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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To feel sad women are not part of the greatest show on Earth

100 replies

Futtonislovely · 08/07/2018 19:05

The World Cup is the greatest show on Earth, nations across the globe brought to a standstill, billions watching, lifelong heroes made with a kick of a ball.

Yet this is the MEN'S world cup. Women can't play, are not part of the coaching staff or managers. Instead our roles are reduced to WAGs or totty sitting in stands or occasionally inspiring mum watching son.

Women's football doesn't get the coverage, money or exposure, so will never pull in the audiences that the men's game does.

So there is no answer but I am feeling sad that a young girl can't dream of lifting the World Cup and becoming an idol to billions.

AIBU?

OP posts:
Original poster
Futtonislovely · 08/07/2018 21:45

I wish I'd written greatest sporting event! The Beeb had dubbed it the greatest show on Earth in early WC promos hence the title!

OP posts:
scaryteacher · 08/07/2018 23:02

The World Cup is the greatest show on Earth, nations across the globe brought to a standstill, billions watching, lifelong heroes made with a kick of a ball Meh - I watch anything other than football, or read a book. It's soooo dull. Belgium certainly hasn't been brought to a standstill, and I really don't think kicking a ball makes you heroic.

There are so many other things that women can achieve that really matter - I don't think that football does, unless you are into that particular form of bread and circuses.

The only interesting thing about the World Cup is trying to work out where Vlad will annexe next, He has form...it was Crimea after the Sochi Winter Olympics.

Firesuit · 08/07/2018 23:21

Women's football doesn't get the coverage, money or exposure, so will never pull in the audiences that the men's game does.

I think you have cause and effect the wrong way around there.

happinessiseggshaped · 08/07/2018 23:34

Im not interested in football. I dislike how it gives some people an excuse to behave like ignorant twats.

I went to a highest level below national (not sure what its called, sorry, its not county as its regional) women's cricket game last year, that was really entertaining, slightly different from the men's game but my 7 year old loved it. As with many things, you don't start off thinking women's sport is less important than men's.

Also, athletics is awesome. (The anniversary games are coming up and we cant go this year! Disappointing.) And has some great female role models and other than the 100M and the fuss about being the fastest man on earth, men aren't prioritised over the women. It probably helps that in recent years the British women have been more successful than the men though.

JellyBears · 08/07/2018 23:39

It’s not the greatest show tho..that’s the Olympics and the para Olympics ppl with actual talents and there’s plent females taking part. Football is a bunch of over paid men kicking a ball..

sparkli · 09/07/2018 11:39

Me too, OP. Why no female officials?

DD18 is a referee and is being coached to progress through the ranks to get to the top once she's old enough. At the moment that means refereeing in the Women's World Cup. She's hoping by the time she gets to the top rank females will be officiating in the Men's World Cup, too.

Original poster
Futtonislovely · 09/07/2018 11:41

I disagree Firesuit. The women's game can be passionate, Exciting and exhilarating. If it got the coverage I don't doubt it would get the audiences but a lot of people are completely unaware of women's football.

And dare I say it for the Beeb can flood the screens with hours of Formula One, Wimbledon and WC Mens group matches were both teams are out e.g. Panama vs Tunisia then surely a bit more on the women's game would be good. It has improved in recent times but seeing England go into a frenzy over a particular competition that only half the population can particpate in, does still make me sad.

OP posts:
JacquesHammer · 09/07/2018 11:51

*Me too, OP. Why no female officials?

DD18 is a referee and is being coached to progress through the ranks to get to the top once she's old enough. At the moment that means refereeing in the Women's World Cup. She's hoping by the time she gets to the top rank females will be officiating in the Men's World Cup, too*

That will happen. There's already female officials in top levels of domestic football. By the next WC I would lay good money on there being a number of female officials.

The Women's World Cup is being shown in its entirety in 2019. PLenty of coverage; just need to encourage people to watch it now!

LeighaJ · 09/07/2018 11:53

I've always considered the Olympics to be the greatest show on earth.

LeighaJ · 09/07/2018 11:53

I thought lost people did.

LeighaJ · 09/07/2018 11:53

*most

Ennirem · 09/07/2018 11:55

Well I find the whole thing achingly tedious so I guess it's purely a matter of chacun a son gout really. Apparently lots of people like watching men kick a ball around, and some fewer people like watching women kicking a ball around, and I and a minority of others aren't interested in ball-kicking whoever is doing it.

Someone wake me when it's all over please!

runningkeenster · 09/07/2018 11:56

By adding the adjective only to the women's team makes them seem less important some how

Yes. My local half marathon does it with the race numbers too.

The male numbers are just numbers eg 1031.

The female numbers are pink, and have an F in front eg F1031.

Why can't it be the other way round?

MadMags · 09/07/2018 11:57

The greatest show on earth? Hardly!

bridgetreilly · 09/07/2018 12:00

It's not even the greatest sporting event, though. Most countries aren't in it and it's only one game. The Olympics is a MUCH more important event, and even the Winter Olympics earlier this year was a much bigger event. And women are fully involved.

YABU to even care about the World Cup at all, imo. It's just football.

JacquesHammer · 09/07/2018 12:01

YABU to even care about the World Cup at all, imo. It's just football

How can someone be unreasonable for liking something different to you Grin

bridgetreilly · 09/07/2018 12:01

*The female numbers are pink, and have an F in front eg F1031.

Why can't it be the other way round?*

Or both ways round: F1031 and M1031. But maybe not pink and blue?!!! Why not yellow and purple or something, if they need to be easily distinguishable.

arethereanyleftatall · 09/07/2018 12:02

But the women do not play at the same standard as the men. That's life.

NameChanger22 · 09/07/2018 12:07

It's not the greatest show on earth, it's just an over-hyped sport.

I've never watched more than 2 minutes of any football match. I'm very proud of that fact.

Lethaldrizzle · 09/07/2018 12:12

Greatest show on earth? Not sure hugh jackman would agree with you!

Notso · 09/07/2018 12:12

I thought this was about the circus!

Grin

YABU for calling it the greatest show on earth. It's nowhere near.

Original poster
Futtonislovely · 09/07/2018 12:13

Good luck to your AD Sparkli. Hope she is one of the trailblazers!

OP posts:
Original poster
Futtonislovely · 09/07/2018 12:14

*DD darn autocorrect!

OP posts:
Jenasaurus · 09/07/2018 12:16

As a non football fan, I consider Wimbledon to be equal to the world cup and then there is the olympics.

CambridgeAnaglypta · 09/07/2018 12:17

I enjoy watching men play football. It's just better. I don't enjoy watching women play football.

Anyway how do you know there aren't any women who are part of the England team??