This is interesting, it’s led to a huge increase in attendance at Women’s football in Colombia. Could it work here, and would you be in favour of half a Seagull on our badge?
https://youtu.be/4BCfOZgpa58
https://youtu.be/4BCfOZgpa58
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[Football] Half Fans Colombia.
- Thread starter lawros left foot
- Start date
Alba Badger
Well-known member
This is class!
Guess I'm a half fan then.
Sorry...and I know I shall probably take a bashing for this, but womens football doesn't interest me in the slightest
Sorry...and I know I shall probably take a bashing for this, but womens football doesn't interest me in the slightest
Mackenzie
Old Brightonian
I think so. I want all of our teams to be successful.
nwgull
Well-known member
Rest assured that market forces and the willingness of the average punter to travel miles and pay £30+ to watch 90 minutes of mens football would ensure that this idea never takes off.
The often overlooked problem with women’s football, physicality aside, is that it’s literally about 100 years behind the men’s game in terms of investment. Yes, we’re starting to see some inorganic growth in the popularity of the women’s game brought about primarily through greater awareness of the need for equality rather than demand, but the difference in coaching and facilities at academy level-up is still a world away.
In sports where the female game is generally taken seriously, such as tennis, that isn’t the case. The men and women’s game developed in tandem, even if they’re still not 100% on an even keel today.
There’s a real chicken and egg problem here. I really do think that women’s football has the potential to become a lot more entertaining - on a technical level at least I see no reason why women can’t reach the same standard as men. But for that to happen, it needs a huge amount of money throwing at it over many years - money that will far outweigh demand in the interim.
Gimmicks like half-badges won’t fundamentally change anything in the long-term, a novel idea though it is. I’m sure there’s an element of sexism at play here, but I think the primary reason that most people don’t engage with women’s football is because the entertainment value simply isn’t there yet. That, in itself, isn’t sexist in my opinion. To that end, I suspect that there are still far more women watching men’s football than there are watching women’s.
In sports where the female game is generally taken seriously, such as tennis, that isn’t the case. The men and women’s game developed in tandem, even if they’re still not 100% on an even keel today.
There’s a real chicken and egg problem here. I really do think that women’s football has the potential to become a lot more entertaining - on a technical level at least I see no reason why women can’t reach the same standard as men. But for that to happen, it needs a huge amount of money throwing at it over many years - money that will far outweigh demand in the interim.
Gimmicks like half-badges won’t fundamentally change anything in the long-term, a novel idea though it is. I’m sure there’s an element of sexism at play here, but I think the primary reason that most people don’t engage with women’s football is because the entertainment value simply isn’t there yet. That, in itself, isn’t sexist in my opinion. To that end, I suspect that there are still far more women watching men’s football than there are watching women’s.
Depends on the reason. I'm guessing it's not literally because they are women and more due to the fact that from what I've seen the standard isn't that good and it's not very entertaining.
dsr-burnley
Well-known member
- Aug 15, 2014
- 2,625
Possibly the last line gives away a lot of the problem. "Support them not because they are women, but because you love good football". For many people including me it's the opposite. I choose not to support them, not because they are women, but because I love good football - and the women don't play good enough football.
I have no objection to them playing; I just choose not to go and watch.
I have no objection to them playing; I just choose not to go and watch.
Uh_huh_him
Well-known member
- Sep 28, 2011
- 12,113
Yeah that's a good idea,
Problem is, that idea is completely at odds with how the men's game is supported. Don't tell me that all those Albion fans who went to Gillingham in 97/98 and saw a measly 6 wins all season went for "good football".
The whole point of supporting a football team is that you do it through thick and thin, that it, in the immortal words of Gattuso, "sometimes maybe good, sometimes maybe shit."
I think there is an argument that there is too much football to watch in general and that this is another additional investment of time in an already overcrowded market and deciding that you'd like to spend your time not watching a game is fine. However, if I was local to where the Albion women play and had a spare afternoon/evening I'd absolutely go and watch the Albion women play. They are part of the club. I've also done the same with the U23s as well.
Last edited:
- Jul 6, 2011
- 2,411
For a very long period of time, maybe 25 years or more, until the arrival of Poyet, I don't think many of us went to Brighton games to see "good football". I went to support a team by drinking beer, laughing with mates, singing silly songs, shouting in general and clapping, all for the rush you get when the team you support scores a goal, wins a game or even wins promotion or a trophy. For me it is just an added bonus when the team I support are also actually good at football, being better than the opposition is good enough for me! Of course it is enjoyable when your team has a player like Vicente waltzing through the opposition, but it is also enjoyable when your team has a ch ch ch ch ch ch ch Charlie Oatway clattering some prima donna. Top level women's football is potentially an equally enjoyable experience already you just need to go with a few mates and do as you did when the men's team was sh!t.
It's a decent idea. Ordinarily, I'd say it's a gimmick that wouldn't work. However, the evidence is that it has worked (very well indeed) in Colombia; I can't see any particular reasons why Colombian fans are intrinsically different to British ones.
What's to lose? Give it a go and see...
What's to lose? Give it a go and see...
Jack Straw
I look nothing like him!
If you happened to have a son and a daughter who both played football for different teams at the same time, would you only watch your son?
BHAFC are our "Family" and I believe all our teams should be supported as such.
BHAFC are our "Family" and I believe all our teams should be supported as such.
dsr-burnley
Well-known member
- Aug 15, 2014
- 2,625
It has to be said because there are plenty of people who would understand "I don't support women's football" to mean "I am opposed to women's football". On message boards especially, the idea of being indifferent to something is not always easy to grasp.Phew! That's reassuring that you have no objection to women playing football.
..... and that's very patronising. Many of us have no objection to women playing football. Am I to assume that you have no objection to women's football either? If so, I'm sure we are all reassured to hear it.
Moving on, having established that there is no objection to women's football, or to people watching it if they want to, etc, etc, if women's football is to grow it needs to improve, and it needs to be marketed - whether or not it succeeds will depend on how well it does these things. It may well do, but I don't think it will make many friends by telling me I'm only half a fan if I don't follow the women's team too.
I follow football - men's football - specifically Brighton and Hove Albion because I'm interested and it excites me. I'm not interested in the women's team; I make no apology for that, and it is no cause for anyone to claim superiority because they happen to like the women's game. It's personal choice, nothing more nothing less, same as it is, for instance, with bands. There are bands which I would pay (and have paid) good money to see, and there are some I wouldn't go and see if it was free, because I'm not interested in them (see some of HWT's playlist!) If I wanted to watch women's football, I would - but please don't try telling me I ought to watch it because I'm some sort of bad fan if I don't.
Pint of Ale and a Burger
New member
I quite enjoyed the women's world cup and watch the odd game if it's on BBC.
I don't believe the womens quality is that bad these days and they seem to play a different style to the blokes which seems to involve a lot of nice passing moves rather than physical pace and power and aggression.
I would like to see more of the women's matches at the amex I'm so focused on going to the first teams men's matches that I either don't have the time or money to see a woman's match if I'm available or I'm just not that keen to head off to the amex knowing that the terraces will be quite empty.
I would defenitly be more up for it if more of us went as I would like to support the ladies team because I do see them as BHAFC same as the blokes but I think it will need something like the Colombians have done to get the crowd numbers up.
I'm not sure about the half a fan,half a badge approach.i think that will alienate a lot of fans.
Maybe something like a few special event matches preseason or at the end of the season?,
Mini tournament in the summer?
Mixed friendlies,two teams made up of men and women on both teams?
Or we the fans all work out a few woman's fixtures during the season that fits around the mens schedule and we say"right, everyone get tickets for that date,let's try and fill the ground!"
It would be good to see the women's team supported in a packed amex.
I don't believe the womens quality is that bad these days and they seem to play a different style to the blokes which seems to involve a lot of nice passing moves rather than physical pace and power and aggression.
I would like to see more of the women's matches at the amex I'm so focused on going to the first teams men's matches that I either don't have the time or money to see a woman's match if I'm available or I'm just not that keen to head off to the amex knowing that the terraces will be quite empty.
I would defenitly be more up for it if more of us went as I would like to support the ladies team because I do see them as BHAFC same as the blokes but I think it will need something like the Colombians have done to get the crowd numbers up.
I'm not sure about the half a fan,half a badge approach.i think that will alienate a lot of fans.
Maybe something like a few special event matches preseason or at the end of the season?,
Mini tournament in the summer?
Mixed friendlies,two teams made up of men and women on both teams?
Or we the fans all work out a few woman's fixtures during the season that fits around the mens schedule and we say"right, everyone get tickets for that date,let's try and fill the ground!"
It would be good to see the women's team supported in a packed amex.
Mayonaise
Well-known member
I am following the Albion women's team but only on TV so far (even before covid).
crodonilson
He/Him
Any idea that promotes the further growth of womens football is good in my book, I think the game changer has already happened and that is exclusive rights to the womens league between BBC and Sky next season so all games will be on TV. Sky will particularly throw plenty at it, with quality guests, expert analysis and plenty of money to further develop the womens game and professionalism within it. I also think all clubs in the top 2 divisions should bew made to play their womens game at the same venues as their male counterparts.
