It might have to do with the fact that people actually watch the men's World Cup. Wasn't the women's prize pool a higher percentage of revenue already?
Yes, but FIFA chooses how it does things. It is the same org, so it is a willful choice not to put work into growing the women's side. Us soccer took the bad rap for FIFA. The prize pool on the men's side is more than adequate.
And let's be clear, it isn't just unequal. A round of 16 being more than winning two WC is kinda silly. Fixed for the US, though. Not an issue for our teams.
Not used to defending FIFA, but if the women's prize pool is already a larger percentage of revenue what do you want them to do to make it "fair"? It's not their fault people don't want to watch a watered down version of the sport. It's why I don't watch MLS.
I don't think that will close the gap in interest one iota. I just don't think the interest is there among the sport watching populace to tie up their time with women's sports, save a few here and there.
They could do exactly what us soccer has done along with the women's and men's teams. Lump the revenues and prize pools rather than keeping them two separate pipelines. Hell, they could even create a prize system based on joint performance.
Outside of non team sport individual Global superstars like the Williams sisters, the University of Tennessee and Pat Summit probably have unlocked an audience for women’s sports better than anyone else in the world ever has
I know it's internet edgy and what not, but Bill Burr made a good point. It's not on men to prop up and single-handedly support women's sports, if women aren't interested in watching it... Also the men weren't making this much before they got the eyeballs, the eyeballs are what allows the payouts.
I just don't think there is an audience. Women that love sports are watching the men play just like the men who love sports watch the men play. WNBA has been around for a looooong time and no one watches it save a few die hard fans, no matter how much ESPN and its advocates push it. At some point, we just have to accept that most women's sports are, frankly, dull. I would be like it to be different, but it just isn't. Now, I am all for spreading the wealth in a supposedly "nonprofit" organization like FIFA, make it more egalitarian and gender neutral. But Budweiser and Toyota are not paying money to be advertised on the women's side.
I don't think it is necessarily internet edgy, it is just the truth, said in a comedic way for laughs.
Yea you/Lumberjack/Bill Burr nailed the ultimate problem: women don’t support women’s sports. It’s just a hard sell for most people to invest their spare time into watching an inferior product. Maybe if trans females raise the level of play and overtake women’s sports on the biggest sporting stages, more people will watch moving forward. Idk
