Just the other day, I was attempting to socialize with a neighbor by suggesting that we watch the Women’s World Cup (WWC) since I knew this particular neighbor was a fan of the beautiful game.
Let's see, Arsenal keeps on breaking massive attendance records. San Diego Wave just sold for a 9 figure amount. Kansas City Current have a sold out stadium specifically for women's soccer. Could go on and on.
been wanting to read and respond to this for a while but just finally getting some time.
thank you for the info about the history of women's soccer. the 1971 and 1991 dates are really wild to hear and def put things in perspective. like even if we take the misogynistic argument about the excitement at face value (which we shouldn't...) no one was necessarily watching mens sports 20-30 years into the development of professional leagues and tournaments. the following that men's WC or the NBA or anything receives now is built on decades and decades of history... but most of the time that argument is not really made in good faith and mostly it is like you said, misogyny.
it is a tough cycle to break because the average person needs to be told what to do. we care about things and follow things because there are ads and money invested in telling us to do so. but then those with money say they cant make the investment because there are no eyes. I dont know how to break that cycle. if Nike just started pumping money into women's sports, they would become a lot more popular (though still battle sexism and patriarchy... money doesn't solve everything). The same people that say the WNBA isnt excited also turn into like the Wizards and Pistons playing on Tuesday night in March. you canNOT argue that the wizards or pistons were excited to watch last year. CANNOT.
hopefully your neighbor is less quick to disparage women's soccer after your discussion? though probably shouldn't hold our breath either.
Good stuff here, Ben! Yes, the years and years of development and marketing have made men's sports viewership what it is and has left women's sports behind in many cases. I saw a headline the other day about how pro tennis was the first to pay women and men the same in prize money. Maybe correlation, maybe causation that women's and men's tennis both have relatively high profiles in my humble, non-scientific opinion?! Just seeing the parity in how ESPN is covering both genders in the US Open is pretty eye-opening.
Yea, not holding my breath on his paradigm shifting, but maybe someday he'll give women's soccer a chance. I have a hunch that if his favorite men's soccer team was terrible, he still wouldn't watch the women's game because I believe he is more a fan of his team (ala die hard Wizards and Pistons fans) than of the game. And when one is purely a fan of one's team, all ability to reason often gets thrown out of the window...
Let's see, Arsenal keeps on breaking massive attendance records. San Diego Wave just sold for a 9 figure amount. Kansas City Current have a sold out stadium specifically for women's soccer. Could go on and on.
It's awesome that the profile of women's soccer is growing internationally! I hope the numbers continue trending upward.
been wanting to read and respond to this for a while but just finally getting some time.
thank you for the info about the history of women's soccer. the 1971 and 1991 dates are really wild to hear and def put things in perspective. like even if we take the misogynistic argument about the excitement at face value (which we shouldn't...) no one was necessarily watching mens sports 20-30 years into the development of professional leagues and tournaments. the following that men's WC or the NBA or anything receives now is built on decades and decades of history... but most of the time that argument is not really made in good faith and mostly it is like you said, misogyny.
it is a tough cycle to break because the average person needs to be told what to do. we care about things and follow things because there are ads and money invested in telling us to do so. but then those with money say they cant make the investment because there are no eyes. I dont know how to break that cycle. if Nike just started pumping money into women's sports, they would become a lot more popular (though still battle sexism and patriarchy... money doesn't solve everything). The same people that say the WNBA isnt excited also turn into like the Wizards and Pistons playing on Tuesday night in March. you canNOT argue that the wizards or pistons were excited to watch last year. CANNOT.
hopefully your neighbor is less quick to disparage women's soccer after your discussion? though probably shouldn't hold our breath either.
Good stuff here, Ben! Yes, the years and years of development and marketing have made men's sports viewership what it is and has left women's sports behind in many cases. I saw a headline the other day about how pro tennis was the first to pay women and men the same in prize money. Maybe correlation, maybe causation that women's and men's tennis both have relatively high profiles in my humble, non-scientific opinion?! Just seeing the parity in how ESPN is covering both genders in the US Open is pretty eye-opening.
Yea, not holding my breath on his paradigm shifting, but maybe someday he'll give women's soccer a chance. I have a hunch that if his favorite men's soccer team was terrible, he still wouldn't watch the women's game because I believe he is more a fan of his team (ala die hard Wizards and Pistons fans) than of the game. And when one is purely a fan of one's team, all ability to reason often gets thrown out of the window...