Ian ConstantineThe problem with Women's Sport
August 21st 2006 00:16
The focus on women's sport isn't their athletic prowess...
Women's Sport
I wonder how many sports fans knew that this weekend the Sydney Swifts netball team notched up their 15th consecutive wins in the national competition. How many people knew that Alicia Molik went down to Frenchwoman Tatiana Golovin in the first round of the New Haven ATP? But does anyone REALLY care?
More recently with the ABC deciding to scale back its coverage of the netball test series between our Aussie girls and the impressive kiwi outfit, there were calls from women's sporting fraternities to increase the profile of women's sports. Apparently the New Zealand netball team can't walk down the street without being recognised while Liz Ellis could easily walk in to a stadium of 50,000 and I'm sure people would still ask who she was. And to be honest, that's the way it'll probably stay.
Having attended a few games of netball and women's sport in an attempt to see what they can do, let me tell you they don't hold a candle to what the men can do. Netball was not a sport which was designed to sell out stadiums, whistles being blown literally every second, stupid '3 feet' rules, a sport that you get pulled up for contact. I mean honestly what a load of rubbish. Now don't think I'm just targeting netball, watching other women's sports that men play is not nearly as entertaining (unless it's featuring Kournikova - who ended up as purely a sex symbol) because they're just not as good as the blokes that do the same things. I know it's unfair because they have physical disadvantages, but why would you pay to go and see a women's side when you can see the men do it so much better?
I'm only giving you my opinion, you're welcome to yours. If you can honestly tell me why you would go to watch a second grade spectacle with talent which isn't entertaining, please tell me so. Would you prefer to see Serena vs Amelie Mauresmo or Federer vs Nadal? Would you prefer to see the Men's World Cup Soccer Final or the Women's where the atmosphere would not nearly be as electrifying? I hope one day the women can draw a crowd, but it just won't be in the near future.
The problem with women's sports isn't with the media coverage. The problem is they just cannot entertain like their male counterparts.
Cheers
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Comment by TonyK
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whereas in the men there is greater depth within the top 20 and upsets in the opening rounds of major tournaments are expected.
with all due respect to women it is much easier to say win the women's title at wimbledon than it is to claim the men's crown.
Comment by Cibbuano
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When I was in Canada, our Uni had a mens and womens rugby club. The womens club was picked over mens rugby to become a varsity team. They received facilities and money and special training, while we were left as a independant club. It was incredibly frustrating...
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