Women's Footy International Women's Day: Crickets from the AFL

[jenny61_99]

ad victoriam just brought this up on the Crows board and I thought it was worthy of a main board discussion (hopefully where SOMEONE in the press will pick it up and ask some questions).

Today is International Women's Day. Perfect and prime opportunity to showcase AFLW. For the AFL to beat their chest on how wonderful they are for supporting women in the sport. Clear air, no other distractions. Prime time.

AH, but the AFL has chosen instead to showcase a JLT pre-season match of the men's comp, while the AFLW season proper games are relegated to Saturday and Sunday.

For a segment of the sport that is growing enormously in the AFL, way to miss an opportunity.

 

[faible]

Someone just brought this up on the Crows board and I thought it was worthy of a main board discussion (hopefully where SOMEONE in the press will pick it up and ask some questions).

Today is International Women's Day. Perfect and prime opportunity to showcase AFLW. For the AFL to beat their chest on how wonderful they are for supporting women in the sport. Clear air, no other distractions. Prime time.

AH, but the AFL has chosen instead to showcase a JLT pre-season match of the men's comp, while the AFLW season proper games are relegated to Saturday and Sunday.

For a segment of the sport that is growing enormously in the AFL, way to miss an opportunity.

Thanks Jenny.

 

[Isaac Cumming No 1]

ad victoriam just brought this up on the Crows board and I thought it was worthy of a main board discussion (hopefully where SOMEONE in the press will pick it up and ask some questions).

Today is International Women's Day. Perfect and prime opportunity to showcase AFLW. For the AFL to beat their chest on how wonderful they are for supporting women in the sport. Clear air, no other distractions. Prime time.

AH, but the AFL has chosen instead to showcase a JLT pre-season match of the men's comp, while the AFLW season proper games are relegated to Saturday and Sunday.

For a segment of the sport that is growing enormously in the AFL, way to miss an opportunity.

Bad call it would seem, and missed the opportunity to promote a special event AFLW match.

I believe in the rule "never ascribe to evil intent that which can be adequately explained as incompetence". Someone in AFL marketing should have some explaining to do though.

 

[magpienato]

It's because the AFL know that the vast majority of people would rather watch a preseason game over an AFLW matchup.

 

[NoobPie]

ad victoriam just brought this up on the Crows board and I thought it was worthy of a main board discussion (hopefully where SOMEONE in the press will pick it up and ask some questions).

Today is International Women's Day. Perfect and prime opportunity to showcase AFLW. For the AFL to beat their chest on how wonderful they are for supporting women in the sport. Clear air, no other distractions. Prime time.

AH, but the AFL has chosen instead to showcase a JLT pre-season match of the men's comp, while the AFLW season proper games are relegated to Saturday and Sunday.

For a segment of the sport that is growing enormously in the AFL, way to miss an opportunity.

I agree at face value it seems like a bad call.....but you have to wonder whether that kind of cynicism (the bolded) is calculated in the AFL's thinking?

It is text book "damned if they do damned if they don't"


The whinging of so-called supporters of the AFLW seems to be getting worse each year

 

[Mcarcherey]

considering they beat their chest every other day about it, it's refreshing.

 

[jezzajay]

It's a fair point from the OP.
I honestly had no idea it was Int. Womens Day until I saw this thread!

But...do you think the AFL didn't realise this also when mapping out the fixtures which would have been months ago and its not like this day is marked on every calendar (I don't see it on the one in front of me).
I find it curious that people are arking up about this today...not yesterday or when the fixtures were released!

 

[jenny61_99]

It's a fair point from the OP.
I honestly had no idea it was Int. Womens Day until I saw this thread!

But...do you think the AFL didn't realise this also when mapping out the fixtures which would have been months ago and its not like this day is marked on every calendar (I don't see it on the one in front of me).
I find it curious that people are arking up about this today...not yesterday or when the fixtures were released!

In my defence - I honestly had no idea it was Int. Women's Day either!

It just seems to me, that the body in charge of running a very new competition FOR WOMEN perhaps should have been on top of this? International Women's Day happens every year, it's not really a new thing.

 

[jenny61_99]

I agree at face value it seems like a bad call.....but you have to wonder whether that kind of cynicism (the bolded) is calculated in the AFL's thinking?

It is text book "damned if they do damned if they don't"


The whinging of so-called supporters of the AFLW seems to be getting worse each year

Am I whinging unfairly though? Surely you can look past the obvious dislike for feminist issues and see the bigger picture here?

 

[jenny61_99]

Bad call it would seem, and missed the opportunity to promote a special event AFLW match.

I believe in the rule "never ascribe to evil intent that which can be adequately explained as incompetence". Someone in AFL marketing should have some explaining to do though.

Oh I don't think it's evil intent. Just can't get over the sheer stupidity and missed opportunity.

 

[Xtreme]

There are many other events celebrating women throughout the year on the AFL calendar that more than make up for a missed opportunity today.

Next there will be calls for xyz woman player to have a Buddy Franklin style contract and that is outrageous!

 

[Righteo]

I think doing nothing at all is better than their usual MO of half-arsing it

 

[Turnover]

It's because the AFL know that the vast majority of people would rather watch a preseason game over an AFLW matchup.

Exactly. All about the ratings. Overheard that a Aus v NZ cricket match will be played next year at the MCG. 90k will be in attendance.

 

[NoobPie]

Am I whinging unfairly though? Surely you can look past the obvious dislike for feminist issues and see the bigger picture here?

I don't have a dislike for feminist issues. I'm broadly supporting of mainstream feminism

I am not talking about you in particular I am talking about a general negativity of so so many supporters of AFLW.... as well as psuedo supporters who probably rarely watch it but hanker for a good whinge at institutional power

I just thought it was ironic that you put the potential payoff to the AFL in such a cynical way

For the AFL to beat their chest on how wonderful they are for supporting women in the sport.

No doubt if the AFL did make a big thing of the AFLW it would have been met with that kind of cynicism of those currently whinging.

But here's some food for thought, how about the AFL did consider playing an AFLW game tonight but

1) Channel 7 weren't interested
2) Foxtel insisted on a better rating JLT game

You know, the rights holders that pay $420M a year for the AFL rights and $2.5M for the AFLW?

 

[NoobPie]

Exactly. All about the ratings. Overheard that a Aus v NZ cricket match will be played next year at the MCG. 90k will be in attendance.

Have they sold the tickets already? Cricket Australia are shooting for that but I suspect they might be greatly inflating expectations

 

[Turnover]

Have they sold the tickets already? Cricket Australia are shooting for that but I suspect they might be greatly inflating expectations

Just heard it on sen on Andy mahers show. The girl with a strong toned voice seemed to think that cause the mcg holds 90k, well naturally 90k will turn up due to it being international women’s day.

 

[dzussy]

ad victoriam just brought this up on the Crows board and I thought it was worthy of a main board discussion (hopefully where SOMEONE in the press will pick it up and ask some questions).

Today is International Women's Day. Perfect and prime opportunity to showcase AFLW. For the AFL to beat their chest on how wonderful they are for supporting women in the sport. Clear air, no other distractions. Prime time.

AH, but the AFL has chosen instead to showcase a JLT pre-season match of the men's comp, while the AFLW season proper games are relegated to Saturday and Sunday.

For a segment of the sport that is growing enormously in the AFL, way to miss an opportunity.

And here we were thinking you want to be treated as equals?

FFS stop turning everything into a oppression statement and get on with life.

 

[jenny61_99]

And here we were thinking you want to be treated as equals?

FFS stop turning everything into a oppression statement and get on with life.

FFS, stop thinking that every little comment about women is about oppression! It’s purely a comment on a missed opportunity by the AFL at a time when they are trying to grow the sport. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

[jenny61_99]

I don't have a dislike for feminist issues. I'm broadly supporting of mainstream feminism

I am not talking about you in particular I am talking about a general negativity of so so many supporters of AFLW.... as well as psuedo supporters who probably rarely watch it but hanker for a good whinge at institutional power

I just thought it was ironic that you put the potential payoff to the AFL in such a cynical way



No doubt if the AFL did make a big thing of the AFLW it would have been met with that kind of cynicism of those currently whinging.

But here's some food for thought, how about the AFL did consider playing an AFLW game tonight but

1) Channel 7 weren't interested
2) Foxtel insisted on a better rating JLT game

You know, the rights holders that pay $420M a year for the AFL rights and $2.5M for the AFLW?

Sorry, I misunderstood where you were coming from. Yes it was cynical... but it’s the AFL. Say no more. And yes, I hadn’t considered that... and I’m not convinced but it could be an explanation, yes.

 

[Carringbush2010]

In my defence - I honestly had no idea it was Int. Women's Day either!

It just seems to me, that the body in charge of running a very new competition FOR WOMEN perhaps should have been on top of this? International Women's Day happens every year, it's not really a new thing.

Just as a curiosity have you thought about running a poll for BF Joe and Joanne Public about what they'd rather watch?

AFLW game or JLT game?

I'd be interested in the results and am gonna speculate it'd be a fairly even split.

 

[Taylor]

From memory the AFL experimented with an AFLW and AFL-X match series on the same day last season, the AFL rated higher.

The money that pays the AFLW players comes from the broadcasting rights that have asked for things like big TV ratings clubs like Collingwood, Carlton and Essendon on prime time spots. The AFL then dish out the cash to the clubs who don't get prime time spots, AFLW is one of those entities in the "not highly rated" baskets.

The ideal time for the AFLW season would be 20 games during the AFL season, but they won't rate at all. That's why they are played in Feb.

 

[Billy ray]

maybe they wanted to give the girls a night off on their day

 

[Teen Wolf]

Just heard it on sen on Andy mahers show. The girl with a strong toned voice seemed to think that cause the mcg holds 90k, well naturally 90k will turn up due to it being international women’s day.

Just for a bit of context/explanation, it will be the T20 World Cup final (so fairly unlikely for it to be Aus vs NZ) and the goal of selling out the MCG was being talked about well before the tournament dates were even locked in. There hasn't been any reason yet to suggest they'll achieve it, but nothing wrong with aiming high I guess.

From memory the AFL experimented with an AFLW and AFL-X match series on the same day last season, the AFL rated higher.

The money that pays the AFLW players comes from the broadcasting rights that have asked for things like big TV ratings clubs like Collingwood, Carlton and Essendon on prime time spots. The AFL then dish out the cash to the clubs who don't get prime time spots, AFLW is one of those entities in the "not highly rated" baskets.

The ideal time for the AFLW season would be 20 games during the AFL season, but they won't rate at all. That's why they are played in Feb.

I don't have all the FTA numbers but in terms of Fox: AFLX had 82k and 75k viewers on Thursday and Friday night last year, while AFLW had 81k on the Saturday night. AFLW had 54k on early Saturday arvo, while AFLX had 70k in the later afternoon-early evening slot.

 

[Collins-Langford-Ayres]

Come on Gil... look after your women.

 

[quotemokc]

To be fair they are giving it just as much attention as International Men's day.