That professionalisation has underpinned the success of the ninth Women's World Cup, which ended on Sunday with Spain beating England by a single goal in a final that pitted the two European countries with the strongest domestic leagues against each other.
Attracting record crowds and television audiences, the tournament buoyed hopes that the women's game can start to bridge the yawning financial gap that exists with the men.
TV BLACKOUTIn broadcast rights, the women's game has struggled to compete.
The FIFA president, Gianni Infantino, threatened Europe's "Big 5" nations with a TV World Cup blackout unless their broadcasters upped their offers.
But both Chadwick and Carlota Planas, a Spain-based women's' football agent representing several World Cup players, argued that the women's game now offers the values of tenacity, resilience and togetherness, which can appeal to advertisers.
Persons:
Stoke City's, Molly Holder, Spain's, Olga Carmona, Sunday's, Gianni Infantino, Jill Ellis, Lisa Parfitt, Jill Scott, Chloe Kelly, Ella Toone, Kieran Maguire, Simon Chadwick, Chadwick, Carlota Planas, Planas, let's, Holder, Kate Holton, Nick Mulveney, Helen Reid, Suban Abdulla, Matt Scuffham
Organizations:
Stoke City women's, Reuters, Stoke City FC, REUTERS Acquire, Stoke, Spain, England, Deloitte, Real Madrid, Real Madrid men's, FIFA, Women, Football, Germany, University of Liverpool, Wembley, Super League, men's Premier League, Manchester City, Arsenal, School, Thomson
Locations:
Stoke, Trent, Britain, Handout, STOKE, England, MADRID, Spain, France, Germany, Italy, United States, Manchester, Chelsea, Liverpool, Sydney, London