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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:
UrgentScurryfunge · 09/07/2018 12:19

The profile of women's sport is improving. I'm no great football fan, but first heard of the Women's football world cup in 2007 where I saw it televised in China (I recall England reaching the semis or final?) It is growing in presence in the media. The sceptic in me is that it's more affordable than bidding for some of the men's sports that are now affordable only to subscription services, but I'd like to think it's because we perform well with good quality sport and results.

In the 90s, girls at my school didn't play football, rugby or cricket. The mixed sex team sports were basketball and hockey (but not necessarily mixed sex classes). Seperation of "boys sports" and "girls sports" is diminishing and over time, we should see more women being involved in supporting professional sport.

Bombardier25966 · 09/07/2018 12:24

@Mousefunky, presumably you mean Gabby Logan, not Gabby Roslin? And you forgot Vicki Sparks and Alex Scott?

If you can't even get their names right, I'd suggest paying more attention.

StepBackNow · 09/07/2018 12:26

It isn't the greatest show on earth, it really isn't. Many of us don't care.

PattiStanger · 09/07/2018 12:29

Can't you just be pleased that some sporting sucess is for a lot of people making for a very enjoyable few weeks without having to look for a negative.

I've never watched more than 2 minutes of any football match. I'm very proud of that fact you must be a massve underacheiver in life namechanger if not doing something of zero consequence makes you proud, what an odd thing to boast about

JacquesHammer · 09/07/2018 12:32

In addition there's been Jacqui Oatley, Seema Jaswal and Eni Aluko.

Jaxhog · 09/07/2018 12:32

Not the greatest show on Earth
While it IS something to be proud of, it is NOT the greatest show on earth.

CountFosco · 09/07/2018 12:35

Woman's sport does not get the audiences because it is by its nature slower.

No, women's sport does not get the audiences because of the patriarchy. 100 years ago women's football was enormous, attracting bigger crowds than men's football. Then in 1921 the FA banned women's games being played on FA grounds. That ban stayed in place until the 1970s when the game had to be rebuilt from the ground.

And sport is not just about who is fastest, e.g. women's tennis is arguably more enjoyable to watch because there are more rallys.

Original poster
Futtonislovely · 09/07/2018 12:40

It's not looking for a negative, it's about wanting dreams of sporting glory with an entire country behind you to be open to both boys and girls.

I saw a mixed football match where a young girl about 6 years, was shouting: " I'm Harry Kane I'm lifting the World Cup! " She wanted to be Harry Kane, a sporting hero with England behind her. She was dreaming of that same glory. Sadly because she's a girl that will probably never happen.

OP posts:
StarCutterCookie · 09/07/2018 12:48

When the quality improves then the audiences will, at the moment the skill on display is quite poor compared to the Men's game. Apart from one or two star players per team theres not much else to shout about.

Unlike athletics etc where the quality is high and as such enjoyable to watch.

OverTheHedgeHammy · 09/07/2018 12:53

It won't start to happen unless we make it happen.

I took my DSs to see the Women's FA Cup Final at Wembley. It was absolutely awesome!

I'm also planning on going to watch some women's county cricket matches over the summer, as my way of supporting women's sports.

How many women on this thread, bemoaning the support for women's sports, have made an effort to go and watch women at the top of their sport play?!

Thecurtainsofdestiny · 09/07/2018 12:56

It is not the greatest show on earth.

I have not seen a single minute of a single game.

It is just boring.

GameOfMinges · 09/07/2018 12:58

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..

Your actual talent comment would be completely dim even without the fact that the Olympics includes men's football.

DramaQueenofHighCs · 09/07/2018 12:59

Womens football referees, and female referees in general, have a much harder time climbing the promotion ladder than their male counterparts. And less pay too.

noego · 09/07/2018 13:13

Have you got the sports channels?

Regularly on.....

Women's

Netball, Hockey, Cricket, Golf, Rugby, Soccer as well as other loads of other sports.
They have leagues, championships, events. All sponsored, and all supported by the regular sports channels,

Amanduh · 09/07/2018 13:14

Well, actually some women are part of the coaching staff and officials.
But this is the men’s world cup. There is a womens world cup.

BackforGood · 09/07/2018 16:16

I've never watched more than 2 minutes of any football match. I'm very proud of that fact you must be a massve underacheiver in life namechanger if not doing something of zero consequence makes you proud, what an odd thing to boast about

Very well said @PattiStanger

It's not looking for a negative, it's about wanting dreams of sporting glory with an entire country behind you to be open to both boys and girls.......... She wanted to be Harry Kane, a sporting hero with England behind her. She was dreaming of that same glory. Sadly because she's a girl that will probably never happen.

Did you not watch the World Cup in Canada in 2015? The Lioness's looked FAR more likely to lift the trophy than any of the mens' team between 1966 and 2017 ever did. There was a LOT of TV coverage and a LOT of the country behind them.

I'm not disagreeing that there is clearly more coverage of the men's game, and clearly FAR more money, but that doesn't lessen the achievements of sports that are only now growing in popularity.

I'm with those saying how sad it is that people can't either - enjoy the moment... the matches, the patriotism, the sense of all being one community, and the success of the Team so far or just ignore it. Take no notice.
There's load of stuff on the TV that is very popular according to viewing figures and people talking about it, that I don't watch - so, I just don't get involved with those threads (on here) or those conversations (in RL). Just because it isn't to my taste, doesn't mean I have to slag it off, or moan about it. I grasp we have different tastes and interests. Which is fine.

PinkCrystal · 09/07/2018 17:40

I agree with you. There are girl mascots but no women players. Why not? High schools often have mixed sex PE.

CountFosco · 09/07/2018 19:51

When the quality improves then the audiences will, at the moment the skill on display is quite poor compared to the Men's game.

There's a lot of money spent on training boys and men for the big spectator sports (football, cricket, rugby) because there's money to be made from the talent.

But when it was the last Women's World Cup I lost track of the number of men who said to me 'actually they're really good' Hmm. I don't think more people watch men's football do so because they are more skillful, if that was the case no-one would support National League Teams.

Heratnumber7 · 09/07/2018 22:08

there is netball and men's netball, and roller derby and men's roller derby, and probably some more

These are minority sports though. No one watches the roller derby whatever that is World Cup.

skippy67 · 09/07/2018 22:52

It's the Netball World cup in Liverpool next year. Cannot wait, and have already got tickets! It's fast, physical, never a dull moment. That being said, I love men's football too, I've supported my team for over 30 years. Women's football doesn't interest me in the slightest. It's too slow and the skill level isn't there in my opinion, so I won't be watching the women's football world cup.

marymoosmum · 09/07/2018 22:53

If the female footballers were part of the team we might actually win. The female football team have won the world cup more often than the male team.

OohMavis · 09/07/2018 22:58

There are girl mascots but no women players. Why not? High schools often have mixed sex PE.

Biology.

Glumglowworm · 09/07/2018 22:59

YABU for calling it the greatest show on earth. Even if we stick to sporting events, the Olympics is a far greater show than the World Cup.

I watched an interesting documentary a while ago about the history women’s football and how the FA originally suppressed it. Some of the big names in women’s football at the time sound like proper characters!

Joey7t8 · 09/07/2018 23:00

I agree with you. There are girl mascots but no women players. Why not? High schools often have mixed sex PE

Is that a serious question? The physical nature of football means that women would be at huge disadvantage to the stronger, faster and taller men. That’s why men’s and women’s football is played separately.

OohMavis · 09/07/2018 23:02

I think we're just used to men's football, so when we watch women play we're underwhelmed by their slower pace and stamina. At least that's why I think most people don't watch it. That and nobody ever knows when it's on because the advertising is non-existant.

It's the same game, but it's a different game. Each should be celebrated. It's easy enough to do, we just start with our kids, surely? On Wednesday when we inevitably lose we can tell them about next year's world cup. No gendered descriptor necessary. Get them excited about it.