£300 Bill to play in the Women's Academy

[StonyFox]

Not sure if this has been posted anywhere else, but charging girls £300 to be part of the academy is pretty appalling considering the money in the game! Does anyone know if boys have to pay the same, or has the legacy of the euros died already? 

 

https://inews.co.uk/news/girls-young-as-nine-sent-300-bill-play-for-leicester-city-womens-academy-1774536

 

i has learnt that in recent weeks Leicester City FC sent out a £300 invoice to girls as young as nine selected to play for the club’s Academy this season.

The “subscription fee” will cover the costs of “training kit, match-day playing kit, use of LCWFC Belvoir Drive training and matchday facilities, player registration fees and league registration fees”.

[RobHawk]

I don't agree with it. 

 

But in all my life I don't think I've ever had a sports kit bought for me, I've always had to stump up myself. 

 

I've even had friends do the same when representing their country. Different sport, yes, but the money simply isn't in the women's game yet. I'm sure it will come with time. 

[LCFCJoe96]

1 minute ago, StonyFox said:

Not sure if this has been posted anywhere else, but charging girls £300 to be part of the academy is pretty appalling considering the money in the game! Does anyone know if boys have to pay the same, or has the legacy of the euros died already? 

 

https://inews.co.uk/news/girls-young-as-nine-sent-300-bill-play-for-leicester-city-womens-academy-1774536

 

i has learnt that in recent weeks Leicester City FC sent out a £300 invoice to girls as young as nine selected to play for the club’s Academy this season.

The “subscription fee” will cover the costs of “training kit, match-day playing kit, use of LCWFC Belvoir Drive training and matchday facilities, player registration fees and league registration fees”.

Sadly it’s all too common across the womens game, the money often still isn’t there/parent clubs don’t invest what’s required and this sort of thing is the result.

 

Don’t believe the boys academy have to pay, or at least didn’t a few years back.

[Sambiasso]

Isn't it pretty much the same as what grass roots teams pay per season? 

 

I pay £20 pm subs, 30 signing on fee and kit costs every other season for my lad.

 

£300 doesn't seem too bad considering the coaching and facilities they get. 

 

Or is it more faux outrage because they are girls 🤷🏼‍♂️

[Xen]

2 minutes ago, pmcla26 said:

Most grassroots teams charge roughly a fiver a week - so it isn't an awful lot more when you consider it is academy football.

The issue isn't the size of the fee compared to grassroots - its the fact that the girls academy players have to stump up a fee whereas the boys is typically free (i.e. subsidised by the club). It's not just Leicester which has this discrepancy either, it was called out during the Euros and its the same across most WSL/PL clubs.

[Bryn]

Can’t believe people are making excuses for this. The club should foot the bill in its entirety.

[StonyFox]

7 minutes ago, Sambiasso said:

Isn't it pretty much the same as what grass roots teams pay per season? 

 

I pay £20 pm subs, 30 signing on fee and kit costs every other season for my lad.

 

£300 doesn't seem too bad considering the coaching and facilities they get. 

 

Or is it more faux outrage because they are girls 🤷🏼‍♂️

But we're not a grass roots football club. It's potentially missing a trick as the women's game is growing in popularity so hindering potential in our academy could have a negative impact in the future. We've spent enough money on clappers (which are finally going!) to fund nearly 6000 academy places. 

[StonyFox]

6 minutes ago, Bryn said:

Can’t believe people are making excuses for this. The club should foot the bill in its entirety.

Absolutely! They're in a Leicester City Academy, and all academy players should be treated the same. 

[SemperEadem]

Really now the Womens set up is professional and under the guidance of the top brass at the club it should be the same as the chaps in that if they get the gear free so should the women's teams.

Edited 5 August 2022 by SemperEadem

[FoxesWalk]

35 minutes ago, StonyFox said:

Not sure if this has been posted anywhere else, but charging girls £300 to be part of the academy is pretty appalling considering the money in the game! Does anyone know if boys have to pay the same, or has the legacy of the euros died already? 

 

https://inews.co.uk/news/girls-young-as-nine-sent-300-bill-play-for-leicester-city-womens-academy-1774536

 

i has learnt that in recent weeks Leicester City FC sent out a £300 invoice to girls as young as nine selected to play for the club’s Academy this season.

The “subscription fee” will cover the costs of “training kit, match-day playing kit, use of LCWFC Belvoir Drive training and matchday facilities, player registration fees and league registration fees”.

 

EDIT: I see the boys do play for free… The club should definitely be footing the bill here and the decision makes us look pretty stupid. 

Edited 5 August 2022 by FoxesWalk

[Bourbon Fox]

I agree that there should be equality, and our ownership is one that I would expect to bridge the cost cap for moral and ethical reasons.

 

The business reason for it not being equal is that currently a male academy product is a multi-million pound asset, and a female isn't.

[PAULCFC]

Doesn't come as a suprise.....i was asking a first team players dad about getting a signed shirt on twitter.Apparantley the club charges the players for shirts and make the players pay for family tickets.

[Sambiasso]

17 minutes ago, StonyFox said:

 We've spent enough money on clappers (which are finally going!) to fund nearly 6000 academy places. 

Yeah you're right there! I would 100% prefer the club diverted money for clappers to the women/girls academy 👍

[Foxxed]

Why do they call him £300 Bill?

[coolhandfox]

Should be the same for the girls as it is the boys end of debate.

[volpeazzurro]

56 minutes ago, LCWFCJ said:

Sadly it’s all too common across the womens game, the money often still isn’t there/parent clubs don’t invest what’s required and this sort of thing is the result.

 

Don’t believe the boys academy have to pay, or at least didn’t a few years back.

I suppose to be really cruel but honest, out of the male academy, there'll always eventually be a commercial income in transfers or loans to help spread the cost for all, including those who fall by the wayside, together with the odd first team success. With ladies football there isn't, for the foreseeable future at least,  going to be any such self funding. Leicester City is a commercial venture not a charity and no doubt they're already subsidising other things ie training facilities and other things for the first team and coaches. A number of mens league teams don't have academies now and rely purely on scouting.

[PaulW]

Paying these girls bills would be a better use of Top's loose change then giving out free beer.

Edited 5 August 2022 by PaulW

[SemperEadem]

When we put up gold wallpaper costing £24,000 in the owners area of Seagrave and like others have said spend daft money on cardboard clappers for years then by christ we can help the families of the academy players out with covering this.

[sacreblueits442]

28 minutes ago, PAULCFC said:

Doesn't come as a suprise.....i was asking a first team players dad about getting a signed shirt on twitter.Apparantley the club charges the players for shirts and make the players pay for family tickets.

....it would be interesting to see the club's balance sheet for the Women's side, and all the expenses and revenue streams!!!

I must admit I would never have believed this if someone had told me, an outrageous way to fund a process. I would say that we now have our games on a Saturday will get bigger crowds on a Sunday and improve the money coming in.

 

 

 

[PAULCFC]

Since the pandemic,the club have been watching every penny!

[volpeazzurro]

49 minutes ago, SemperEadem said:

Really now the Womens set up is professional and under the guidance of the top brass at the club it should be the same as the chaps in that if they get the gear free so should the women's teams.

It's a business though not a charity. I genuinely don't know the answer to this but how many paying supporters watch the Leicester City ladies game? Are we now likely to get many more regulars?

What do the club already effectively pay for in such things as training facilities, coaches, transport and any other staff?

What commercially does the ladies team bring back in?

Many lower league teams find academies no longer viable and just use scouts. How many girls of what ages are looking to be subsidised? It's very easy to be moralistic when you're spending someone else's money and not your own. 

[berniethebolt]

"Academies" are ten a penny these days, be it local sides offering junior football in the JPL and MJPL or those that affiliate/franchise with a football club. These are 99% pay to play and a great revenue stream for a club / business. 

 

If you are a feeding into a professional setup, like LCFC then once you are restricted from playing grass roots (and many will be from U13+) then the club sees you as a potential asset and you should not have to pay.   

[Lambert09]

i hope bertrand has to pay this. 

 

Id be telling him he’s getting nothing for free from us anymore. Pay for your meals, travel, the lot 

Edited 5 August 2022 by Lambert09

[Trav Le Bleu]

You're confused.

 

This is about my mate Wilhema, who weights 21 1/2 stone, who is their new goalkeeper.

[norwichfox]

1 hour ago, coolhandfox said:

Should be the same for the girls as it is the boys end of debate.

Exactly this...