Women and Football

[chasesummers]

I would firstly like to point out that No... I don't like football and it's not because of this ''issue'' I would like to discuss, simply because. It also feels like ''the gladiator'' but that's just me, no disrespect to anyone.

So now you know that I have no clue about football, it's history and rules. This is mainly about the World Cup. I noticed how masculine the whole thing is, it never went through my mind how excluded women are in these big events that give the opportunity to represent your country.

What am I missing?

 

[Robb Stark]

While I'm not a big soccer/football fan...they do have a pretty prominent Women's World Cup.

Ultimately, the lack of female sporting exposure in virtually every sport except tennis (depending on how you classify poker, where there are some world class female players) comes down to money. It's that simple. Mens sports, rightly or wrongly, draw vastly greater amounts of money. It's not a sexism thing (although I can see how it appears to be on the surface), it's just what the audience has told major networks and sporting organizations what they want.

 

[Blaze]

Ya women's sport isn't really big. There's a lot of factors contributing to this, including economy, popularity, and man's production of testosterone lol. Can't really change the fact that women sport will never be as exciting because of the female anatomy (well in the case of beach volleyball, female anatomy might make the women's team more popular).

Anyhow, my main sport is horse back riding, which is the only sport featuring man and woman competing together. So I'll just stick to watching that.

 

[EVIL UU]

@Robb Stark

Ultimately, the lack of female sporting exposure in virtually every sport except tennis

I disagree. I think that in most Olympic sports the exposure is about equal, big team sports ( football, basketball and ice hockey really ) being the exception, not the rule. Track and field, winter sports, volleyball, handball, weightlifting, rowing and so on, a medal is a medal.

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@Blaze

Can't really change the fact that women sport will never be as exciting because of the female anatomy

How is pole vaulting less exciting because of the female anatomy? Or skiing? Or fencing? Or judo? Or swimming? Or ice skating? I don't get it, please explain 'cause it seems just as exciting to me.

 

[white avenger]

How is pole vaulting less exciting because of the female anatomy? Or skiing? Or fencing? Or judo? Or swimming? Or ice skating? I don't get it, please explain 'cause it seems just as exciting to me.

You forgot beach volleyball.

But as to football, either the American version and what some refer to as the "real" football, I have never been a fan of either. The only thing more boring to me is baseball.

 

[Still a Scoobie]

I watch every women's soccer game I possibly can. When it comes to international teams, I care far more about the women's game than the men's, even though the women's game is of far less quality here (though it is catching up).

 

[Blaze]

@Blaze


How is pole vaulting less exciting because of the female anatomy? Or skiing? Or fencing? Or judo? Or swimming? Or ice skating? I don't get it, please explain 'cause it seems just as exciting to me.

I don't personally find it less exciting, but it is the general opinion (as seen by the ticket sales for men's sport vs women's sport). I was talking about national leagues as suggested in this thread, like football, hockey, basketball seeming less exciting because men are generally stronger and faster in sports.

 

[Robb Stark]

@Robb Stark


I disagree. I think that in most Olympic sports the exposure is about equal, big team sports ( football, basketball and ice hockey really ) being the exception, not the rule. Track and field, winter sports, volleyball, handball, weightlifting, rowing and so on, a medal is a medal.

Well sure, those are Olympic events, which occur every four years. Seasonal sports are far more dominated by men in terms of money and viewing numbers. As @blaze said, how do you explain the massive ticket disparity between events? Sure, there are some sports where that doesn't apply, but they aren't exactly mainstream. I mean, you can't exactly compare professional rowing to Major League Baseball or Football in terms of exposure.

 

[The Bronze]

I would firstly like to point out that No... I don't like football and it's not because of this ''issue'' I would like to discuss, simply because. It also feels like ''the gladiator'' but that's just me, no disrespect to anyone.

So now you know that I have no clue about football, it's history and rules. This is mainly about the World Cup. I noticed how masculine the whole thing is, it never went through my mind how excluded women are in these big events that give the opportunity to represent your country.

What am I missing?

What you're missing is that women have their own world cup. If you were watching that you'd think that men had been excluded. The men's game and women's game have different schedules so you won't here anything about the women's game while the men's world cup is on.

 

[Kean]

I have played the sport my whole life, whether it was just on the street with friends, or in school. In my book, just getting to play the sport is all I need. It is the best feeling in the world. A girl I went to school with played with Arsenal for years and my neighbour got trials for the Rep. of Ireland team. I have loved and played soccer my whole life and never once felt left out of it.

Women's team sports don't have the exposure or financial investment that mens sports do, nor a do that the grassroots investment from under age teams to local league. In countries where soccer is the/a major sport, most young boys are handed a soccer ball when they are toddlers, that is much less likely to happen with girls. That has a huge affect on where a sport can will grow. Less girls are going to play, that means less talent and therefore less quality in leagues. If women's sports are going to have major exposure, and sell out stadiums, it has to start at the very earliest stages.

 

[EVIL UU]

@Robb Stark

Well sure, those are Olympic events, which occur every four years.

There are world championships, continental championships, meetings, cups and usually if it's an Olympic sport it gets a live broadcast, at least in Europe, don't know how it works around the world. Like, I watched a canoe slalom world cup a few days ago, live transmission and all. Canoe slalom, live on TV.

Sure, there are some sports where that doesn't apply, but they aren't exactly mainstream.

And what does the popularity of a particular sport have to do with it? First you claim that virtually every sport lacks female exposure and when called on bullshit, you try to move the goal posts. Like, don't. The truth is, in virtually every sport out there women get as much exposure as men and a handful of team sports with their assbackwardness do not change that, regardless of how popular they are.

And wait a second, track and field is not mainstream now?

@white avenger

But as to football, either the American version and what some refer to as the "real" football, I have never been a fan of either. The only thing more boring to me is baseball.

I agree, those are boring but they have nothing on cycling. My brother is big into bikes and when there's a grand tour, like Tour de France or Vuelta a Espana, he can watch this stuff for 5 hours straight. I don't get it. I can't even watch Buffy for 5 hours straight.

 

[Robb Stark]

@Robb Stark
There are world championships, continental championships, meetings, cups and usually if it's an Olympic sport it gets a live broadcast, at least in Europe, don't know how it works around the world. Like, I watched a canoe slalom world cup a few days ago, live transmission and all. Canoe slalom, live on TV.

Well, you talked exclusively about the Olympics. Not any of the other events you just brought up. Don't shift the goal posts or people will call you out on your bullshit.

And what does the popularity of a particular sport have to do with it? First you claim that virtually every sport lacks female exposure and when called on bullshit, you try to move the goal posts. Like, don't. The truth is, in virtually every sport out there women get as much exposure as men and a handful of team sports with their assbackwardness do not change that, regardless of how popular they are.

The popularity of the sport has everything to do with it because the OP pertained to the World Cup, one of the most visible and popular events in the world, and why there isn't as much female exposure in it. I answered that. You then brought up a point that had little to do with the threat topic about sports that don't have the same level of exposure as the World Cup. That's because of money.

Don't pick bullshit arguments. It's lame. Please illustrate to me where I "shifted the goalposts". I figure you'd be the expert to consult, as you do it in about 50 percent of the threads you participate in.

And wait a second, track and field is not mainstream now?

Not really, no.

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@Evil UU,

EVIL UU disagrees: Personal insults , huh? Uncool.

No, just the truth. Act like a hypocrite and you should expect to be called on, as you said, "your bullshit". If you can't handle that then don't pick needlessly provocative fights that have zero basis in fact. If you feel the need to swear at and insult people then I have no issue answering in kind. Figure it out.

But if it makes you feel better or whatever to add "uncool", that's fine too.

 

[brinkster130]

The women's world cup isn't until 2015 so that's why we aren't hearing much about it currently; they aren't really being excluded. In fact, the next women's world cup is expanding from 16 teams to 24 teams.

A bit of a rant but as far as women's sports being less exciting....that's a load crap. Any real sports fan can appreciate athletes dedication, the competition and its intensity no matter male or female. And while, you can't argue the economics and number of people watching men's sports compared to women's sports, you can question the reasons for it and the lack of support for female athletes. And a lot of it does come back to sexism; the idea that a women's game can't be as entertaining as a men's game, looking at female athletes as less than because they don't run as fast or jump as high, the fact that when a girl gets fired up and yells during competition she's too emotional while that intensity is encouraged in men's sports, the disparity in pay and media coverage, the fact that coaches and fans saying things like "you're playing like a girl" is seen as an insult....there is a lot of ingrained sexism and intolerance in sports.

 

[Blaze]

A bit of a rant but as far as women's sports being less exciting....that's a load crap. Any real sports fan can appreciate athletes dedication, the competition and its intensity no matter male or female. And while, you can't argue the economics and number of people watching men's sports compared to women's sports, you can question the reasons for it and the lack of support for female athletes. And a lot of it does come back to sexism; the idea that a women's game can't be as entertaining as a men's game, looking at female athletes as less than because they don't run as fast or jump as high, the fact that when a girl gets fired up and yells during competition she's too emotional while that intensity is encouraged in men's sports, the disparity in pay and media coverage, the fact that coaches and fans saying things like "you're playing like a girl" is seen as an insult....there is a lot of ingrained sexism and intolerance in sports.

I just wanted to say that I completely agree. When I said that women's sport is "less exciting", it's not because I believe that, it's because that the population as a whole does. You're right about all the stereotypes and sexism, which is really sad.

On a side note, I always wanted to play American football, but was never given a chance because I'm a girl. There are a lot of stereotypes floating around. I don't see that changing for a while, if at all.

 

[dtrain24]

Women's soccer is pretty prominent, as well as tennis. They're also getting more and more representation from the UFC. They have one division now, but they're going to be getting more soon. To be honest, women UFC fights are always entertaining, they're vicious. They have the WNBA (women's basketball) and did have womens' ice hockey these past Olympics. Always a pleasure to watch in any sport. I hope they keep gaining popularity.

 

[thetopher]

Men, in general, are more into sports than women. It's as simple as that.

Men and women are different and are wired differently, men have more testosterone and therefore feel complelled to do more 'sport-like stuff'. (Running around for no reason, hitting each other for...any reason, shouting at each other for stupid reasons. 🙂 )

This in turn, leads to men's sports being of a higher caliber in terms of excitement/quality, whether its just because they've been doing it longer or they have better trainers, salery, motivation.

But I've seen a great deal of women's football and I do see that its getting better and more entertaining, hopefully it'll start drawing more fans like its male counterpart. It might just take some time, or it might almays be seen as the 'lesser' sport. I hope its the former, but suspect its the latter.

 

[Kean]

From a very young age men are socialised to participate in sports more than women. Given the same opportunity women are just as likely to make sports part if their life. It isn't a biological phenomenon, it's societal.

 

[The Bronze]

Excitement in sports is entirely subjective and is not why there's less coverage of women's sports. What's exciting for me, football (soccer for those on the other side of the pond), clearly bores others like WA and EVIL to tears. Generally speaking the excitement in sports comes from rivalries, close encounters and unpredictability. That's the same for any participants men, women or children.

The reason the men's sports get more coverage is that in general the audience want to watch the top level of any sport. No one has the time to watch every minute of any sport no matter how much they may enjoy it. So given the choice people want to watch the very best players compete in any sport and that for most sports is the men.

Football is a good example in this case. It's played by an enormous amount of people across the world but there's not enough cameras to follow everyone. So the most coverage goes to the elite game. The lower divisions, age restricted matches and women's game do get coverage just not as much. Then at the bottom of the pile you have people like me playing once a week with no cameras involved because of the low quality on display 🙂