[Football] 22 WSL games to be shown live on BBC TV from next season

[Kalimantan Gull]

Because no one has grown up a fan of the womens/youth/U23s they've grown up a fan of the mens senior side. I couldn't name you one player from the youth or womens setup and I wouldn't know much about most of the U23 squad.

Not been hard to learn though has it. I'd never heard of Trossard or Gross or Propper or Webster or Bissouma or pretty much all of them before they turned up. We've grown up fans of the men's side because that was basically what there was.

But I know I describe myself as a fan of Brighton and Hove Albion, not Brighton and Hove Albion men's team. Wondering why that last part should be automatically implied. I support Brighton because its my identity, my home town, my community. Keeps me linked to Brighton wherever I am in the world, creates a common bond with other Brighton fans and friendly rivalries with fans of other clubs. Thats what it is about. The matches are all incidental in many ways. Never really occurred to me that all that only mattered if it was men playing the game.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

It's the victim mentality that puzzles me. Constantly bombarded, being pushed onto us.

You are free to ignore it. You are not being made to watch it as a condition of your male season ticket purchase,

Indeed. I seem to recall some luminary back in the day (could have been Jim Davidson, could have been Bernard Manning) musing on the legality of homosexuality and mooting that 'it will be compulsory, next'.

 

[Stato]

A lot of the complaints about the high profile being given to the WSL seem to be based on the disproportionate media attention compared to the size of crowds. It would seem that the best way to get over this perceived imbalance may be to see it as long overdue reparation for the damage inflicted on the women's game by a 50 year ban from the FA inflicted at the height of its popularity in 1921.

 

[Gwylan]

Women’s football will get season long network TV coverage from next season.

I’m sure it will get an audience, but I do get the feeling that we appear to be constantly bombarded into almost being made to embrace women’s sport, be it cricket or football.

Women's cricket is very good. It's certainly the team sport where the gap between men and women's sport is narrowest: several women have played/are playing league cricket in the north and grade cricket in Australia. I'm sure that we'll see a woman play in the first class game in my lifetime. Women's rugby is also excellent - it's a bit like watching men's rugby from about 40 years ago. Because they're not so physically strong, there's more running and less take the ball into contact and running through the phases. I'd love it if there was more women's cricket and rugby on terrestrial TV.

FWIW, I know Brighton fans who follow the Albion who don't watch any football as a neutral. Now that's weird.

I don't really watch football unless Brighton are playing. I'll only turn on MOTD if we're on. I don't have Sky so there's little opportunity to watch football anyway.

I'm not sure why that's weird. I only support Brighton - I don't have another Prem League team.

 

[A1X]

There's probably a 10,000 word thesis to be written on why some people feel the need to claim women's sport is "being forced upon them" but men's sport which they aren't interested in isn't.

 

[Pint of Ale and a Burger]

I enjoyed the women's world cup.
I'm no expert and have not seen many games but in my opinion woman's football seems to have its own style quite different from the men's game which is more about crisp and accurate passing.
I will definitely watch WSL on bbc if Brighton are playing.

 

[Wozza]

I don't really watch football unless Brighton are playing. I'll only turn on MOTD if we're on. I don't have Sky so there's little opportunity to watch football anyway.

I'm not sure why that's weird. I only support Brighton - I don't have another Prem League team.

I'm not suggesting that Brighton fans should support another team!

I'm saying that, to me, it's weird that someone can be a fan of the Albion, but seemingly not football itself.

Similarly, I don't get how some (many?) people are incredibly passionate about Six Nations, British Lions etc, but have zero interest in club rugby. (NOT you, Max)

Like they're in it only for the tribalism (maybe nationalism), not the sport.

But different strokes, and all that...

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

You're in a tiny minority here. You need to work out why you're different!

Sure, I don't mind that's what I'm trying to do, help me along! I think we can disprove that its about quality, or atmosphere, or 'belonging', or history - all of those things might explain why we're not as passionate about the women's team as the men's but they can't explain why some have no interest at all. So yeah like to work out why I'm different

Surely the majority would say they support Brighton because its our identity, our community, it is part of defining who we are. Our football team is a proud part of our community and we revel in its success, it brings us closer together. The men's and women's first teams are completely equivalent in representing our community at the highest level of football, we can enjoy one more than the other, sure, but we can be proud of both, no?

Anyway, having thought about this all morning, I have developed my own theory now. When we were kids many of us dreamed about becoming footballers and playing for Brighton. Many of us, ridiculously, think its still possible right into our twenties, however rubbish at football we may actually be! And even when we know we won't, we can still fantasise about playing on the pitch, scoring the winning goal (I have done exactly that in a dream once, heading in a cross from Stuart Pearce!) So my theory is that we all consider ourselves to be in the extended Brighton squad - we are all part of the selection pool. If we are in the Amex and the entire team go down injured, we are available to be selected to play - we are all Albion.

In many ways I think this is part of our internal mental justification as supporters - the reason that a load of unfit blokes who can barely trap a ball are allowed to shout at incredibly-talented athletes when they misplay a pass or shoot straight at the keeper. We're not angry spectators, we're part of the team. I could play better than our left back has done today. Buck your ideas up or I'll take your place.

Obviously that doesn't apply for the women's team. We can't play for them, so we're not part of the squad. We are just pure spectators, not participants. Part of the internal reasoning to support is gone. I might think the striker is having a bad game, but I can't do anything about it. Shouting at her doesn't feel right. In reverse, its probably the reason why there are far fewer female fans than male fans watching the men's game. Thinking about it, it might be why my daughter was hugely passionate about the Albion when she was under eleven, but not so bothered now she's a teenager. She loves football, but now is asking me to take her to an Albion women's game, not a men's game. When she was younger she'd take on the boys. Now a teen she competes with the other girls.

If you're still reading, there's a second part to this - when we get older we are no longer part of the squad for the Albion, that much is clear. If the whole team goes down, it won't be the bloke in his forties or fifties who gets picked, it will be one of the youngsters. So at this age its not us in the squad anymore, its our sons and grandsons, but everything else stays the same - play better or my son will be picked. But like many fathers, I don't have a son but two beautiful daughters. As I said above, my oldest loves football and is very good at it. She plays for Exeter City U16's and has trialled at Brighton (what an amazing set-up and an honour to spend time in the training facilities at Lancing). So I still dream that she will play for Brighton, however unlikely that may be. But it will obviously be for the women's team, and that's why I think I follow the women's team more than most - and to be fair, far more than I ever used to. Now I can shout at and cajole the team, you're keeping my daughter out, you better play well. And I'll celebrate their success, because its my daughter's success too.

So that's what I think is the psychology underlying this. Now where did my Monday morning go?

 

[hart's shirt]

As someone who’s coached, managed and sponsored a women’s team for 4 years in DWFA (Dubai Women’s Football Association) with ladies ranging in ages from 14-52, it’s fair to say that I’ve done a little bit with supporting the women’s game, if only in a relatively small sense.

Firstly, purely on visibility of women's football, more televised matches on terrestrial television will almost certainly be a good thing. And anything that might encourage and inspire girls and women to play is worth supporting. Questions about license fee expenditure could legitimately be asked here, but equally that could be applied to any number of genres as well as salaries for the large number employed as presenters, co-commentators and 'expert analysts'.

Secondly, the question remains as to whether increased visibility of women's football on television will result in increased attendances week-in, week-out at domestic games. Even in a Covid-hit year and with the Crawley location factor, when fans could attend 3 months ago in December, crowds Albion's top-flight WSL Sunday games against Reading and Chelsea were 365 and 457 respectively. And it's likely to be even harder to get fans back in any grounds in the current clime.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55204209
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55291003

Thirdly, financial sustainability of clubs will still be vital even with increased television coverage. Manchester City, one of the top funded WSL clubs, were struggling not long ago:
“Since integration with the men's team and a subsequent relaunch in 2014, City have come a long way, but in order to get this far, a loss of almost £1.5m has been incurred.”
https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/...-a8270911.html

Lastly, the standard of refereeing at WSL matches has been under considerable criticism. The FA has no plans to introduce full-time referees to Women's Super League and Women's Championship. Last month, Joanna Stimpson, the FA's women's professional game refereeing manager, said currently there is not the "value" in the women's game to afford to pay full-time referees. Yes, the decision could be reversed in light of the new TV deal, but it's not hard to read between the lines here on the FA's current position. It would be more than a shame if the product offered to watch on television was judged by the competency of officiating rather than the quality of players.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56103664

Understandably, the BBC will shouting this live sport deal from the rooftops. And I hope that the increased TV coverage will lead to tens of thousands of the target market of girls and women both taking up the game and flooding through the turnstiles to grow the women's game organically.

Sadly, increased opportunity doesn't always result in increased outcome. So it's fair to conclude that the jury's out on the impact of television, for now at least.

TV aside, it's been great to see Albion Women's successes in recent weeks. Credit where it's due!

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

There's probably a 10,000 word thesis to be written on why some people feel the need to claim women's sport is "being forced upon them" but men's sport which they aren't interested in isn't.

I chucked 700 down as a starter

 

[Wozza]

Sure, I don't mind that's what I'm trying to do, help me along! I think we can disprove that its about quality, or atmosphere, or 'belonging', or history - all of those things might explain why we're not as passionate about the women's team as the men's but they can't explain why some have no interest at all. So yeah like to work out why I'm different

Surely the majority would say they support Brighton because its our identity, our community, it is part of defining who we are. Our football team is a proud part of our community and we revel in its success, it brings us closer together. The men's and women's first teams are completely equivalent in representing our community at the highest level of football, we can enjoy one more than the other, sure, but we can be proud of both, no?

Anyway, having thought about this all morning, I have developed my own theory now. When we were kids many of us dreamed about becoming footballers and playing for Brighton. Many of us, ridiculously, think its still possible right into our twenties, however rubbish at football we may actually be! And even when we know we won't, we can still fantasise about playing on the pitch, scoring the winning goal (I have done exactly that in a dream once, heading in a cross from Stuart Pearce!) So my theory is that we all consider ourselves to be in the extended Brighton squad - we are all part of the selection pool. If we are in the Amex and the entire team go down injured, we are available to be selected to play - we are all Albion.

In many ways I think this is part of our internal mental justification as supporters - the reason that a load of unfit blokes who can barely trap a ball are allowed to shout at incredibly-talented athletes when they misplay a pass or shoot straight at the keeper. We're not angry spectators, we're part of the team. I could play better than our left back has done today. Buck your ideas up or I'll take your place.

Obviously that doesn't apply for the women's team. We can't play for them, so we're not part of the squad. We are just pure spectators, not participants. Part of the internal reasoning to support is gone. I might think the striker is having a bad game, but I can't do anything about it. Shouting at her doesn't feel right. In reverse, its probably the reason why there are far fewer female fans than male fans watching the men's game. Thinking about it, it might be why my daughter was hugely passionate about the Albion when she was under eleven, but not so bothered now she's a teenager. She loves football, but now is asking me to take her to an Albion women's game, not a men's game. When she was younger she'd take on the boys. Now a teen she competes with the other girls.

If you're still reading, there's a second part to this - when we get older we are no longer part of the squad for the Albion, that much is clear. If the whole team goes down, it won't be the bloke in his forties or fifties who gets picked, it will be one of the youngsters. So at this age its not us in the squad anymore, its our sons and grandsons, but everything else stays the same - play better or my son will be picked. But like many fathers, I don't have a son but two beautiful daughters. As I said above, my oldest loves football and is very good at it. She plays for Exeter City U16's and has trialled at Brighton (what an amazing set-up and an honour to spend time in the training facilities at Lancing). So I still dream that she will play for Brighton, however unlikely that may be. But it will obviously be for the women's team, and that's why I think I follow the women's team more than most - and to be fair, far more than I ever used to. Now I can shout at and cajole the team, you're keeping my daughter out, you better play well. And I'll celebrate their success, because its my daughter's success too.

So that's what I think is the psychology underlying this. Now where did my Monday morning go?

Could have saved yourself a lot of words there.

That is: any Albion fan with girls is almost certainly going to be interested in the the women's team! Still shouldn't expect everyone else to be, though...

 

[Gwylan]

Similarly, I don't get how some (many?) people are incredibly passionate about Six Nations, British Lions etc, but have zero interest in club rugby. (NOT you, Max)

I'm with you there - that IS strange. I think a lot of it is social. I've stood near people at Six Nations games who clearly have little idea what's going on.

You could also say the same about test cricket. Ashes matches are generally massively over-subscribed but where are those people at county games?

I got into football comparatively late in life and saw it more as a way to bond with my peer group and then, when I went to uni, to keep in touch with Brighton. But I'm not a massive football fan: cricket and rugby were my first loves as sports and I follow the Albion as a Brightonian.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

I'm not suggesting that Brighton fans should support another team!

I'm saying that, to me, it's weird that someone can be a fan of the Albion, but seemingly not football itself.

Similarly, I don't get how some (many?) people are incredibly passionate about Six Nations, British Lions etc, but have zero interest in club rugby. (NOT you, Max)

Like they're in it only for the tribalism (maybe nationalism), not the sport.

But different strokes, and all that...

Sport as whole is about playing. It isn't that interesting to watch. To watch it and enjoy it you have to be vested in it, it has to mean something - either something personal to you or something you can connect with with the person playing the sport.

So a Brighton game means something, an England game means something, because I connect with those teams. And that can be extended to any sport, I was part of the 10 million who stayed up to 1 in the morning to watch the Curling Gold Medal match, because it was Britain challenging for the highest honour in that sport.

I can watch any sport at all if they're competing for the highest prize in the sport - that's when you see real passion and pressure. I watch the Superbowl every year - don't watch any other American Football games, they're dull. Love the rugby world cup or six nations, never watch club rugby. Put an ordinary golf or tennis or horse racing or snooker event on the telly and I won't have the slightest bit of interest - but if its the Masters or Wimbledon or Grand National or World Championship Final I am hooked. I love the World Darts final, because that's where you can see a player who will hit doubles automatically every day of his life miss by inches when its to win the final leg of the final set and become world champion. That's when sport is elevated above a mere game and becomes something special.

Football is no different for me, I tried to watch Villa v Spurs last night, and it wasn't a bad game, but there was nothing riding on it, no relegation battle, no title challenge, no consequence for Brighton whatsoever. Just rather boring. I also watched Leicester v Man Utd and that was far better, because the prize was real and I could get behind one of the teams.

I just can't wait to get playing sport again, in all honesty

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Women’s football will get season long network TV coverage from next season.

I’m sure it will get an audience, but I do get the feeling that we appear to be constantly bombarded into almost being made to embrace women’s sport, be it cricket or football.

Whilst I fully support development of all youngsters to play any sport, I don’t really follow the Albion ladies team, am I in the NSC majority or minority on this?

How are you “constantly bombarded”?

 

[dazzer6666]

Women's cricket is very good. It's certainly the team sport where the gap between men and women's sport is narrowest: several women have played/are playing league cricket in the north and grade cricket in Australia. I'm sure that we'll see a woman play in the first class game in my lifetime. Women's rugby is also excellent - it's a bit like watching men's rugby from about 40 years ago. Because they're not so physically strong, there's more running and less take the ball into contact and running through the phases. I'd love it if there was more women's cricket and rugby on terrestrial TV.



I don't really watch football unless Brighton are playing. I'll only turn on MOTD if we're on. I don't have Sky so there's little opportunity to watch football anyway.

I'm not sure why that's weird. I only support Brighton - I don't have another Prem League team.

Interested to see Sussex appoint Taylor as WK coach yesterday....that'll cause a few exploding Gammon faces

As for women's football, the TV deal has to be a very good thing. More money into the game, more exposure. If you don't like it, don't watch it - but it's only going to grow in popularity. Issue is (and will continue to be) parity though, exactly like the men's game - the 'big four' have all the owners backing that the rest can'y compete with. This deal does help that to some extent.

Also, as for a few comments about 'sustainability'........we can't really moan about that when as a well-run, well-managed club we're losing £35m a season even without Covid. Why does the women's game need to be any more 'sustainable'

 

[Wozza]

I'm with you there - that IS strange. I think a lot of it is social. I've stood near people at Six Nations games who clearly have little idea what's going on.

I'm not even talking about casuals. I know hardcore rugby fans - who could literally tell you the result of every Lions tour for the past three decades - who have zero interest in club rugby.

Anyway, the point of this thread deviation I guess, is that not everyone has the same motives for watching the Albion, and no-one should assume a wider interest in either the club's activities or even the sport itself.

 

[Wozza]

Sport as whole is about playing. It isn't that interesting to watch. To watch it and enjoy it you have to be vested in it, it has to mean something - either something personal to you or something you can connect with with the person playing the sport.

In your opinion. I don't agree with this at all.

(I caught the end of West Ham-Arsenal yesterday. It was bloody great.)

 

[ozzygull]

It's the victim mentality that puzzles me. Constantly bombarded, being pushed onto us.

You are free to ignore it. You are not being made to watch it as a condition of your male season ticket purchase,

Me too. I just don't get it. There are a gazillion things that are online and tv etc that I have no interest in. I just chose not to read them or switched over. I just assume someone must be interested or they would not write about it or show it.
Saying that because you don't like it so no one else should be allowed is a bit narcissistic.

 

[Gwylan]

Interested to see Sussex appoint Taylor as WK coach yesterday....that'll cause a few exploding Gammon faces

Yeah, I'm surprised that wasn't bigger news. It's the first time in the UK that a professional male sports team has appointed a female coach and it seems to have warranted little more than a downpage paragraph.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

Excellent. Our women's team is the most successful Brighton side ever, currently sixth in the table and this news means more focus, more money, more opportunity. Looking forward to going to some games when we're allowed.

Have never understood those people who write 'no interest' - it's a team in blue and white stripes called Brighton and Hove Albion playing football. No interest? Really? How do otherwise passionate Albion fans explain that?

I can't say I have zero interest but at the end of the day, I don't really care one way or another what happens to our women's team. Just because they are in a blue and white kit with our badge on it doesn't mean I live and die for the results they achieve. Just as I am happy if our youth teams do well, I don't follow their progress and it wouldn't spoil my weekend as our loss to West Bromwich Albion did. I imagine most Brighton fans feel that. If the rich clubs didn't subsidise the women's game, it would be dead as there simply isn't mass appeal in this country. I must qualify that I am impressed by the standard shown in the recent world cup and have no ill feeling towards the women's game.

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