50% female sport on bbc news and tv

@Needmoresleep Bournemouth then

I’m not a huge sports fan but I’m reminded of mixed martial arts, as I’m given to understand it they have been pretty positive about women’s participation right from the sports inception.

I could only name you one person from that sport and it’s Rhonda Rousey so clearly it’s possible to promote women in a sport.

A lot of this stems from the camapign by the US women to be payed the same as their male counterparts.

In the case of England, the men are not paid and are required to make a contribution to charity in return for the privilege of playing for their country.

I don't really think 50% female sport is realistic. Like it or not, male sport is much more popular, and if not as many watch female, then there won't be as much coverage.

I think the sam when it comes to people kicking off about male stars being paid more than female. The huge majority of their income comes from who/which is most talked about and watched.

I know many think differently though, and sport really isn't my thing so my opinion is pretty pointless!

I would be happy for 100% of female sports to include only female people competing though, I think thats much more doable and important.

Good news!

Chelsea - Lyon return leg is on BBC RB this afternoon.

I think they include the options on the red button. It is also just a guess, I suspect. I very much doubt it is that on BBC1.

I just FOI requested the BBC who are apparently exempt for "artistic, journalism etc....."

But they volunteered it is around 30%.

I really don't see that but they are including the red button and not just the main channels.

This whole thread is about the BBC as national broadcaster , paid for by rich and poor alike setting a lead.

I already answered this.

Your dad’s interests should not be given priority because he is male and well off.

I already answered this too.

As with the debate on equal pay the BBC should set a lead on equality.

And this.

Why repeat things I already responded to?

Bit of a letdown that they couldn't use Stamford Bridge for that game, because the men are away at Old Trafford on the 28th.

I am surprised as well and agree it is a bargain. Perhaps everyone is assuming it is. All the evidence seems to point to the fact you can sell tickets to big matches if you try.

That said Kingsmeadow is a slog to get to. DD last went on a cold wet night just after Christmas. No shelter and dodgy trains probably put her off. I think she would be tempted to sneak back from University for this one if it were more central (and if she did not have exams.)

Chelsea don't borrow Kinsgsmeadow from AFC Wimbledon's youth team. Kingsmeadow was sold to Chelsea FC 3 or 4 years back.

There are still plenty of tickets left for the Lyon game. Free for kids and OAPs, £6 for adults. That's an absolute bargain. I'm really surprised that it's not sold out.

Andy, the nicest thing about the Wembly cup match we saw when DD was about 15 were the family groups. Dads taking their daughters (and sons). And the mums as well. What better way to encourage girls to take up sport.

Men who enjoy football are usually happy to watch most levels and appreciate the special atmosphere at big events. And dads and daughters often enjoy finding common ground and a reason to do something together.

The other big surprise is how diverse supporters at womens matches can be. For all the kick racism out campaigns, top level British football is white male. From what we have observed, ethnic minorities may simply feel more comfortable watching women's games.

I agree about other sports. We saw white water canoeing at the Olympics which was brilliant. (Though the flat water canoeing proved deathly dull.) And indeed encouraged by the Olympics entered a ballot for a big athletcs event. Top level sport is really a branch of the entertainment industry. Big events can be fun even if you dont know much. And there is no reason why people dont enjoy a good match played by women as much as a good match played by men.

"This is a pretty cut and dried example. Big match. The French can treat it properly. We can't."

Exactly!
At least give the players a chance to shine, to play in front of large crowds. Also make it affordable for spectators, because having watched bits of yesterday's game, I would definitely go along to Wembley or Stamford Bridge to see them play. I think my wife would enjoy it.
One of the best sporting events we attended was a World Cup cycling session at the Lea Valley velodrome. The capacity is just over 6,000 and it was pretty full. I think it cost around £15 each to get in, and the session lasted around four hours. There were plenty of stars there, and the noise was incredible, especially when the Team GB women's pursuit squad qualified for the final.

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I think you make a good point about the second leg being played at Chelsea's main ground.

I would agree that this would be fair.

TeeJay, but that is exactly my point.

Lyon gave their main stadium for the first leg of the European League semi final and got an attendance typical of a mens Premier League game - even though it was played on Easter Sunday in a Catholic country. Plus allowed BBC to have the TV rights.

Yet the return game will be played at Kingsmeadow, a local authority ground Chelsea borrow from AFC Wimbledon's youth team.

You say the big matches played in big stadia. Can you actually name a bigger Club game in British women's football - ever. Britain is not the strongest country in womens football by some margin. There has been far better support in places like France Japan and the US. Our national team is significantly over performing at the moment, as is Chelsea in this European competition.

(Wembley as a national venue hosts a range of league and non league cup finals - that's its job. Going to Wembley when your small town club reaches a cup final is a long standing tradition. And the women's one gets a good crowd.)

Kingsmeadows capacity is 4,850 with 2,265 seats. That is not a big stadium for a match this size.

And it would not be so bad if the BBC were prepared to televise it. But no.

DD suggests the only silver lining is that the French team will be seriously surprised that they are playing a match this size on what feels like a training ground, and that might put them off.

Also why is it that women seem so reluctant to push for equality for women, and so quick to make excuses. This is a pretty cut and dried example. Big match. The French can treat it properly. We can't.

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For the big games women get the big stadiums. This years FA cup final is at Wembley.

For the small games they get the snall venues.

What's your point?

TeeJay. Why would you think only 1500 would turn up? A 4500 capacity stadium will be sold out many times over for a match like this.

This is like the toilet stuff. Women posting that men in loos dont bother them so why should it bother others. Women saying they are not interested in sport so why care if other women are treated unequally.

Some women care about sport. Sport has been a major part of DDs teenage and University years and I have no doubt it will continue when she starts working. Many of her friends are similar. Womens sport gets shabby treatment from the BBC.(Sky recently have hired some very good women football commentators who give credibility to their women's football roots.) Those woke blokes dont seem to like women. (I personally have a problem with Gary Lineker who is so smugly blokey.)

The gender stuff is pushing girls back towards stereotypical roles. The bandwidth of what is acceptable girl behaviour seems to be narrowing. Some of the attitudes, including from the BBC, seem to be on the lines of a Mermaids seminar. If a girl wants to play football they must have a boy brain.

Perhaps it is no coincidence that almost all the senior sports women who have spoken up on gender issues are BBC commentators: Navratilova; Davies; Holmes; Radcliffe. The BBC seems stuck in some sort of misogynistic 50s dystopia, focused on gender and wanting women to be unseen and unheard. What is so threatening about women playing football. Why can't they show the match.

The attendance is pretty much in line with those of smaller premier league clubs. So pretty good. Those matches get televised. Also Lyon were always expected to get through to the final so the semis are not such a big deal for them.

Britain has more of a football culture and Chelsea, in the middle of a huge city could expect more. Price it right and quite a lot of dads would be happy to take their kids, especially daughters, to Stamford Bridge to see the best club in Europe. Premier league football is expensive and not always family or ethnic friendly, so womens football represents a different opportunity. With money then spent on concessions and the club shop.

Focussing on one match is a thread derail.

However I hope the "why not" is obvious. Here is a match that would get a typical premier league attendance at least. Plus is the best club achievement by a British team in a fast growing womans sport.

If the BBC/Chelsea cant rise to the occasion on this one, they are not going to on others.

What's the problem with a seating capacity of 4500 if 1500 fans turn ip?

"According to the BBC the attendance was 22,911. So depending on your stance either a lot or less than half full."

A really good crowd IMHO, and it took place in a great stadium, unlike the majority of FA Women's grounds in the UK, where you can barely fit in 4,500 fans, plus the dogs and pigeons and people who climb over the fence to buy a pasty.

So Lyon have their women playing in the main stadium capacity 55,000 to let as many supporters in as possible. Plus TV is available to the BBC

According to the BBC the attendance was 22,911. So depending on your stance either a lot or less than half full.