To ask where all the women are in football?

[moutonfou]

Watching the Europa cup final on BT Sport as as the male presenter and three male pundits handed over to the two male commentators I had to ask myself where the women were?

I know lots of women who are football fans. Yes there is the women's game, but as far as the fan experience goes, it's just not on the scale of the men's game currently. Therefore most women still follow the men's game and would be just as knowledgeable and engaging on the subject as any man. Yet they don't seem to be given a voice by the broadcasters?

To put it in terms the football industry would appreciate (money money money), they aren't making any effort to include 50% of the potential audience for their product?

Mostly I hear Eleanor Oldroyd and jacqui oatley who I think are good. There could definitely be more female journalists/broadcasters promoted to commentate.

I think part of it is that a lot of the pundits are retired professionals, having played the game at a high level. Whether it is true or not I think fans like them because they have seen them play. Until some of the current women professional players retire that might not change, even then they won't be household names. I suppose they could recruit some non professional players so that broadcasting becomes their paid job, but I think it isn't very likely.

Current professional women players could broadcast as well - Robbie Savage was still playing and on phone ins.

Just to add personally I don't think a woman presenter would encourage or discourage me following football. I watch Match of the Day whoever is presenting because I want to see premier league (and can't afford Sky T home).

I think if it's the boys game, boys should commentate. And then girls with girls football. Dont slate me for saying that.

I love football by the way.

...and I'm a girl if that makes a difference.

Football is not a mixed sex sport.
Pundits and commentators are required to be ex-players, coaches and managers of that sport.
Women who don't play football are not an 'authority' on the topic (fans are looking for authoritative opinions and commentary) and women who play women's football are essentially playing a different sport.
Case closed

P.s: figures suggest women make up 1/3 of the uk audience

Agree with Muffin; those commentating or working as pundits need to be people who have actually played or are very experienced in the game of men's football. Women's is a different kettle of fish (Another big football fan here).

When women's cup final was shown on TV recently it was all women - horses for courses

I like ITV's rugby presentation, where they tend to have a female panellist. I'm not bothered either way though. If it was a mixed sport, I'd expect a mixed panel though

left back in the dressing room roflmao!!

theres quite a few talented female presenters and contributers to football shows on both tv and radio

are you basing it on just one football program youve seen the whole year? but it was a mens football game so all the pundits are ex players of mens football

My issue is that the women's football - especially the big tournaments - barely get shown. It's the women's euros in July & all that C4 are showing is the England & Scotland matches - none of the other matches - and we rarely get to see the friendlies & qualifying matches, yet every match of the men's tournaments are shown even if they're between countries that you didn't know had a national team.
The England games have in-match commentators - one man & one woman, never (I don't think) 2 women. The studio presenters are women.

Different sport but I think Ebony Rainford-Brent is excellent on Test Match Special.. Yet again though, she played at a high level like nearly all pundits these days.

ladyPW- the bbc disagrees with you

www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2017/fifa-womens-world-cup-2019 coverage of every world cup game is available with increased coverage of more womens football too

Rugby - both codes - manage very well to have both male/female presenters.

Then of course you get dinosaurs who criticise people like Maggie Alphonsi for daring to suggest Lawrence Dallaglio was incorrect in his assessment of an incident (he was!)

You don't need to have played the man's game as a woman or vice versa to commentate IMO - you need a firm grasp of the rules and of the competition you're commenting on.

Gabby Logan presents match of the day sometimes, however I think it makes sense having the male pundits because they are usually ex-players or managers and have been involved with the male side of the game. I also think females would be the best commentators/pundits for the female games.