The first time my children experienced a World Cup, there were pictures of the German national team on every street corner, especially playgrounds. Supermarkets, drug stores and one Euro stores were flooded with World Cup tchotchke. The marketing mania around World Championship collective stickers, jerseys, cards, Nutella labels, you name it, was strategically aimed at kids. As a result, my boys knew the names of every player on the German team (not to mention the star players from other countries).
Our neighbors put up a huge screen in their garage, heated up an industrial sized BBQ grill and invited an intimate group of about 30 neighbors and their kids to watch all of the Germany games. Our no-TV law was lifted and my kids were allowed to stare at the screen that everyone sat in front of like zombies.
Prior to last Sunday, when the Women's World Cup started, the same fanfare was noticeably missing. I didn't hear the chatter of world champion frenzy when I picked up the kids from school. I didn't see the gigantic billboards that I saw for the male World Cup, even though Germany is hosting.
So I asked my Germany expert (aka my husband), "What's up? Why isn't there more hype around this World Cup?" He looked at me and said, "It's not the same thing. And don't say it's sexist, it's just not the same thing."
On Sunday afternoon, when I noticed my neighbor's garage door closed and no BBQ grill in sight, it seemed painfully clear that it just isn't a big deal when girls play. "Why not?" my eldest son asked his dad. Yes, yes! Ask my child, ask!
"You'll see," my husband said, on our way home to catch the German team play Canada. "It's not as exciting. Women play too slow . . ."
Of course, if you tell a boy that women play slow and that they're boring athletes, they'll believe it just because dad said so. A parent's "declaration" of anything at this age, is even more powerful that marketing.
"Look at that pass!" I cried out. "Whoo, look at her go! Slow, huh?" I nudged my husband. "Bet she can run faster than you!"
My youngest laughed and said, "And she can probably kick the ball farther than you, Papa."
In no time, my kids were joining me, "Garafreke's is awesome! Yeah! And the goalie's good too, right mom?"
"That's right," I said, "She is completely awesome."
"But she looks a little like a man," the youngest said.
Ugh.
Photo: flickr
8 comments:
I absolutely love this post. I had the same conversation with a friend yesterday when I noticed that, here in the UK matches are not even being shown on TV! When I asked why it was 'jokingly' suggested that the reason was because the women hadn't taken on Sepp Blatter's suggestion to wear smaller shorts!
Well, I'm not a football fan, so I won't comment on whether women's football is less interesting. It could be the case, just because it still is much younger and smaller.
The main reason, why it gets less attention though, is tradition. Men's football is surrounded by fan organizations, traditions, rituals, ...
Women's football in contrast only made it into the mainstream media recently, and got more publicity due to the world cup.
Getting anywhere near the popularity of men's football will take time.
The chances are not so bad though. The men's world cup in Germany made football very popular even outside the usually fan base. If the women's national team does well, there probably will be a similar effect.
It's true that the women's World Cup recieves much less attention than any man's World Cup has. But you have to keep in mind that it's only the 6th World Cup. And it has already got more attention than any of the previous ones (at least as far as I can remember :) ). And there might be much more to come if the german team keep winning :)
While I agree with your husband that the women's game is not quite as fast and as good as the men's (sorry), I did think the the first match was pretty good and entertaining.
I am a huge World Cup fan but interestingly I was not even aware it was the Women's World Cup.
Growing up, I played soccer. I found it more interesting when I played with the boys even if most of them outran me. I don't remember exactly when I stopped but I suspect fear of being considered less feminine played a part. Nostalgia sometimes kicks in and pushes me to start or join a soccer team. I will tell you if I finally do.
-Mi
I have to agree with Gustav.
The opening game of the World Cup was watched by 14 million viewers in Germany. Thats the highest rate in the history of women soccer. It was also the biggest live audience of over 73000 people at the Berlin stadium.
And its the first time that they show every single game live on tv.
A lot has changed since the DFB (German football association)has allowed women soccer in the 1970s but its still miles away from the standard of a male world cup.
Loving it! I guess *someone* had to eat humble pie. lol I have to try to see a game.
We've always watched the Women's World cup. Thanks to the expert (aka my husband) in our home, who until very recently felt that the U.S. women's team was far better than the U.S. men's team. The German's are playing some beautiful, disciplined soccer!
But what about the American women yesterday? Not bad, eh?
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