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The average attendance for the Women's Super League for 2018/19 was 833. The average attendance for the National League (division below the Football League) was 1,977. This division get's very little if any television coverage but still has more than double the attendance of the women's top division. I expect the blanket coverage the BBC has given to the women's world cup will boost domestic attendances next season but I suspect by not that much.Quote:
Originally Posted by DrPatrickBarry
There is such a problem with obesity, espically with women. One of the contributors to that is lack of participation in sport. They fell embarassed/are not welcome, and here you lot are proving that they are right in that thinking. Just becasuse all these sexist men think women's football is crap so they don't go to it and therefore very low attendance, which proves it is crap.
I have been to Manchester City Womens and New Mills FC and paid similar amounts to get into each game, I can tell you which one had far superior standard of football.
In skill level where would the top women's premier league teams be, somewhere in the middle of the championship? But their attendance would not reflect the quality of product on offer.
Pure sexism would be a major contributor that that.
Attendances have also risen every year for the FA Cup final, something which has no doubt been aided by the move to England's premier Stadium, Wembley, in 2015:
2013: 4,988 (held at the Keepmoat stadium Doncaster)
2014: 15,098 (Stadium MK Milton Keynes)
2015: 30,710 (Wembley)
2016: 32,912 (Wembley)
2017: 35,271 (Wembley)
2018 45,423 (Wembley)
2019 43,264 (Wembley)
https://blog.pitchero.com/the-growth-of-womens-football
Sorry if pointing out the facts upsets your woke sensibilities. But you flinging around unfounded allegations of sexism won't change the facts. Even if you were right (you're not) and men didn't go to these matches due to sexism it wouldn't stop women from going. The fact is there just isn't the interest.Quote:
Originally Posted by DrPatrickBarry
It doesn't mean women aren't interested in sport, of course they are. Just not particularly in football. In my running club there are more women than men. And they're not snowflakes as you seem to imagine, they don't need to be patronised.
It's not remotely that level. If you think so, you can't have seen many football matches.Quote:
In skill level where would the top women's premier league teams be, somewhere in the middle of the championship? But their attendance would not reflect the quality of product on offer.
But there has been no such increase in average league attendances, which have remained static. This tells you much more about the fundamental health or otherwise of the game.Quote:
Originally Posted by DrPatrickBarry
It doesn’t need to be compared level for level, it doesn’t matter, I do know that I caught the second half of the USA v France game and wanted it to go to extra time, not because I wanted France to win but because both teams were playing great entertaining football, I do think that there is a general issue with sexism directed towards women in sport (and I’m not saying that it’s the case on this forum) hence the reason my mates wife won’t run alone due to heckling from ‘white van men’ (sorry I know this is a generalisation but it’s what she has seen) we need to get behind anyone doing any sport, understand there are differences and celebrate them.Quote:
Originally Posted by Muddy Retriever
When I was injured I spend a couple of years as a member of a gym doing my core exercies. There are a mumber number of female members and the organised classes are so dominated by women, I felt like a dirty old man going to them and stopped going eventually. Why is that, I guess it is a safe friendly environment for them.Quote:
Originally Posted by Daletownrunner
While it is brilliant that they are exercising it is also a pity that there are not more of them out doing competitive sport "in the wild".
I do spin classes to top up my fitness without impact. I'm often the only bloke in the class....I understand what you mean Pat! Now, wheres me mac!;)
There are some sports that are better to watch in the women's game. Tennis is one of these - I think men's tennis is almost too powerful with lots of big serves.
I quite enjoy women's football, but it takes a while to set my expectations regarding the speed and power of the players having spent so many years watching the men's game. I'm looking forward to the semi-final.
I hear what you say about BBC 'manufacturing' interest in sports but I think this is a bit of a cynical view. As a public service broadcaster, BBC has championed the cause of 'minority' sports that form part of the fabric of our year. Who watches boat racing regularly? But the annual Boat race marks the turn of winter into spring. Wimbledon likewise celebrates the full blossoming of summer. 6 nations the grind of a harsh winter. These are all intrinsic parts of our lives, not just sport.
Wish ITV would bring scrambling back!