Emma Kearney. Brianna Davey. Darcy Vescio. If you watched any games during the opening weekend of the AFLW, one of these three women might have been your stand-out player.
It was a historic weekend for Australian rules football and the numbers reflect the groundswell of support which has been building since the eight teams for the inaugural women’s competition were announced in June 2016.
The opening weekend of the competition blew everyone away. On Friday night, the game between Carlton and Collingwood was played in front of over 25,000 people at Princes Park. There was so much demand that at least 1000 people were locked out and Gillon McLachlan stood outside the ground pre-game, apologising to people who couldn’t get in.
The numbers on Saturday and Sunday proved that Friday night’s attendance wasn’t a one-off. Over 25,000 people turned up to watch the other three games over the weekend, with some even turning up in lightning and torrential rain.
Television figures impressed too, with almost 2 million people tuning in to the games on Friday and Saturday.
These numbers do not take into account the number of Twitter impressions, Facebook shares and water cooler conversations over the last week, celebrating the fact that women now have the opportunity to play AFL at the highest level. These are perhaps the most important aspects of all.
Yet, despite 50,000 people turning up during the weekend to watch AFLW, one person was noticeably missing. Unfortunately, due to prior commitments, Collingwood President Eddie McGuire could not be there to see Collingwood play Carlton in the opening game.
What is perhaps most disappointing is that this does not surprise me. The sooner dinosaurs like McGuire are removed from positions of influence in our sporting clubs, the more inclusive and diverse they will become.
But rather than focus on Eddie, I want to call out the efforts of a couple of people on social media who have been relentless in their promotion and support of the new competition, including (but definitely not limited to) The Outer Sanctum, Erin Riley, Change Her Game, Alison Smirnoff, Megan Hustwaite, Neroli Meadows and Like a Girl.
The role of these influencers cannot be underestimated in making sure that AFLW was front of mind in the week leading up to the opening weekend and during the opening weekend.
Speaking of media, over the past couple of days I have noticed a lot of fans of women’s sport venting their frustration that the AFLW has received so much media coverage, despite the fact that other sports have been playing in the women’s sport sand pit for several years like basketball, cricket and rugby league.
I understand this perspective, but the phrase that keeps coming to mind for me is ‘don’t hate the player, hate the game’.
The AFL absolutely needs to be commended for its commitment to this competition (however long that commitment has been) and their hard work to ensure that the competition remained front of mind in a way I have never seen before for women’s sport.
In the lead-up to opening weekend, new content was being produced every single day. The media was flooded with stories about the players, their respective clubs and where the fixtures would be held. Players were interviewed, videos introducing the players were produced, and influencers in the game like Susan Alberti and Sam Mostyn were front and centre, advocating the importance of this competition.
The result was that each day this content was shared on social media and the excitement around the opening weekend continued to build.
The other sports absolutely need to learn from the AFL and make sure that content is being shared all the time about their women’s teams. The sharing of this content needs to be absolutely relentless, and the efforts of those in the media and influencers who are passionate about that sport need to be taken advantage of.
The AFL has shown what is possible – I now want to see women in sport celebrated like this across the board.
If you don’t think your sport is being covered enough, be part of the change by being an advocate and an influencer in your social networks. If you can introduce one new person to women’s sport (in whatever code), then you have absolutely made a difference.
Rugby league
Women playing rugby league – if you haven’t seen a game yet you are all out of excuses.
Last weekend was a first for the Jillaroos, when they managed to beat the Kiwi Ferns in three out of three games, claiming their first ever Auckland Nines series win in a clean-sweep.
In a weekend described by Sammy Bremner in her acceptance speech as “another step forward for the NRL and women in rugby league”, the only negative was fan-favourite (and my own personal favourite) Kezie Apps sustaining a broken fibula, which will see her sidelined for a couple of weeks.
Did you miss that game? No matter. Tonight the All Stars game will be a double-header, with the Indigenous Women’s All Stars taking on the Women’s All Stars at 5:30pm (AEDT). Then, this weekend, the opening round of the Tarsha Gale Nines will take place.
Todd Greenberg may have said earlier in the week that the NRL will not begin a women’s competition until there is a large enough talent pool to sustain it, but the fact that this year there will be a women’s World Cup, that the next generation of Jillaroos have the opportunity to play in the Tarsha Gale Nines, and that the Sharks Nines team has been confirmed to play six games at Southern Cross Group Stadium means we are slowly making our way towards the end goal.
I know we will get there.
W-League
If you are from the Harbour City or our Nation’s Capital, you can absolutely be forgiven for suffering from a broken heart this week after both Sydney FC and Canberra United were knocked out at the semi-final stage in the W-League.
This sets up a grand final between the Perth Glory and Melbourne City, which will see City chasing their second title in a row and Perth trying to pick up where they left off in their 5-1 thrashing of Sydney FC last weekend.
Netball
Finally, it would be remiss of me not to mention the Australian Diamonds, who last weekend retained the Netball Quad Series after defeating England by one point.
Captain Sharni Layton, unsurprisingly, said she was “really proud of all the girls”.
As well as all that, I’ll be heading to Blacktown International Sports Park to see the Australian women’s softball team (the Aussie Spirit) play in the Down Under Series against Japan and New Zealand.
I hope you all enjoy the weekend ahead, whether you are watching rugby league, AFL, WNBL or the W-League.
Slane
Guest
They got good crowds in every state they played in didn't they?
Casper
Guest
Put in perspective, people nowadays love to attend an 'event' and the fact that there was free admission in the state where the game was born it's not surprising they got good attendance. When the novelty factor wears off we'll have a better idea but it's good to see the girls not being punted from the game after they turn 12. Should athletics claim a massive surge in support for their sport because the Nitro meets got better attendance than national championships? Does the women's BBL claim the sold out attendances when they play a doubleheader with the men's games? It's not that simple. I notice that more women seem to be in those sold out wallabies crowds for big rugby matches, wearing the gold scarves and 'being seen', something the millenials are known for compared to earlier generations.
Big Daddy
Guest
Re Eddie McGuire not attending AFLW matches - that would be a good thing. He would be worming His way into TV coverage and that means we would have to see his face - no thanks. I wonder how much interest there would be a national men's netball comp. Give the ladies a fair go. It's about women in sport not which code is better.
Ben
Roar Guru
"drive their own agenda"... Ignorance is sooooo bliss! ?
Ben
Roar Guru
Massive differences in the marketing of the two!
Paul D
Roar Guru
Hey Nemesis, as I said before - you do realise we are 2 weeks into this competition right? Mind you, I am so glad to see you writing so much in this thread on Women's AFL because it shows you really must be rattled by how well its doing.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Tom Atkinson @Tommy_A7 2m2 minutes ago 3000 were lining up at 2.30. Expect 10,000. So good to see. @triplemfooty @Mix945Perth #AFLWFreoLions
Mary Konstantopoulos
Expert
Yawn. Sounds like another football fan trying to drive their own agenda. Just as an FYI Tom, I'm a rugby league fan first and a supporter of everything else second.
Mary Konstantopoulos
Expert
Making it free didn't get those sorts of crowds for the WBBL..
Mary Konstantopoulos
Expert
Ahmed, thank you very much for this comment. I'm really glad someone read the article and the words as they were instead of using it to drive some weird agenda.
SVB
Guest
MF Give it some until the novelty wears off. Although it's good to know that people in those southern states will watch just about anything AFL. You can only fake interest for so long though..
northerner
Guest
Nemesis - as I've said before and will say again, media relations are not all about advertising.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Lockout likely for Lions home game, venue change possible http://girlsplayfooty.com/2017/02/lockout-likely-for-lions-home-game-venue-change-possible.html The Brisbane Lions could be looking at a possible venue change for their first AFLW home game after asking fans via social media to complete a survey asking if they will be attending. Currently, the match scheduled against Collingwood is set for a 3:35pm start on Saturday, February 18 at the new South Pine Sports Complex in Brendale.
Nemesis
Guest
". I understand the financial constraints they’re under, though I think they could have done a better job.." Well, no you don't understand the financial constraints. If you did understand the financial constraints, you would not think FFA could have done a better job. Let's be perfectly clear... Based on what we know, Basketball Australia & FFA spend a HIGHER PERCENTAGE of their annual revenue money promoting & operating Women's Basketball & Football respectively than does the AFL promoting women's Aussie Rules. And, Basketball Australia & FFA have been doing it for a lot longer than 6 months. Women's football in Australia is lot more than just the WLeague. The FFA also operates international women's football teams at * u16 Asian Championship * u17 World Cup * u19 Asian Championship * u20 World Cup * Summer Olympics * Senior Asian Cup * Senior World Cup FFA & Basketball Australia have low revenue. But, even with this low revenue, they allocate a higher percentage of this low revenue to women than does the AFL. No doubt Netball Australia allocate a huge - massive - percentage of its annual revenue to women's sport; albeit the sport is mainly a women's sport.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
EX-MATILDA: AFLW GIVES FFA A MARKETING LESSON http://www.fourfourtwo.com.au/news/ex-matilda-aflw-gives-ffa-a-marketing-lesson-450757 Former Matildas vice-captain Joey Peters has weighed into the code wars believing the launch of the AFL women’s league (AFLW) has taught the FFA a lesson in marketing the W-League. The AFLW’s first match between Carlton and Collingwood at Ikon Park got under way last Friday in front of a capacity crowd. More than 1000 fans, including Matilda and Melbourne City star Steph Catley, were unable to gain entry with gates closed and reopened at three-quarter time. The attention given to the new women’s competition has been vast with all fixtures to be broadcast live on pay TV and selected matches on free-to-air, the AFL website and league’s app, with free entry to games except for some double header matches.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
SVB The great step forward for the women's sport is that we are now all doing comparisons between the AFL Women's and the A-League, comparing them as equals. This is the great step forward for women's sport. I mean seriously, who could ever have imagined that the AFL Women's on a Friday night would be getting three times the ratings of an A-League game?
northerner
Guest
Let's not kid ourselves that the W League doesn't exist for exactly the same reason. To give football a wider profile and bigger market. And there's absolutely nothing wrong in that, BTW. The FFA has invested a lot in improving women's football skills, but not a lot in offering them professional opportunities. I understand the financial constraints they're under, though I think they could have done a better job.. The AFL is taking a different approach, has the money to do it, and will no doubt get the skills issue addressed sooner rather than later. Why it should be criticized for this is something that escapes me. I think that both approaches are to be praised, and I am dumbfounded, quite frankly, by the inability of those such as yourself who cannot see that, cynical or not, this is good for women's sports. As for slurring other sports, I have managed not to slur the W League, Rugby 7s, basketball, cricket or the ladies who play any of these games, which is something you cannot say about your own comments on the AFLW - so back off, pal.
harry houdini
Roar Rookie
Rightio then, where are all these slurs ?. Where ?, Mary who wrote this article is a RL fan first and foremost who also happens to promote womens sport. As i stated before it seems to be OK for soccer to target the female market but not the AFL - is this right ?.
SVB
Guest
It's called propaganda when you have the media on your side to be able to promote what you want (and slur others in the process) northerner. If anything the WNBL and the W-league are far more genuine about promoting women's sport. They don't have the funds the AFL has, and it would be far easier and more financially responsible to not run those women's competitions at all. But they still run them. They have been doing it for a far longer time than AFL has. Will the AFL still stick sold when there are 500 people turning up to games and nothing to be gained media wise from the women's competition? Let's not kid ourselves that the AFL is doing this at the moment for PR reasons and using the media to glorify themselves. Only time will tell whether they are genuine about it.
harry houdini
Roar Rookie
The old boys club that runs the AFL actually has a couple of women on the board. quite a youngish board really. Name Current Role Appointed Mike Fitzpatrick Chairman 2007 Gillon McLachlan Chief Executive Officer 2014 Richard Goyder Commissioner 2011 Paul Bassat Commissioner 2011 Kim Williams Commissioner 2014 Major General Simone Wilkie Commissioner 2015 Jason Ball Commissioner 2015 Andrew Newbold Commissioner 2016 Gabrielle Trainor Commissioner 2016