[TV] BBC Sports Personality Of The Year . . . Beth Mead.

[GT49er]

If it's an even contest between two people (which it may have been between Stokes and Mead) then you expect the one playing the more popular sport to win; and I think men's cricket is still more popular than women's football. But if a bandwagon starts rolling, and Mead's supporters turn out in numbers while Stokes' don't, then she wins.

You're probably just about right about men's cricket still being more popular than women's football - but we all know, whether we're enthusiastic about women's football or not, that the BBC (and SSN just as much) have been pushing women's football for all they're worth this past two or three years - so I wouldn't entirely rule out a teensy-weensy bit of manipulation!

 

[ozzygull]

A politically correct winner when the obvious was Stokes who won a World Cup and captained the England side to some truly amazing Test wins.
However Cricket vs Women's Football there is only going to be one winner for the BBC who love a bandwagon.

That is because most people who don’t follow some thing think nobody else is interested. It has nothing to do with woke or bbc bias, just that the achievement of a senior England football team bringing a football trophy home, playing some great football and showing a lot of grit. it was fantastic and really caught the imagination and they sold out a friendly at Wembley against the USA in less then 48 hour. No surprise she won, I would have been surprised if she had not. Beth Mead was the player of the tournament.

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

You're probably just about right about men's cricket still being more popular than women's football - but we all know, whether we're enthusiastic about women's football or not, that the BBC (and SSN just as much) have been pushing women's football for all they're worth this past two or three years - so I wouldn't entirely rule out a teensy-weensy bit of manipulation!

Compared to the numbers who watched the women's final, the cricket this year may as well have been watched by about 50 people.

 

[Robdinho]

I watched this earlier in the week. Admittedly l didn't think that any of the candidates really stood out from the pack, but l assumed that Ben Stokes would win the award by a country mile if only because he was probably the only one that a lot of voters had even heard of.

I also have reservations about any team player winning the award.

Your thoughts?

She won the the golden boot and player of the tournament in winning the European Championships.

 

[Washie]

I couldn't give less of a shit about cricket or women's football. But I watched the Women's Euro's. I know of her but not this Stokes bloke.

 

[Robdinho]

OP is on a wind up surely? Player of the tournament and golden boot winner in the first win in a proper international tournament (with all due respect to La Tournoi) in more than half a century. Of course she was a deserving winner.

 

[Swansman]

You're probably just about right about men's cricket still being more popular than women's football - but we all know, whether we're enthusiastic about women's football or not, that the BBC (and SSN just as much) have been pushing women's football for all they're worth this past two or three years - so I wouldn't entirely rule out a teensy-weensy bit of manipulation!

Could be vote manipulation, could also be that the majority of voters aren't 70+ year old men frightened and annoyed by women's sports.

 

[GT49er]

Could be vote manipulation, could also be that the majority of voters aren't 70+ year old men frightened and annoyed by women's sports.

You might have thousands of 70 year old men over in Sweden frightened of womens' football - who can fathom some of the weird things that happen in Sweden (or even in your mind)? People scared of women playing football - pft - what a prattish idea!

Well, at least you and I agree that there could be a bit of vote manipulation - you can't deny that's never happened in your world, eh?

 

[Swansman]

You might have thousands of 70 year old men over in Sweden frightened of womens' football - who can fathom some of the weird things that happen in Sweden (or even in your mind)? People scared of women playing football - pft - what a prattish idea!

Well, at least you and I agree that there could be a bit of vote manipulation - you can't deny that's never happened in your world, eh?

Yeah we probably do. It is commonly occuring everywhere. If oldies didn't feel threatened by it somehow, they wouldn't turn up everywhere to try to belittle the accomplishments of eg female footballers.

Of course there could be vote manipulation. Everything is possible. Or Beth Meade could be from Mars (or mayhaps more likely Venus) manipulating the voting procedure through her invisible antennaes. Just not all that likely. More likely that people just felt that the England win in the Euro 2022 tournament was a bigger achievement and a bigger deal than whatever the British Baseball-blokes accomplished.

 

[Doonhamer7]

The fact that 4 of the 6 nominations could walk pass you in the street and you would have no idea who they were - means they are not personalities

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

More likely that people just felt that the England win in the Euro 2022 tournament was a bigger achievement and a bigger deal than whatever the British Baseball-blokes accomplished.

To be clear, this year Ben Stokes captained the England men's side to 9 wins out of 10, had the starring role in winning a world cup final, and oversaw a total transformation of how to play test cricket (the version played over 5 days). Which is all very worthy.
But, that said, and entirely independent of Beth Mead and the football:
None of that happened on free-to-air television, so barely anybody saw it.
Even if they had, no cricketer has ever won SPOTY in a year when we haven't played Australia at home, which is the only time most people are playing attention.
So I'm not sure why anybody's surprised.

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

The fact that 4 of the 6 nominations could walk pass you in the street and you would have no idea who they were - means they are not personalities

I know who all of them except the gymnast and athlete are (I just looked this up and I've already forgotten their names).
Nobody ever knows what personality means in this context, generally to get shortlisted it just seems mean winning something of note.
Of the 4 who I actually know something about, I'd say all of them are perfectly adequate candidates.
Mead's the obvious standout as far as public awareness is concerned.

 

[Normal Rob]

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[dazzer6666]

Stokes needs to lead the South Eastern Salt and Vinegar Chipsticks to winning the #60smash before he wins it because test cricket doesn’t matter any more, meanwhile it (rightly this year) goes to the (English) player of the tournament in a competition won by England and watched by many millions.

 

[Pevenseagull]

The year I was born Princess Anne won it.
I'm not overly concerned.

Old boy in the pub earlier was moaning about this year's winner, Messi being disrespectful for not collecting his award in person ... and then blathered on about not paying his TV licence because BBC was woke for having too many meat free dishes on the cookery shows.

 

[Pevenseagull]

The fact that 4 of the 6 nominations could walk pass you in the street and you would have no idea who they were - means they are not personalities

Steve Davis and Nigel Mansell oozed personality.

 

[B-right-on]

Not remotely surprised.
Don't think enough people care about cricket for Stokes to win unless it's a home Ashes year.

I don't follow cricket or womens football. However I got into the Euros after the qtr final win mainly due to the media hype.

No idea what Ben Stokes won this year, trophy/competition wise but it certainly didn't come across my radar through media hype.

So from my equally not really follow either sport, I think that BMs win is about right.

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

I don't follow cricket or womens football. However I got into the Euros after the qtr final win mainly due to the media hype.

No idea what Ben Stokes won this year, trophy/competition wise but it certainly didn't come across my radar through media hype.

So from my equally not really follow either sport, I think that BMs win is about right.

Super. Since you've already watched some of the women's football, I'll advise you to get into cricket, it's great.
As a fan of it, it is a bit depressing how few people care about the cricket in this country.

 

[Hotchilidog]

Mead and Stokes the two front runners this year but Beth was part of the bigger story for me this year so a worthy winner. Ben‘s best is yet to come and I think he will walk it next year

 

[junior]

I'm a 40 year old white male. Never watched a full game of cricket in my life. The bits I have seen are dull as dishwasher. Games go on all day, never seems to be anyone in the stadiums and the only cricket players I could name you are David Gower, Ian Botham and Shane Warne.

But since women's footy started getting shown on terrestrial TV (we don't have Sky) I've got quite into it and we watched all the euros in our household.

I voted for Mead for SPOTY so pleased she won.