category by the Women’s Sport Trust in its #BeAGameChanger Awards.
The Women’s Sport Trust #BeAGameChanger Awards recognise those individuals and organisations doing the most to progress women’s sport and on 5 April an expert panel will choose the finalists in each category before it is opened to a public vote. The winners will be announced on 12 May.
The Sponsor Partnership Award recognises a partnership between sport and business that has resulted in the most exciting current sponsorship in women’s sport. It identifies the vital role of sponsorship in raising the profile and increasing the impact of women’s sport.
Colin Banks, SSE Head of Sponsorship, said: “We are delighted to be nominated for the Sponsor Partnership Award by the Women’s Sport Trust. We entered this partnership with The FA with one simple ambition - to make a difference to the future of women’s football and sport. SSE’s investment is helping to drive the women’s game forward and together with The FA we are helping to grow the sport.”
In June 2015 SSE announced a new four-year title sponsorship deal for the largest cup competition in women's football, the Women's FA Cup.
We have a long and proud tradition of supporting sport in the UK, including the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. This latest partnership is about sending a clear message that the barriers that have limited opportunities in the past should be removed so that women and girls can reach their full potential in both sport and business.
The seven-figure deal includes a commitment to invest in the women’s game with significant funding ring-fenced to create a country-wide programme of girls-only football activity. It also represents a landmark moment in the history of women's football. As the first ever major sponsorship of the Women’s FA Cup competition, it signals the growth and stature of the women’s game.
The first SSE Women's FA Cup Final to take place at Wembley Stadium ended with Chelsea defeating Notts County 1-0 on Saturday 1 August 2015. A record crowd of 30,710 fans attended and around 2 million people watched the game live on BBC One.
The 2016 SSE Women's FA Cup Final will be played at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 14 May 2016.