YT YouTube2Text

YouTube2Text → Transcripts → Inside Chelsea FC with Commercial Director Zarah Al-Kudcy | S1 EP 21 | We Are Chelsea Podcast

Inside Chelsea FC with Commercial Director Zarah Al-Kudcy | S1 EP 21 | We Are Chelsea Podcast — Transcript

by Chelsea Football Club · 7,586 words · 1,008 segments · language en · Watch on YouTube

Open in transcriber Summarize with AI Download SRT/VTT

Full transcript

0:00we had said to them the ti will turn
0:01come January with Manu and it did and
0:04then Real Madrid and then Arsenal and we
0:06got there and I think that built a lot
0:08of trust along the way as well so you
0:10know I Haven bought a half and half
0:11scarf for the Barcelona game because you
0:13can never take that game away from us
0:18now hello and welcome to we are Chelsea
0:22the official podcast of Chelsea women
0:23brought to you in association with scod
0:26the official car partner of Chelsea
0:27women and proud supporters of women
0:30sport I'm kores and today we're delving
0:33into the business side of the club I'm
0:35joined by Zara Aly who is the commercial
0:39director at Chelsea women FC she's here
0:41to give us a fascinating insight into
0:44the work she does how she negotiates
0:46sponsorship deals for the players and
0:47the growth of the women's game welcome
0:50to we are Chelsea well hello Zara
0:53welcome to we are Chelsea thanks for
0:55speaking to me how are you I'm good
0:57thank you and you can see that we're in
0:59mid Euro with my top we can see that mid
1:03Euros yeah the guys are playing tonight
1:06nice to see that you're supporting them
1:09I wanted to ask you a little bit for
1:12those who don't know about your role at
1:15the club and what it entails CU we've
1:17had a lot of players and we have had
1:19someone from the commercial team but it
1:21was Karly tord so I feel like lots of
1:23people might know can you tell us Zara
1:26exactly what you do at the club and what
1:27your role is yeah you know I don't even
1:29feel like I warrant an episode on the
1:31podcast cuz kly so kly and I joke about
1:34when we go into pitches I always ask if
1:36I can introduce myself first because I
1:38can't back it up with when I played for
1:40England and I played for Chelsea by the
1:41way um so I joined the club to I mean
1:45it's pretty much does what it says in
1:46the Tim which is build the business out
1:48around the women's team so super
1:50successful on the pitch but the new
1:52owners you know the women's team's very
1:54much part of their um their plans and
1:56they made that very clear when I met
1:58with them the early last year year and
2:00they said come in build the business out
2:03um put some commercial growth in
2:04primarily around sponsorship and match
2:06day they're the two focuses and that is
2:08in General on women's football that's
2:10where the growth area is right now um
2:12and that's what we've been focusing on
2:14so that is why we're also here so this
2:16is such a great example of what my remit
2:19was was to identify ways that one we can
2:22um you know better showcase our player
2:25stories and I think podcasts are a great
2:27format to do that in because it gives
2:29them the to talk about themselves and
2:31you know I think you've done a fantastic
2:33job as the presenter in pulling that out
2:35from them um but then in return it's
2:37also given scoda a great partnership
2:40asset as well which they absolutely love
2:43I do think the podcast every time I
2:46speak to someone I'm so riveted by their
2:48stories that I feel like a broken record
2:50because I'm like I could talk to you all
2:51day but I genuinely could talk to them
2:54all day and they're such different
2:56personalities which makes it so
2:58interesting and even I know you said
3:00that you don't warrant an episode but
3:02even speaking to someone who isn't a
3:04player but
3:05works at the club Behind the Scenes it's
3:08so important because so many of us love
3:11football and we'd love to be players but
3:14if you can't be a player the nearest
3:16thing is working at a club or working
3:17within the industry or working within
3:19football so it's really nice to hear the
3:22different kind of jobs that you that you
3:25can
3:26do still within your passion right mhm
3:30yeah no I'd agree and I think the nicest
3:32thing also is when I hear the players
3:34talk to you it sounds like anyway that
3:36they genuinely are enjoying it as well
3:39um and I think that's because they you
3:41know it is a comfortable space to talk
3:43about yourself and and I also feel like
3:45you know they sound like they probably
3:46could have gone on for a little bit
3:48longer with you as well as you say that
3:50you could have talked to them all day
3:51some of them definitely sound like they
3:52could have talked to you all day as well
3:55well I hope so because I'm always like
3:57get back on the podcast I think I've had
3:59Erin on a couple of times and I'm always
4:00like Come Again Come
4:03Again what does a typical day look like
4:07for you when you come in at
4:08Chelsea um that's probably where you
4:11know the business side and the playing
4:12side is a little bit more different that
4:14in that there is no typical day um and I
4:17mean sort of I'll wake up do a workout
4:20bit of duelingo like Hannah I'm also
4:22learning Italian oh are you yes and I
4:26suspect she's probably already much
4:28better than I am um and then uh and then
4:31right now you know we're in the midst of
4:33tour planning so New York and DC looking
4:36ahead to
4:372425 planning you know whether it's sort
4:40of scheduling for a match day ticket
4:42pricing um experiences then I guess the
4:45only consistent piece is probably
4:47sponsorship so we will always be looking
4:50at our partner portfolio um servicing
4:53our current Partners finding ways for
4:55them maybe to do more as was the case
4:57with scod in this podcast um so that's
4:59probably the consistent piece but that's
5:01why I mean I've worked in sport for 20
5:03years that's what I love about sport is
5:04that no day is ever even in your diary
5:07you can see what you've got and
5:08something will just happen throughout
5:09the day a complete U-turn but it's a
5:12real privilege to be able to work in
5:13something that's a passion and I love
5:16that you said that no day is the same
5:17because I think sometimes people assume
5:20an an office job is syy because we
5:23assume that office jobs are the typical
5:26office jobs but it's great cuz when
5:27you're at a club it's exactly what you
5:29say it's completely different today
5:31you're recording a podcast tomorrow
5:32you're pitching an idea next week you're
5:34at a game maybe entertaining commercial
5:36Partners like it's it can be so verified
5:39so anyone who would like to work at a
5:42football club maybe this is a way for
5:46them how many people are in your team
5:49and how much I guess investment is there
5:52in the Staffing around women's football
5:55currently because I imagine that's gone
5:58up quite a lot so I have three people
6:01directly you've mentioned one being
6:03Carly um but there is dedicated resource
6:06across the business where there's a sort
6:08of dotted line for once of a better
6:10description um across marketing coms
6:13content and we will have weekly meetings
6:16collectively specifically on you know
6:18during the season it tends to be more
6:20focused on Match day um and out of
6:23season we're now obviously in tour but
6:25there is definitely an increase in
6:27resource across departments and I think
6:29in light of the news that you know the
6:31fans may have read a few weeks ago that
6:33this s of again as a club structure
6:35we're making sure that the women's team
6:36sits alongside and equal to our men's
6:38team when it comes to financial
6:40reporting the business structure and
6:43with that that will come with an
6:44increase in resource and dedicated
6:46support to the women's team so they are
6:48very much their own business and and you
6:51you know you said it yourself that it's
6:53reflecting the growth in general at
6:54Women's Football I sort of I just came
6:57back from can lion which is a big
6:59advertising conference um it sounds like
7:01sounds terrible doesn't it I was in the
7:03south of France for a few days um and
7:05there's a really nice sort of parallel
7:06story in that when I first went there
7:08five years ago for the job that I was in
7:11at the time um the Women's World Cup was
7:13also on and sports panel so for anyone
7:16that's not done can line it's
7:17essentially a massive conference on the
7:19beach so there's loads of different
7:21places like Google will have something
7:23you know Yahoo um ad agencies Brands so
7:27everyone goes there and it tends to be
7:29about um advertising and media um and 5
7:33years ago sport wasn't really on the
7:35agenda someone arranged for some of us
7:36to go and watch England Japan at um in
7:39Ni it happens that Karie was actually in
7:41that Squad I don't think she played in
7:42that game but she was in the squad um
7:45and you know it was half full Stadium we
7:48sort of had to be shipped out to go and
7:49watch it and I think five years on and
7:52sport was very much at the heart of can
7:54lion this year so there was a lot of
7:56dedicated space there was a women's
7:58sports house um where they every single
8:01session for four days was dedicated to
8:03the conversation around women's sport
8:05you know you had Mary hers Gemma boner
8:07Alesia Russo all on panels and there was
8:10a great moment where I could see Samy
8:11hippia so you know Liverpool Legends
8:14trying queuing to get into sports beach
8:17house where Gemma boner was sat in the
8:19VIP area because she was actually about
8:21to go on stage so um it was a really
8:23good indication of where how far women's
8:25football's come in that cycle yeah and
8:28another great benefit to your job
8:30getting to go to N I promise it is hard
8:34work it is hard
8:36work um let's talk about the impact of
8:39what you've achieved this season because
8:4339,380
8:50how big was that and how proud was you
8:54and your team of that number um you know
8:57I think proud gets overused which is why
8:59I try not to use it too much but in that
9:01instance I was massively proud um
9:04because it had been a really long
9:06journey um you know for the fans the
9:08players and I think particularly for the
9:09team here um at Stanford bridge on the
9:12business side Arsenal are ahead of us
9:15you know they did a great job after
9:16Euro's 2022 they had their first
9:19Emirates match then and they' built a
9:20massive database and they've built in
9:22that year on year but there always seems
9:24to be this narrative in women's sport
9:26that there's only room for one to
9:28succeed and I I think sort of this
9:30narrative also carried on throughout the
9:31season you know partly some fan
9:34narrative some media narrative around
9:36the fact that you know continually
9:38comparing us to Arsenal um and we knew
9:41that we were behind but it can be it's a
9:43really visual way sort of to be held to
9:45account um so I was really pleased for
9:48as I say the fans the players and the
9:50team here that they got that moment not
9:52just the Barcelona game I actually think
9:54the Arsenal game at Stanford Bridge was
9:56the big turning point for us um the
9:58atmosphere that was you mentioned
10:00earlier like that atmosphere that night
10:02is probably the closest I will ever ever
10:05get to feeling what it feels like to be
10:07a player on the pitch at Stanford Bridge
10:10because you know you feel like you've
10:11actually you're part of why it feels
10:13like that um and so I kind of that that
10:17was a huge thing for us and right quite
10:19early on you know Emma actually said to
10:21me that we should be honest and go and
10:23tell the players what the plans are
10:24because we came from you know our
10:27opening game against uh Spurs back in
10:30October I felt sick coming to Stanford
10:33Bridge like I did not want to come to
10:34the game because I knew that we only had
10:3619,000 fans um or tickets sold and um it
10:41was a really challenging day in the fact
10:43that it was the first time we and
10:45arsenal were at home in our main stadium
10:47um Arsenal got the lunchtime kickoff and
10:49so we'd had a lot of feedback from
10:50families saying they'll go and watch
10:52Arsenal and then they'll go home watch
10:53us on TV so we got a great TV audience
10:56but then we got picked apart with our
10:58Stadium on that day um and we then knew
11:01that we had Liverpool where we had a
11:03slightly lower attendance we have to
11:05play our Champions League group games at
11:07Stanford bridge for regulation purposes
11:10but we know that we would only get to
11:11about three or 4 thousand at the moment
11:13on the Champions League side of stuff
11:15which that's a great atmosphere at Kings
11:17Meadow that's close to a sellout um but
11:19putting three or 4 thousand people in
11:21Stanford bridge is it's heartbreaking um
11:25and Emma just said go and talk the team
11:27through the plans and explain to them
11:29um which we did quite possibly one of
11:32the hardest meetings I've ever had to go
11:34and be part of yeah how did they react
11:37uh I mean actually a number of them just
11:39said they really appreciated the honesty
11:41because I think sometimes we you know we
11:43can all be guilty of not wanting to to
11:45give honest feedback and we try and
11:48dress it up with something else yes um
11:50and then actually it's sort of you're
11:52not managing people's expectations but
11:54we had said them the Tye will turn come
11:56January with Manu and it did um and then
11:59Real Madrid and then Arsenal um and and
12:02we got there and I think that built a
12:03lot of trust along the way as well so
12:06you know there were a lot of factors in
12:07all of it but I think that Arsenal and
12:10the barcel game are just you know I hav
12:12bought a half and half scarf for the
12:13Barcelona game because you can never
12:15take that game away from us now yeah I
12:18mean it's really good that that I guess
12:20Emma said keep it transparent and
12:22explain it to the players because there
12:24is a real partnership that needs to
12:27happen because commercially you can only
12:29succeed if they're on board and they
12:31need to be on board if they trust what
12:33you're doing commercially so I can
12:36totally see why they would appreciate
12:39that and how that would help I guess my
12:41next question would be what kind of work
12:44behind the scenes helps you reach that
12:47goal and what kind of audiences are you
12:49trying to attract because there are so
12:51many within the game there's the
12:52hardcore Chelsea fans there's the
12:54Lioness fans there's just the general
12:57football fan the London event go
13:00so um there's a couple things one is
13:02actually understanding the fan
13:04demographics you know you're 100% right
13:06that's what we need to do and and that's
13:08where um yeah we're all still learning
13:10on that front because actually there's a
13:11lot of new fans coming into women's
13:13football so no one knows who they are um
13:16and the league have actually just done
13:17some fan demographic work which they've
13:19taken um our CMO CLA Cronin through and
13:22our marketing team and made it a lot
13:24more simple that it's effectively three
13:26groups you've got your core fan and they
13:29tend to be predominantly female fans and
13:31super passionate about the game you know
13:33from a Chelsea point of view they've
13:34probably been with us since we're at
13:35stains um and they're definitely Kings
13:37Meadow people and and they they play a
13:40huge influence on not only bringing new
13:42fans in but also when they come they
13:44sort of that experience and environment
13:46piece then you have the free fan and
13:49that is probably the biggest growth area
13:50they're the new fans that kind of didn't
13:52really feel like the men's game served
13:54anything for them historically or they
13:56may have played when they were younger
13:57and then there wasn't a women product
13:59for them to follow and they've come in
14:01mainly through the euros and the World
14:03Cup or or through the lesses essentially
14:06and UEFA you know they talk a lot about
14:08the fact they had some data that said
14:0930% of new fans to women's football are
14:13new fans to football um period um and
14:16then you have the secondary fans who are
14:18the men's you know the men's football
14:19fans and that's that that will always be
14:21their priority and we sort of started to
14:23see it because we've had more games now
14:25we can look at that data so you know
14:27only five six% of our ticket purchases
14:30for the nine games we held at Stanford
14:32bridge last year were men's season
14:34ticket holders so we sort of have to
14:36start to dispel some of the you know
14:38myths around just get the men's fans in
14:40they you know they'll want to come and
14:42it's like actually we're different
14:43products um yeah you know I think it's
14:45the more we the more we get people
14:46coming the more we understand that um
14:48and then I think I would also add just
14:49to build on your point around the
14:51players that's where Carly's role has
14:53been really important um you know when I
14:56Emma introduced me to Kari last year and
14:58she didn't want to do coaching and said
15:00that she wanted to do marketing or
15:02commercial she wasn't really sure so I
15:04said well come in let's do a bit of test
15:06and learning um I think you'd be great
15:08in commercial because um she is one of
15:11the most naturally gifted salespeople
15:13I've ever met and that's just she is I
15:16remember being on the podcast with her
15:17and I was like I will buy anything
15:18you're selling she is because she but
15:21she believes in it like there's no
15:22better thing for a salesperson she
15:24doesn't know she's selling half the time
15:27because she's just you know she just
15:28loves it and she can talk from the heart
15:30because she's only just retired she's
15:32still so well connected to the game and
15:34and to this squad in particular um and
15:37so she's been great because she actually
15:40holds us as a business to account on
15:42behalf of the players again without
15:44realizing that she's doing it but you
15:45know I also just love the sort of her
15:47business naivity because we'll sit in
15:49meetings and she'll say to me like why
15:51do we do that and I think I don't know
15:53actually it's just how we've always done
15:54it um and so it's just been great having
15:57her player vision in the room and I
16:00think you know we've got a lot of fans
16:02of the club in the club and so making
16:04sure the fans are at the heart of our
16:05decision making often comes as second
16:08nature but making sure the players are
16:10also at the heart of what we do is very
16:12much where Cari comes in you know with a
16:15very unique skill set yeah she was she
16:17was using I think it was neif as an
16:19example with scod and she sort of said
16:22it just was so natural because she
16:23genuinely loves scoda her whole family
16:26do and I guess that's where Maybe um
16:29Kari knowing the girls knowing these
16:31things knowing genuinely that her dad
16:34has a scoda cuz if you work with the
16:36players and you see their car every day
16:38you might see that she drives one you
16:39might not know that her dad her mom her
16:42sister and everyone else has one um so
16:45it's good that she just is walking
16:47Encyclopedia of the of the team and I I
16:51also want to know is that the Target now
16:54for next season selling out Stanford
16:56bridge on a regular basis from a
16:58commercial perspective um I think from a
17:01commercial and a fan perspective you
17:03know we had four League games and five
17:06Champions League games this year um I
17:09think we will probably land on something
17:11very similar well I'm presuming we make
17:13quarterfinals and semi-finals again but
17:15you know we will probably have something
17:16very similar in terms of the league and
17:19group games and I think there you know
17:21there's a real danger because obviously
17:23arsenal we come back to the comparison
17:24Point um set the Benchmark of announcing
17:27eight League games and three champions
17:29league if they qualify um and so the the
17:33question automatically came to us is
17:34well will we do more League games and um
17:37and we said no actually we'd rather
17:39maintain what we've had this year but
17:41make sure that the audience and
17:42attendance keeps increasing because to
17:45have three or four sellouts um or as
17:48close to sellouts as you can get with
17:50the WSL games is so much more impactful
17:52from a fan and a player atmosphere and
17:55environment um and just a perception
17:57point of view when you come and see sold
17:59out St Ridge versus going yeah let's
18:01keep up with them and let's say we're
18:02going to do six and then we''ll be
18:04having that conversation again with the
18:05players of well we you know we had
18:07Ambitions and we pushed um beyond what
18:10we did before so you know I think we're
18:12really confident having seen how the
18:14season ended with the Barcelona game the
18:16lessons that we've learned the more data
18:17that we've got um the team structure
18:20that's now in place there a a really
18:21great team you know cla's marketing team
18:24is of filled in all the right roles um
18:27to make sure that that you've got that
18:28source and I have to say the team
18:31themselves there some of the best people
18:33I've worked with because they absolutely
18:34love it but they also learn from outside
18:36you know they'll go and look at what the
18:37WNBA is doing or um the Barcelona
18:40women's team are doing so that they kind
18:42of they're open to seeing what everyone
18:44else is doing as well this podcast is
18:46brought to you by scod the official car
18:48partner of Chelsea women who are
18:50committed to helping to grow women's
18:52sport whether you're watching the game
18:53with your friends or family playing on a
18:55Sunday morning or cheering on from the
18:58sidelines rain or shine scoda there to
19:00take you on your next adventure so what
19:03are you waiting for jump in and grab
19:06Life by the car keys discover the scoda
19:08range to find the perfect car for you
19:10from the fully electric scoda ENC the
19:13allnew seven seater scoda Kodiak or
19:16their smallest SUV the scoda kique see
19:19for yourself search scoda range now so
19:23we talked a little bit about um not
19:25comparing to Arsenal um which I just did
19:28yeah but you said you know you don't
19:30want to compare to them so you don't
19:31want to do more matches at Stanford
19:33bridge but is the long-term goal to
19:36eventually move out of King's Meadow
19:38fulltime and be at Stanford bridge is
19:41that what you guys are maybe thinking in
19:43in 5 years
19:45time I um if I take a step back I think
19:50as women's football fans all of us we
19:52would love to see main stadiums being
19:54sold out across the league for majority
19:56of games um and if that is where the
19:58growth goes then ultimately the fans
20:01will dictate it if if the um attendance
20:04keeps growing to the point that actually
20:06it makes sense for us to have more and
20:07more games in Stanford bridge then
20:10that's what we will do but I I don't
20:12think you know I I don't think we should
20:15or I wouldn't want to say at this point
20:16yes in 10 years time the aim is to play
20:18every single game at Stanford Bridge of
20:20course it is but we also have to be
20:22dictated by actually what's happening
20:24season on season so um it's also
20:26Bittersweet isn't it because as much as
20:28in my head I'm like oh it's brilliant
20:30when you go and watch Stanford Bridge
20:32there is something so special about
20:34King's meow you I've got so much fomo
20:36listening to all your episodes of
20:37everyone talking about that Bristol game
20:39because I was on holiday and I couldn't
20:41come and every single player you've
20:42spoken to so far has said how amazing
20:44the atmosphere was at that game and you
20:46know and I I I agree I think Kings
20:48Meadow is such a great and whenever I've
20:50taken people down there to watch it and
20:52they tend to be men's football fans
20:54honestly they come about raving about it
20:56they're like to be this close to this
20:58quality of football yeah um and be
21:01amongst it they just you know they're
21:03like it's really unique so that that's
21:05where I mean that's where I think it can
21:06be dangerous to make a big bold
21:07statement of yes by 2030 because that
21:10seems to be the Year everyone leans
21:12towards um you know we'll have
21:13everything out because that is also a
21:15special place for us because I do think
21:18there is lots of Bittersweet moments
21:20with the women's game because as it's
21:21growing it's fantastic and we all want
21:23it to grow but at the same time you're
21:26losing I guess the proximity to the
21:28player is is one they don't have time
21:30now to be getting cold speaking to every
21:34single fan because there are so many of
21:37us now which is great CU that's what we
21:39want but equally we don't want them to
21:41get injured because the most important
21:42thing is we want them to be playing well
21:44and winning um they can't be signing as
21:46many autographs so it there's always
21:49these kind of Bittersweet moments so I
21:51totally understand I loved watching the
21:53games that I've watched at Stanford
21:55bridge and it was Electric but I did
21:59feel like a different kind of emotion
22:03when I was at Kings Meadow I guess more
22:05um not nostalgic because you're still
22:08there but it felt just more like a
22:11home-cooked meal if that makes sense do
22:13you know what I mean it just like no I
22:15know what you mean I think it's just I
22:17think we'll get to the point that
22:19there'll be different payoffs um so if I
22:22look at our two so as an example this
22:24year we had 300 fans go to the man city
22:27game for our opening our first away game
22:29of the season and 300 is a doable number
22:32that in theory the whole Squad probably
22:34could have got around to every single
22:35person in the away end and sign
22:36something if if that was um you know if
22:39that was what was needed and then we had
22:413,000 fans at Old Trafford for the last
22:43game of the season now there's no way
22:45the squad can get around 3,000 players
22:48but you think about what that felt like
22:49as a fan to be part of a group of 3,000
22:53people um and be part of that moment
22:55it's a very different so yes they may
22:57not have that oneon-one in that moment
22:59um but they had that I was there and I
23:02think there's a real piece about being
23:04part of a bigger Community as well so um
23:07I hear you and I think it's something
23:08that everyone's very conscious about
23:09it's think that even we've recognized
23:11you know that's actually where there's
23:12partner opportunities about how can some
23:14of our partners make some of their um
23:17assets like open training sessions or
23:19signed merch available to fans um so
23:22actually there is still that connection
23:24back and that must have been another
23:27proud moment I know you said you don't
23:29like to use the word proud but knowing
23:31300 and you're ending on 3,000 you're
23:34doing something right um yeah I mean I
23:37think it was and it was just it again
23:39it's just I think a really good
23:40indication of the growth um of the this
23:44the team um and the work that's been
23:46done particularly by the content and the
23:48marketing team you know I would I'd
23:50probably go as far to say this podcast
23:52has helped with that as well it's one of
23:53the reasons that we've done it um I said
23:56to I mean honestly the idea this came I
23:58said to
23:59if I could take um what you sort of what
24:02the Insight you show me of every single
24:04player and if I could take that to the
24:06masses we'd have something amazing
24:07because I'm like I just love the stories
24:09that you tell me about them um or even
24:11if you know I pop down to training and
24:13just be around it and so that's what
24:16this was meant to do and I think it's
24:18you know there's not one thing that
24:19drove the 3,000 people but it is
24:21probably the podcast the social media um
24:24coming to one of the games at Stanford
24:26Bridge maybe coming to King's Meadow
24:27it's all of bit builds up um and it was
24:30it was it was a phenomenal and and also
24:32just the way that season ended you know
24:34to have gone from that Liverpool game um
24:37yes and then to have turned it around
24:39the way that it went it was that was
24:41that was a really special way to end the
24:43season it was a real Chelsea Emma ending
24:48it was just when you thought oh oh gosh
24:51we've been given a Lifeline here okay
24:53how are we going to how are we going to
24:55handle this Lifeline because it what
24:56everyone was so it's gone it's it's
24:59ending on a low and it just ended on the
25:02most incredible high and it is you know
25:05when you're a Chelsea fan you always or
25:08any fan of any team you always want your
25:11team to win well in advance just because
25:12you're like safe we' won but when you
25:16know that they're going to in hindsight
25:18when you know that you can win on the
25:20last game of the season you just take
25:23that thrill any day because it was it's
25:25just amazing it's just the risk going
25:27into it you just feel the nerves are
25:29just at an all-time high but the girls
25:32were absolutely incredible so it was
25:34brilliant shame for me because I
25:37couldn't I couldn't actually get to
25:39speak to them until a few days later cuz
25:41I was like they're all going to be
25:42celebrating they're all going to be
25:43doing this no one's going to be wanting
25:44to one of my highlights actually from
25:46that game is we were traveling back on
25:48the Sunday and we happened to stop at
25:50the service station um with where there
25:53were some West Ham men's fans that were
25:55on their way up to Manchester to play
25:57their last game against City and um we
25:59were all waiting to get back on the bus
26:01and like they were proper you know
26:03proper West Ham fans the only way I can
26:05describe it it was 10:30 in the morning
26:06and they had bacon buy and a beer okay
26:09and um and I heard a group of them
26:12because I was I was sat next to them
26:13before we were boarding saying and all
26:15the players were sort just standing
26:16around as well and he looked over and he
26:17went oh that's Sam Kerr over there um
26:20and he goes she's got a rating of 96 on
26:22FIFA and then his mate goes yeah they
26:24won yesterday they just won the league
26:26um you know they won six nil and I just
26:29thought it's phenomenal that they've had
26:31that that yeah it was just a
26:32conversation piece and that for me
26:34that's a really good example of you know
26:36they they are I I'd put them in the
26:38women's football fans now because
26:39they're aware of it they may never come
26:41and watch but actually that's how
26:43women's football's growth is consuming
26:45the broader um football demographic and
26:48not just about people that just come and
26:50watch absolutely and also I think people
26:53will sometimes be flicking over and they
26:56catch a women's game and they won't
26:58naturally go oh it's women's football
27:00not men's they'll keep it on it's good
27:02quality football I know who some of
27:04these players are I know what they're
27:05doing and it grows from there the more
27:08you watch it the more you go oh this is
27:11brilliant I was about to swear them this
27:13is this is very
27:16brilliant tell us about some of the
27:18Partnerships that you've worked on this
27:20season we of course know about scod
27:22because they're the official car partner
27:23of this podcast um but what are some of
27:25the other Partnerships that you've been
27:26working on um so lindel our Swedish KAG
27:30I don't know if I'm going to say that
27:31right so you have to maybe check with
27:32cheer next time but um our Swedish
27:35yogurt and I I probably take actually
27:38before jumping in on each of them one of
27:40the things that K and I have talked
27:41about with any of our partners is making
27:42sure that there's a purpose to any of
27:45the partners that join Chelsea women so
27:47they have to either serve a purpose for
27:48the fan the player or the community and
27:51with lindel it was about supporting the
27:54fan Away Travel um and so they you know
27:56they've supplemented that throughout the
27:58season um Cornerstone are our e-learning
28:02employee platform so they actually help
28:04the whole business um because it extends
28:06actually Beyond just those that work on
28:07the women's team um in terms of their HR
28:10and their performance um scoda we've
28:13talked about I mean there are so many
28:14things I love about that partnership one
28:16needs love for it but also um this the
28:20fact that they provide cars for Academy
28:22players to be able to use to be able to
28:24access cbum to hopefully you know make
28:26that a little bit more accessible if
28:27needed
28:28um and then Lego you know right at the
28:30start of the season they did a great um
28:34day at down in cbum and with Sam C there
28:37bit of an irony to this actually because
28:38the whole thing was around resilience
28:41and build back ability so how you come
28:43back from something difficult that
28:45you've had to deal with okay um so it
28:47was just I think for all of them it's
28:49it's being able to see how they
28:50contribute yes money is important but
28:53actually they've all contributed in a
28:54broader way um of growing sort of our
28:57our women's team and how much interest
29:00has there been in the women's game from
29:02Brands and Commercial Partnerships at
29:05this moment in time and what sort of
29:06brands are looking to work with Chelsea
29:09ac across I guess the men's and the
29:11women's team but it's we always hear
29:13about the interest in men's team when
29:16they're doing really well and you know
29:18in general because of the TV numbers but
29:21how much growth have you seen in the
29:23interest for the women's game too oh
29:26honestly the interest is it's been huge
29:28um I think the the challenge actually
29:29allot the time is K and like getting
29:31through all of it while also doing um a
29:33broader job so it's you know it can come
29:36from anywhere I think lindle and scod
29:38are really good examples of Lyles don't
29:40do any other sponsorship um scod also
29:42work in cycling but and they're already
29:44doing a little bit more um I think this
29:46is their first football partnership in
29:48the UK um so there's a lot of brands
29:51that actually haven't done a lot of
29:52sponsorship that see women's football as
29:54something they want to get involved in
29:56um I think there's it it's more your
29:59your big blue chip brands um there's
30:01quite a lot in the financial sector so
30:03obviously Barkley's are the league
30:04partner um but in general in women's
30:07sport you'll see all sorts of Brands AMX
30:09Chase
30:11HSBC um you know revolute whoever that
30:14just looking at how they can tell a
30:16women's sports story so finance and tech
30:19seem to be quite heavy because there's a
30:20lot of parallel story to storytelling
30:23for both of them in their Industries
30:25because they tend to be male Le industry
30:28so they like having a um a very similar
30:32story to tell but honestly I mean you
30:33nameing a brand we've probably spoken to
30:35them at some point this year it's been a
30:36real eclectic mix um and it's been Lov
30:39to see but we've also been very clear
30:41that our team has a value um you know
30:43women's sport is not a freebie add-on
30:46anymore um and that I think is the big
30:49line that we've held um as to who gets
30:51to partner with us and also making sure
30:53and again that's where kly is such a
30:55great Cent check there'll be sometimes
30:57some Brands and I at her and she'd be
30:58like oh I don't know you might need to
31:00check with the girls about that one um
31:03okay so you know I think it's it's it's
31:05brands that want to do proper purpose
31:08partnership I mean I'm going to say I've
31:10said it earlier and I'm going to say it
31:12again I'm running out of time I could
31:13speak to you and I really don't want you
31:15to um end on a she kept me there all day
31:19so I'm going to try I've got so many
31:21questions left but I'm going to try and
31:23um Whittle through them as much as I can
31:26uh you guys won the Ws title it was
31:29amazing last day of the season from a
31:31staff and a fan point of view how
31:34incredible was that end of season within
31:38the
31:38club I mean it was just it was just huge
31:41I I think it's one of those in a way I
31:44mean this has been you know my first
31:46season here and I think the club has got
31:47used to winning trophies every year you
31:50know this was fifth league title back to
31:53back but the way that they won it this
31:55year um and then the added story line of
31:58Emma leaving I think really added to
32:00that moment um and I think that's also
32:02where whether it's my team or those
32:05working on the women's side in other
32:06departments have become real ambassadors
32:08within the club for the women's team as
32:10well so it's sort of it's just generally
32:13I don't know any different but for me it
32:14felt like think that everyone celebrated
32:16um and I just also love that we try new
32:19things you'll have seen the Champions
32:20t-shirts and the Caps that we had you
32:22know that's the first time that we've
32:24done something like that where we've
32:25actually rolled out specific merch to
32:28celebrate that moment um so again it's a
32:31really good example of just testing and
32:32learning how Stuff runs and I I think I
32:34was right in saying that it sort of the
32:36first run that came out within 24 hours
32:38actually sold out so they then had to
32:40get more stock um so it was yeah it was
32:43a huge buzz and if anything you know I'm
32:45just really delighted for Emma um she's
32:47a big reason why I came to the club um
32:49and I was really worried I said to Karly
32:51at one point I hope I don't I hope I'm
32:53not the Jinx that this is the first
32:54season that she doesn't win anything
32:56since I think it was 19 um and so I'm
32:59just delighted she also got that moment
33:01as well yeah yeah I think we all can
33:03agree on that she definitely deserved
33:06leaving on a high and I and talking
33:09about Emma how excited are you for next
33:11season can you give us any sneak
33:14previews into what we can expect to see
33:16from the club um the main thing I'm
33:20excited about is I just feel like
33:21there's a really solid foundation now um
33:24as I said we've learned a lot from this
33:26year we've learned from day we've
33:28learned from things that have worked
33:29really well like the DJ um at Stanford
33:31bridge and I think he'll make a regular
33:33appearance now there's been a lot
33:34learned and that's not going to just be
33:36sort of Forgotten for next season so I
33:39feel like we're in a much better
33:40foundational position then I think the
33:42announcement that the club has made
33:44around actually the prominence and the
33:46reporting side of the Women's Business
33:48and adding resource to it and you know
33:50making it even stronger is also super
33:53exciting to see how that will grow um
33:55and then you know there's a change in
33:57the leag itself so there'll be a new
33:59body running um the WSL used to be run
34:02by the fa there's now an new
34:04organization running it and I think
34:05collectively that would be really um
34:07positive for all the clubs involved in
34:09terms of how that's commercialized
34:11moving forward and working with the
34:13clubs on that piece so no specifics I
34:15just and on tour actually I probably
34:17should start with that I am super
34:18excited for tour um I think the fact
34:21that we're going to New York and DC you
34:23know it's WSL versus nwsl Champions um
34:27in New New Jersey and then we'll have a
34:29couple days in New York and I have to
34:31promise not to like reveal too much
34:32stuff but that will be great um and then
34:34playing Arsenal in DC I just I think
34:37it's such a great way for one to start
34:39the Sonia era um so to give her that
34:42moment um also to to build on what we've
34:45started to do this season I kind of
34:48again putting players and fans at the
34:50heart of it who doesn't want to go to
34:51New York um so making sure they both
34:54have great times as well and set us up
34:56for The Following season and so there's
34:58a couple of announcements coming out in
35:00the following few weeks which I think
35:01you'll see um back up the sort of the
35:04focus and strength to strength that the
35:05women's team is going in oh so exciting
35:09yes New York and Chelsea Arsenal game I
35:12mean it's just brilliant it's what every
35:15fan wants to go and see and you get to
35:17hang out in New York and exactly what
35:19you said about Sonia because I think
35:21that announcement we were all hoping but
35:24it's really difficult to replace Emma
35:26and it's just like she's part of the
35:28furniture she's done so much and then
35:30when they announced Sonia it was like
35:32okay I think I think personally I felt
35:34relieved cuz I thought it's so difficult
35:38to replace him and I don't think she'll
35:39ever be really replaced in that way but
35:42you want an a new era that will be just
35:45as great and they found Sonia and it's I
35:48was like yes yeah I think and I also
35:51think you know Paul Green is Mr a
35:53continuity so it's not like there's a
35:55totally new era starting you've got
35:57someone that's been there for the last
35:5812 years as well that's very much at the
36:01Forefront of the decision- making and
36:02and Paul's been Fab so I think there's a
36:05there's it's it's a good combination of
36:07you still have that continuity but you
36:09know Sonia sounds phenomenal um and you
36:13know new players hopefully as well a
36:16couple maybe um so I think it's yeah
36:19it's it's a fantastic time a Zara thank
36:22you so much for speaking to me I still
36:24had like about five or six questions I
36:26wanted to ask you but I know that you're
36:28a very busy woman so thank you so much
36:30for coming on the podcast hopefully
36:31you've enjoyed yourself and if I ask you
36:33to come on again next season maybe you
36:35will I'd love
36:38to thank you so
36:41much thank you for listening to we are
36:43Chelsea the official podcast of Chelsea
36:45women brought to you in association with
36:47scod the official car partner of Chelsea
36:49women and proud supporters of women's
36:51sport remember to subscribe to the feed
36:54give us a review and send in your
36:55questions to we are Chelsea at chelse
36:58fc.com see you next time

About this transcript

This page contains the full transcript of Inside Chelsea FC with Commercial Director Zarah Al-Kudcy | S1 EP 21 | We Are Chelsea Podcast by Chelsea Football Club, generated from the public captions YouTube serves with the video. The transcript has 7,586 words across 1,008 segments, with the original timestamps preserved so you can click any line to jump to that moment in the embedded player.

What you can do with it

Use the transcript to take notes, quote the speaker, build a study guide, generate a summary with ChatGPT or Claude via the YouTube Summary tool, or export it as a timed subtitle file with YouTube to SRT. You can also re-open it in the transcriber to choose a caption track available on the video.

Free YouTube transcript tool

YouTube2Text is a free YouTube transcript generator — no signup, no daily limit. Paste any YouTube link and get the full transcript instantly, with timestamps, click-to-jump, caption language selection, AI prompts for ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini, and exports to TXT, SRT, VTT, or Markdown.