The huge crowds turning out at FIFA Women’s World Cup venues across Australia and New Zealand are a reminder of the popularity of football – and the irrelevance of mainstream media.
Just under 40,000 fans filed into the Sydney Football Stadium to watch France draw with Jamaica on Sunday night, with the highly fancied French unable to break down the stubborn Jamaican defence.
It followed on from the bumper crowd of almost 45,000 who turned up in Brisbane to watch England struggle to a similarly laboured 1-0 win over minnows Haiti, courtesy of Georgia Stanway’s twice-taken penalty on Saturday night.
Attendances have been decent in New Zealand too – despite the inclement weather – with the Football Ferns’ heroic 1-0 win over Norway in front of a packed Eden Park arguably the match of the tournament so far.
There’s no doubt World Cup fever has well and truly arrived on our shores, with Australia’s tense 1-0 win over the Republic of Ireland last Thursday night making front and back page news.
And it mostly made news for all the right reasons, with stand-in skipper Steph Catley’s expertly dispatched penalty helping to calm the nerves after the Matildas struggled to overcome stiff Irish resistance over the opening 50 minutes of the match.
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Yet the reason Catley was handed the armband in the first place irked a certain type of critic – chief among them long-time Daily Telegraph rugby league reporter Dean Ritchie.
“Sam Kerr’s last-minute withdrawal a dishonest way to treat supporters,” thundered Ritchie in a tweet that went up eight minutes after the Matildas kicked off their World Cup campaign.
“The Matildas’ last-minute withdrawal of superstar Sam Kerr was calculating and conniving, and has made all the fans waiting for this historic contest feel pretty foolish,” reckoned Ritchie.
Here’s the thing about Bulldog’s rapidly-written column. I have no idea what it said because it was locked behind a paywall, and not being remotely interested in whatever the NRL is up to on any given day, I have zero need to ever read The Daily Telegraph.
But it did the business either way, with Ritchie’s tweet racking up more than 270,000 views on Twitter – even if the overwhelming majority of responses were negative reactions to a column no one read.
Negative reactions are a stock-in-trade for News Corp publications these days, which is why news.com.au‘s weekend World Cup coverage was anchored by stories like: “USA anthem protest draws severe backlash, “Handshake snub exposes relationship rumour,” and “’Utter joke’: Fury at World Cup streaming fail”.
And since it’s not every day a major FIFA tournament lobs up on our shores, perhaps we should forgive the old-school journos raised on a more familiar regime of Tuesday arvo team sheets and text messages to coaching staff.
But it was hard not to notice that plenty of those complaining about the Matildas failing to inform anyone of Kerr’s calf injury – as if any right-minded coach in any other code wouldn’t do exactly the same – all hailed from a rather narrow demographic.
No doubt punters were aggrieved by Kerr’s late withdrawal, with plenty of bets invariably placed on the Aussie attacker finishing as the tournament’s top scorer.
Yet none of that is Tony Gustavsson’s concern, and the carping from certain quarters on Thursday night smacked of ignorance.
Sam Kerr could be out for the balance of the World Cup (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
In the absence of having anything remotely insightful to say, why not conjure up some clicks by stirring up a bit of controversy instead?
Which is a shame, because as the packed stands and joyous scenes that have played out across Australia and New Zealand have proved so far, there’s much more positivity to be enjoyed around the tournament instead.
The Matildas’ clash with Nigeria in Brisbane on Thursday night has been sold out for weeks.
And the Women’s World Cup has captured the imagination of sports lovers across Australia and New Zealand – whether the mainstream media likes it or not.
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
Firstly, I was not aware of that, and secondly, no wonder. The man is getting more heat that anyone has since Watergate. Murdoch as narrow minded, scrooge-like and far right as he is, is not dumb!!!
stu
Roar Rookie
FIL....you are correct, and one can't defend the indefensible. However, I think I was trying to encourage a closer look at that relationship. Murdoch has significantly distanced himself from Trump.
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
they say that you have to understand history to understand the present. Do some reading, check out Trump's history. The guy is a Putin sychophant, check out his debt, check out who he's been dealing with. Can you hear that sound........that's the clock ticking. It's ticking for Murdoch who's days are numbered and it's ticking for Trump, it's only a matter of time before he's sharing a very small space with a very large individual called Bubba
jimmy jones
Roar Rookie
We definitely need more development and a better system so can hang on to the likes of the talented guy who is at Roma now, ignored by a few A-league clubs here.
AJ73
Roar Rookie
Yes because FIFA charge too much for the product. AFL brings in the money for Ch. 7 in Australia. Cimparimg it to the Olympics is misleading as it is several sports, not just one and is done in 16 days. The chip on the shoulder attitude of the Myopic Highlander Football supporters is really pathetic. In Australia there are other codes which are more successful, get over it. Open up your pallet and invest time in understanding other codes. I love my SPORT, not just one. I play Football, have played Aussie Rules and touch and see that all have a beauty. My kids play football and watch it, they also watch AFL and Rugby. We also understand that FTA channels need to make money, and unfortunately Football doesn't do it constantly enough when it comes to selling advertising spots. Maybe blame the business who put adds on TV? The FA could have helped with money0or lobbying the government.
Football Fan
Roar Rookie
What are you on about? Do you even understand that Ch7 did not win the rights to this WWC, Optus did. Why? Because they didn't care enough or not understand how big it is or their priority with AFL tv rights or more likely all of the above, to outbid Optus. Optus then sold a number of games to a FTA network and CH7 was the highest bidder. Compare this to the Olympics where they're prepared to wipe their entire programming (except AFL) to show events that quite honestly are nowhere near as popular as many WWC matches.
AJ73
Roar Rookie
How can ch. 7 show more than the 15 games they are allowed to show? Regardless of ant relationship, they only have rights for the Matildas games and 3 other pool games before the Matildas half of the finals. Blame FIFA or Optus Sport for that to occur rather than the relationship with the AFL.
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
They honestly play football with the utmost of German efficiency
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
Pacman what happened with that, sorry a little out of the loop there?
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
thanks for the education guys, I honestly thought it was a contractual deal, but maybe the media laws afford more room to move if FTA is part of the deal vice streaming alone
Para+Ten ISUZU Subway support Australian Football
Roar Rookie
Yes I think 10 come under the CBS umbrella.
Garry
Roar Rookie
I’m a bit upset there’s no special para deal for the a league this year
Garry
Roar Rookie
As someone pointed out previously the anti siphoning laws only cover Australia games and from what I can tell all are on fta. I’m in NZ atm and a lot of non NZ games are on fta but you can’t expect that in Australia.
Garry
Roar Rookie
Paramount is CBS is Ten
Chris Lewis
Roar Guru
Very true. But sad for myself, someone who likes so many sports. I simply cannot afford to watch all the media platforms. That is why i have you tube premium so i can at least watch highlights of every football code.
Sheffield WesDay
Roar Rookie
Yep. Agree. It has been said sooo many times, Football in Aus is it's own worst enemy. After that AFC, the FFA should have been breaking the bank to plaster our players all over the TV. They should have worked harder to get them on McDOnalds add, on the front of the Weet Box boxes, on the morning shows........ This is where the game is let down the most, and probably why we dont see the investment other codes get. Look at this year. Best ever results at the world cup. Rejoyce! Happy! Fireworks!....... Then the APL make Sydney GF decision public. BOO! Hiss. Money grabbing.......Pitch invasion! This goes for the Roar. 4 amazing years followed by poor decision after poor decision, bad coach appointments, unpaid debts, change of stadium, less publicity, changing maroon to black........We really do need to start playing to our strengths.
Lionheart
Roar Rookie
it's his baggage I don't like
Para+Ten ISUZU Subway support Australian Football
Roar Rookie
Thanks for the link Tony, I will take my time and digest it. I won't sign up to Optus as I am a Telstra subscriber and have been all my working life, even when they were once known as PMG (Post Master General). But I appreciate you replying to my posts. Thanks :thumbup:
Tony Harper
Editor
Details are here: https://www.afr.com/companies/media-and-marketing/optus-sport-secures-fifa-2023-women-s-world-cup-20210604-p57y0i#:~:text=Optus%20Sport%20has%20secured%20the,rights%20to%20a%20TV%20network. Also, Optus does have 11 free games on offer including today's midday match. You just need to sign up at optus sport.
Para+Ten ISUZU Subway support Australian Football
Roar Rookie
Tony, I would like your educated guess on the figure, any thoughts on that figure? Touching on FTA; the Anti-siphoning laws would tell you differently. The older demographic depends heavily on the Free Big Blockbuster Events. I know I do.