The press nominate an all male line up for BBC sports personality of the year

[ivykaty44]

hardly wonderful news for encouraging young girls to get interested in sport and have positive role models.
We have some world class female sports woman and they have been overlooked

cycling, swimming and triathlon and they get shunned by an all make line up

why?

Blame the TV, they show no interest in female sports, or perhaps thank the gods for their lack of interest, at least it means womans football and the like are affordable to the people.

ivykaty44 has a point, why not have separate male & female SPOTY awards? Sounds like a good solution to me, given that the majority of sports are single sex at competition level (except equestrian......and many others that I'll now be told about).

Iborolass, Adlington did win a world championship gold this year. In winning a major global title, she's done more than three of the men on that list: Murray, Strauss and Cook. I can understand the cricketers being on there to some extent, as their achievement with the Ashes was massive, but not Murray.

If Nuts and Zoo both get a vote, so should Heat and Cosmo.

Meant to also say earlier ivykaty that Alistair Brownlee won a 2nd (back to back) European Championship this year and also the World Championship. They both involve competing in lots of events throughout the season so he has shown consistently all year that he is at the top of his sport. More than some of the people on the list have done.
So I'd say, yes he is as successful as Chrissie Wellington but it is hard to compare as she does longer events and so does less of them.

And I don't believe the fact about fishing. I can't believe there could be more people fishing on a Saturday than watching football.

Thinking about it the whole thing is a bit of a farce really. Personality doesn't come into it and it comes down to a popularity contest on the night.

flangelina (great name!) I don't think you can judge it just on major global titles.
One of the golfers (Luke Donald I think) didn't win a major this year but is number 1 in the World and earned more money than anyone else. Andy Murray had his best season getting to the final or semi of every major. So again he was consistently good. I think they both deserve to be in the top 10.

Having said that, I don't think Murray should win this year as when he does win a major he'll probably win it (unless it coincides with someone else doing something even more major)

Thanks for the name compliment!

It's obviously not just about major global titles, no, hence the cricketers having an argument for being there. And it is hard to compare across sports. But I really don't see why having placed 2nd to 4th in the world 4 times is better than having actually won a title. There are women in popular sports- try getting an Olympic ticket for swimming or gymnastics- who have missed out, to someone who didn't win anything. I'm not saying Murray isn't a great athlete, but we have a lot of great athletes in Britain. Some of them did more this year than lose major finals. Personally I think this award should only be for winners of major titles. Hence no Jessica Ennis, even though she like Andy Murray came second in the big one.

Another vote for Andy Murray. I support Murray when he's playing, but he again hasn't realised potential this year, or certainly not enough to warrant being in the short list in the place of people who should be genuine contenders like Chrissy Wellington. What has the woman got to do in order to be noticed?

It's a chicken and egg situation - unless mainstream journalism brings their achievements to the public's attention, then they won't get any attention. There has to be a conscious effort made to broaden appeal rather than just syaing "Oh the public are only interested in cricket, football, rugby and golf." Look at what happens in an Olympic year when lesser known sports are profiled on mainstream - suddenly Nicole Cooke and Victoria Pendleton are household names and people vote in a rower as SPOTY. They even vote a rowing race as the greatest moment in British sport (Redgrave's fifth gold medal).

I don't think there's any way they should separate the award into men's and women's. Women should be having their achievements profiled on the same level as the men, and then the public should decide. And there needs to be more women sports writers!

Rant, rant, rant...

I've got to admit that male sports are far more interesting and exciting to watch. Men watch sport in huge numbers women just don't.
But it's about sports 'Personality' of the year not how successful a sports person is and the truth is that a lot of women wouldn't know a famous sportswoman if they tripped over them in quicksave.
Where are the footballers on the final list?
(Both sexes)
The most popular spectator sport in this country and zilch?
Could it be that the BBC sports personality of the year has to be someone regularly covered by the BBC and every other sport ignored?

The shortlist (in alphabetical order) is: Mark Cavendish (cycling), Darren Clarke (golf), Alastair Cook (cricket), Luke Donald (golf), Mo Farah (athletics), Dai Greene (athletics), Amir Khan (boxing), Rory McIlroy (golf), Andy Murray (tennis), Andrew Strauss (cricket).

Golf boxing and cricket with a bit of olympic spirit thrown in for good measure.

How very very upper middle class is that?

BBC in general is for men. If you look through all the radio presenters I'd say 90% were men. And the women presenters are generally attractive (even though they're on the radio??). Same with the tv presenters. It's ok to be male, old and ugly but female presenters are much younger and much more attractive.

dancingmustard - can you explain why you find watching men's sport more interesting and exciting?

I watch both men and woman cycling, swimming, triathlon, rugby, hockey - but can't say I find one sex playing or competing more interesting. I do find some actual sports more interesting to watch regardless of which sex is taking part.

One of the reasons why men's sport is more exciting is because it's the best there is. The men's world cup final had the best footballers in the world, not just the best footballers in the world who are women. The men's 100 metres has the fastest people. Men's golf have the best golfers.
There was a time a few years ago where men's tennis was really boring with ace after ace. Women's tennis was the more exciting version because you actually had rallys.

I can agree that men run faster than woman that is factual, but men's world cup final had the best footballers in the world, not just the best footballers in the world who are woman? woman and men are not mixed so to say men are better at golf or football and are the best in the world is not something I can agree with with.

In essense are you saying that watching the best people in the world at sport makes it more exciting? That I can also agree to a point - but watching local sports and races is also exciting IMO

One of the most exciting football matches I've seen was a pro-celebrity thing that went to sudden death penalties and was won when Woody Harrelson scored.
Excitement/entertainment varies from sport to sport and competition to competition. I'd watch an England's women's international over a men's first division game. Women's badminton is also better than men's, as is most gymnastic stuff. (In my opinion of course).
But...The sports people like to watch are football, rugby, cricket, golf and motor racing.

Going back to the OP, the shortlisting process was skewed by including lad's mags, and the lack of women's sport on TV means you don't get to see women.

I think it would be a good move for a TV company to sign up some women's sports. It would be cheaper than then men's and still quite entertaining.

The sports people like to watch are football, rugby, golf and motor racing.

There is money in all the above sports

but interestingly the most tweeted about football match by the public of the world was the womans football world cup match between usa and japan - so that differs from opinion of both some public and tv and media.

Is the Sports Personality only for tv covered sports? If so then its basically footie, rugby, golf and snooker then isn't it? Maybe F1 too. No wonder no femmes in that list then.

If its supposed to be a serious prog about sport then yes Im in support of a more rounded list.

Either way, truthfully Im not sure I think it relevant to have an award for a sports personality anyway. Seems a bit daft and a piss up for piss up sake by the Beeb....

I have heard the fishing statistic before; I believe it corresponds to the most popular participation sport in the country. There may be more people watching football, but they're not playing it. It depends whether you think fishing is a sport, though; yes, there are fishing competitions, but most people fishing aren't doing it competitively.

The programme is to find the most popular sports personality. This is the person who has most fired the imagination. It's not a poll of sports scientists or statisticians. It's Joe public, and I'll warrant more men vote than women. Obviously, the public will vote for people in the most popular sports, the ones that they support. There might be an absolutely fabulous British tiddlywinks champion, won the world title for years, but they won't win. Because nobody watches it. They might be more deserving in terms of medals, but nobody will vote for them. Oh, and before anybody claims tiddlywinks isn't a proper sport because it's not demonstrating athletic prowess, they've included darts and snooker before. I'm not sure that golf is athletic either [hmmm]; they hardly break a sweat, and do it at walking pace in a jumper.

If it was The New Years Honours List, I'd expect triathletes and people from more obscure sports to be recognised for their acheivements, but this is a popularity contest. There are bigger battles for women to fight.

I can't stand the idea that certain sports are upper middle class. Why in earth should nominations include footballer every year, just because football is the most watched sport?

Sailing may be perceived as being upper middle class in areas away from the coast. Our local secondary, however, does sailing as one of its PE options. The kids do it for free - they all get the opportunity to have a go. Same with canoeing. What is elitist about that? The only elitism it entails is it mostly includes kids who want to have a go at stuff and have got a bit of get up and go about them.

I really don't buy the idea that Farrah is an upper middle class toff whose life has been strewn with easy opportunities.

I agree with ivykaty - just because men are generally faster and stronger it doesn't necessarily mean their events "better".

Daughteroflilith, and I also don't agree that this is a matter which shouldn't be bothered about because there are bigger battles to fight. Sport is one of the most easily visible and high profile ways women can perform and gain respect in their chosen field. It's up to media organisations such as the BBC to level the playing field so that Joe and Jill public actually know that their achievements are, so they can then decide for themselves.

Are there bigger and better battles for woman to fight? Getting more females sports onto tv to inspire our children and teens to get up of the sofa and take up an interest I would have thought was worth fighting for.

I am this week very thankful to the coaches that train my dd2, both male and female coaches in all the sports she trains and takes part in, expect girls and boys to do well and give them both equal dibs encouragement and treat them as equals regardless of their sex.

Daughter - but surely the point is the public don't have an opportunity to vote for a woman sports personality because the people who made up the list that you choose from have failed to notice the existence of just over half the sodding population. And this from an organisation that is supposed to be committed to diversity... the BBC recognises racism as important and a big deal but is blind to sexism and prejudice against people with disabilities.

Bookies William Hill have announced an alternative award for sportswomen.

And then, the BBC gives extra airtime to Jeremy Clarkson and his views ....

I don't want a sportswomen award! Neither does Tanni Grey Thompson and all the other women who are peeved. They want to be considered together with the men on equal merit. No one wants tokenism.

Ariesgirl: I think you're right! This will be, I hope, a one-off opportunistic stunt.

The BBC also needs to decide if SPOTY is an award for personality or achievement (or both?). I'm not sure Andy Murray should have been on this year's list on either count, but the other nominees do merit their places on the short list.