AFLW

Launching AFLW: The first women's pro football league

UX/UI • Website

AFLW’s launch was a historic moment in Australian football, introducing the league’s first elite competition for women. I played a key role in designing womens.afl, leading the site’s design over its first three seasons to engage fans and support the league’s growth.

Client

Australian Football League (AFL)

Contributions

UX design, UI design

Year

2017-2019

AFLW

Launching AFLW: The first women's pro football league

UX/UI • Website

AFLW’s launch was a historic moment in Australian football, introducing the league’s first elite competition for women. I played a key role in designing womens.afl, leading the site’s design over its first three seasons to engage fans and support the league’s growth.

Client

Australian Football League (AFL)

Contributions

UX design, UI design

Year

2017-2019

AFLW

Launching AFLW: The first women's pro football league

UX/UI • Website

AFLW’s launch was a historic moment in Australian football, introducing the league’s first elite competition for women. I played a key role in designing womens.afl, leading the site’s design over its first three seasons to engage fans and support the league’s growth.

Client

Australian Football League (AFL)

Contributions

UX design, UI design

Year

2017-2019

AFLW

Launching AFLW: The first women's pro football league

UX/UI • Website

AFLW’s launch was a historic moment in Australian football, introducing the league’s first elite competition for women. I played a key role in designing womens.afl, leading the site’s design over its first three seasons to engage fans and support the league’s growth.

Client

Australian Football League (AFL)

Contributions

UX design, UI design

Year

2017-2019

Problems & Goals

Introducing women's AFL to new audience with storytelling and design

womens.afl was designed to break away from the traditional structure of afl.com.au, offering a fresh and dynamic platform to spotlight AFLW athletes. The goal was to use rich storytelling, video, and photography to bring their stories to life in ways that weren’t possible on the main AFL site. This approach aimed to engage a broader, more diverse audience, promoting both the new professional league and community participation among women and girls, inspiring the next generation of players.

Problems & Goals

Introducing women's AFL to new audience with storytelling and design

womens.afl was designed to break away from the traditional structure of afl.com.au, offering a fresh and dynamic platform to spotlight AFLW athletes. The goal was to use rich storytelling, video, and photography to bring their stories to life in ways that weren’t possible on the main AFL site. This approach aimed to engage a broader, more diverse audience, promoting both the new professional league and community participation among women and girls, inspiring the next generation of players.

Problems & Goals

Introducing women's AFL to new audience with storytelling and design

womens.afl was designed to break away from the traditional structure of afl.com.au, offering a fresh and dynamic platform to spotlight AFLW athletes. The goal was to use rich storytelling, video, and photography to bring their stories to life in ways that weren’t possible on the main AFL site. This approach aimed to engage a broader, more diverse audience, promoting both the new professional league and community participation among women and girls, inspiring the next generation of players.

Problems & Goals

Introducing women's AFL to new audience with storytelling and design

womens.afl was designed to break away from the traditional structure of afl.com.au, offering a fresh and dynamic platform to spotlight AFLW athletes. The goal was to use rich storytelling, video, and photography to bring their stories to life in ways that weren’t possible on the main AFL site. This approach aimed to engage a broader, more diverse audience, promoting both the new professional league and community participation among women and girls, inspiring the next generation of players.

Showcase stories and visuals

Collaborate with internal and external contributors to create a digital platform that brought AFLW’s branding, videography, and storytelling to life, connecting emotionally with fans.

Showcase stories and visuals

Collaborate with internal and external contributors to create a digital platform that brought AFLW’s branding, videography, and storytelling to life, connecting emotionally with fans.

Showcase stories and visuals

Collaborate with internal and external contributors to create a digital platform that brought AFLW’s branding, videography, and storytelling to life, connecting emotionally with fans.

Showcase stories and visuals

Collaborate with internal and external contributors to create a digital platform that brought AFLW’s branding, videography, and storytelling to life, connecting emotionally with fans.

Launch a new destination for AFLW

Provide a distinct digital space that celebrates AFLW’s growth and potential while aligning with its mission to inspire a new audience.

Launch a new destination for AFLW

Provide a distinct digital space that celebrates AFLW’s growth and potential while aligning with its mission to inspire a new audience.

Launch a new destination for AFLW

Provide a distinct digital space that celebrates AFLW’s growth and potential while aligning with its mission to inspire a new audience.

Drive engagement for the upcoming season

Structure the site to feature content and maximise audience engagement, inspiring participation and long-term growth for AFLW.

Drive engagement for the upcoming season

Structure the site to feature content and maximise audience engagement, inspiring participation and long-term growth for AFLW.

Drive engagement for the upcoming season

Structure the site to feature content and maximise audience engagement, inspiring participation and long-term growth for AFLW.

Drive engagement for the upcoming season

Structure the site to feature content and maximise audience engagement, inspiring participation and long-term growth for AFLW.

Hero photography

Showcasing the people

The homepage featured a grid layout filled with large photography to capture the attention of visitors and highlight the dynamic nature of the competition. This design choice aimed to create an immersive and engaging experience for users from the moment they landed on the site.

Hero photography

Showcasing the people

The homepage featured a grid layout filled with large photography to capture the attention of visitors and highlight the dynamic nature of the competition. This design choice aimed to create an immersive and engaging experience for users from the moment they landed on the site.

Hero photography

Showcasing the people

The homepage featured a grid layout filled with large photography to capture the attention of visitors and highlight the dynamic nature of the competition. This design choice aimed to create an immersive and engaging experience for users from the moment they landed on the site.

Hero photography

Showcasing the people

The homepage featured a grid layout filled with large photography to capture the attention of visitors and highlight the dynamic nature of the competition. This design choice aimed to create an immersive and engaging experience for users from the moment they landed on the site.

Match guide

A visual fixture to highlight the action and get new fans to games

The match guide was designed to be easy to understand for new audiences, providing all the necessary details for attending a match or watching it on TV. We also chose to include images in the AFLW fixture which is not the case on the traditional mens fixture. This helped to showcase what the game looks like for new audiences.

Match guide

A visual fixture to highlight the action and get new fans to games

The match guide was designed to be easy to understand for new audiences, providing all the necessary details for attending a match or watching it on TV. We also chose to include images in the AFLW fixture which is not the case on the traditional mens fixture. This helped to showcase what the game looks like for new audiences.

Match guide

A visual fixture to highlight the action and get new fans to games

The match guide was designed to be easy to understand for new audiences, providing all the necessary details for attending a match or watching it on TV. We also chose to include images in the AFLW fixture which is not the case on the traditional mens fixture. This helped to showcase what the game looks like for new audiences.

Match guide

A visual fixture to highlight the action and get new fans to games

The match guide was designed to be easy to understand for new audiences, providing all the necessary details for attending a match or watching it on TV. We also chose to include images in the AFLW fixture which is not the case on the traditional mens fixture. This helped to showcase what the game looks like for new audiences.

Rules guide

A guide to the rules of AFLW

We created a guide to educate fans new and old about how the rules differed from the men's game

Rules guide

A guide to the rules of AFLW

We created a guide to educate fans new and old about how the rules differed from the men's game

Rules guide

A guide to the rules of AFLW

We created a guide to educate fans new and old about how the rules differed from the men's game

Rules guide

A guide to the rules of AFLW

We created a guide to educate fans new and old about how the rules differed from the men's game

Show your support

Growing subscribers through pledging team support

To encourage audience engagement and mailing list sign-ups, we introduced a feature where users could pledge support for their favourite club. This was another opportunity to showcase the incredible photography of players and segment the new audience by team.

Show your support

Growing subscribers through pledging team support

To encourage audience engagement and mailing list sign-ups, we introduced a feature where users could pledge support for their favourite club. This was another opportunity to showcase the incredible photography of players and segment the new audience by team.

Show your support

Growing subscribers through pledging team support

To encourage audience engagement and mailing list sign-ups, we introduced a feature where users could pledge support for their favourite club. This was another opportunity to showcase the incredible photography of players and segment the new audience by team.

Show your support

Growing subscribers through pledging team support

To encourage audience engagement and mailing list sign-ups, we introduced a feature where users could pledge support for their favourite club. This was another opportunity to showcase the incredible photography of players and segment the new audience by team.

Articles & Vlogs

Stories of AFLW

We told the stories of the professional players and their journeys to AFLW, the next generation of girls playing community football, and Dads excited to share their passion for footy with daughters.

Articles & Vlogs

Stories of AFLW

We told the stories of the professional players and their journeys to AFLW, the next generation of girls playing community football, and Dads excited to share their passion for footy with daughters.

Articles & Vlogs

Stories of AFLW

We told the stories of the professional players and their journeys to AFLW, the next generation of girls playing community football, and Dads excited to share their passion for footy with daughters.

Articles & Vlogs

Stories of AFLW

We told the stories of the professional players and their journeys to AFLW, the next generation of girls playing community football, and Dads excited to share their passion for footy with daughters.

Season retrospective

Moments of the season

At the end of each season the best moments captured in photos, illustrations and quotes were displayed in a scrollable collage to honour the players and fans that came together to make history.

Season retrospective

Moments of the season

At the end of each season the best moments captured in photos, illustrations and quotes were displayed in a scrollable collage to honour the players and fans that came together to make history.

Season retrospective

Moments of the season

At the end of each season the best moments captured in photos, illustrations and quotes were displayed in a scrollable collage to honour the players and fans that came together to make history.

Season retrospective

Moments of the season

At the end of each season the best moments captured in photos, illustrations and quotes were displayed in a scrollable collage to honour the players and fans that came together to make history.

Results & Final thoughts

Building a future for women in sport

The launch of womens.afl successfully established a unique digital presence for AFLW, providing the flexibility and creativity needed to celebrate the league's athletes and stories. The platform played a key role in promoting the inaugural season, contributing to a full-capacity crowd of 50,000 on opening day. It also supported the league’s rapid growth, as AFLW expanded from 8 teams in 2017 to 14 by 2019. During this time, women’s football saw a surge in participation, with female players making up 30% of total participants in 2017 and community participation increasing by 14.2% in 2018. The site helped engage new audiences and encouraged more women and girls to get involved, both professionally and at the grassroots level. While the site has since been integrated into afl.com.au, its initial success highlights the importance of designing with purpose and understanding the needs of a growing audience. This project reinforced the power of storytelling and collaboration in creating impactful digital experiences that inspire and connect with users.

Results & Final thoughts

Building a future for women in sport

The launch of womens.afl successfully established a unique digital presence for AFLW, providing the flexibility and creativity needed to celebrate the league's athletes and stories. The platform played a key role in promoting the inaugural season, contributing to a full-capacity crowd of 50,000 on opening day. It also supported the league’s rapid growth, as AFLW expanded from 8 teams in 2017 to 14 by 2019. During this time, women’s football saw a surge in participation, with female players making up 30% of total participants in 2017 and community participation increasing by 14.2% in 2018. The site helped engage new audiences and encouraged more women and girls to get involved, both professionally and at the grassroots level. While the site has since been integrated into afl.com.au, its initial success highlights the importance of designing with purpose and understanding the needs of a growing audience. This project reinforced the power of storytelling and collaboration in creating impactful digital experiences that inspire and connect with users.

Results & Final thoughts

Building a future for women in sport

The launch of womens.afl successfully established a unique digital presence for AFLW, providing the flexibility and creativity needed to celebrate the league's athletes and stories. The platform played a key role in promoting the inaugural season, contributing to a full-capacity crowd of 50,000 on opening day. It also supported the league’s rapid growth, as AFLW expanded from 8 teams in 2017 to 14 by 2019. During this time, women’s football saw a surge in participation, with female players making up 30% of total participants in 2017 and community participation increasing by 14.2% in 2018. The site helped engage new audiences and encouraged more women and girls to get involved, both professionally and at the grassroots level. While the site has since been integrated into afl.com.au, its initial success highlights the importance of designing with purpose and understanding the needs of a growing audience. This project reinforced the power of storytelling and collaboration in creating impactful digital experiences that inspire and connect with users.

Results & Final thoughts

Building a future for women in sport

The launch of womens.afl successfully established a unique digital presence for AFLW, providing the flexibility and creativity needed to celebrate the league's athletes and stories. The platform played a key role in promoting the inaugural season, contributing to a full-capacity crowd of 50,000 on opening day. It also supported the league’s rapid growth, as AFLW expanded from 8 teams in 2017 to 14 by 2019. During this time, women’s football saw a surge in participation, with female players making up 30% of total participants in 2017 and community participation increasing by 14.2% in 2018. The site helped engage new audiences and encouraged more women and girls to get involved, both professionally and at the grassroots level. While the site has since been integrated into afl.com.au, its initial success highlights the importance of designing with purpose and understanding the needs of a growing audience. This project reinforced the power of storytelling and collaboration in creating impactful digital experiences that inspire and connect with users.

Let's work together.

Kelly Stubbs © 2024

I acknowledge the Wurundjeri people as the Traditional Owners of the Kulin Nation on which I live, work and create.

Let's work together.

Kelly Stubbs © 2024

I acknowledge the Wurundjeri people as the Traditional Owners of the Kulin Nation on which I live, work and create.

Let's work together.

Kelly Stubbs © 2024

I acknowledge the Wurundjeri people as the Traditional Owners of the Kulin Nation on which I live, work and create.

Let's work together.

Kelly Stubbs © 2024

I acknowledge the Wurundjeri people as the Traditional Owners of the Kulin Nation on which I live, work and create.