The Rugby World Cup
Radio NZ and other mainstream media are referring to ‘The Rugby World Cup’ final being held this weekend. Actually, it’s the Women’s Rugby World Cup, but that qualification is now deliberately avoided to try to elevate the significance of this tournament as equal to or greater than the established Rugby World Cup.
It’s all part of a sustained media campaign over recent years to provide free promotion for women’s sports. That campaign started after women complained bitterly that their sporting efforts were being discriminated against in both media coverage and in the money female players were being paid.
The resulting hype and emphasis on women’s sports is now paying off, with ‘The Rugby World Cup’ attracting a lot of attention and selling all seats for its final. This popularity has been manufactured almost entirely through media promotion, unlike men’s sports including rugby that developed their audiences through decades or centuries of captivating competition and encouragement of national pride.
Sporting codes that were traditionally female such as netball have evolved similarly to men’s sports but never achieved the same massive following. It’s hard to know why but it may have something to do with the fact that men are faster, stronger, braver and more impressive in their athletic performances and records. Never mind, in this feminist era women only need to cry foul and the masses will ride to their rescue, this sympathy vote likely being another factor in the sudden popularity of women’s rugby. Well actually, special compassion and protection towards females has long been the norm, probably based on fundamental biology and evolution. It’s just that women in the past didn’t think it fair or reasonable to demand equal money and attention for their sports despite having established nothing like equal audience and earning power. Feminist ideology has now provided them with the audacity and creative reasoning to do so.
Our local pub band perhaps should go to the media and complain they are not paid the same or given the same media attention as the Rolling Stones; hey, it’s working for women so maybe it will work for our pub band. Endless free media coverage pretending our band is important may well increase their audiences so much that Western Springs will become their next venue. According to feminist reasoning, they should be paid heaps regardless of their popularity or audience size because after all they are skilled and work as hard in their shows as do big-name bands. They are obviously being discriminated against if they don’t get the several millions each of the Rolling Stones get per show.
Although we recognize the proverb ‘Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery’, the Ministry of Men’s Affairs would prefer women to stop muscling in on men’s domains including men’s sports. We would prefer them to build their own marques and audiences as men have done. We find it boring to see females prancing around on rugby fields and we expect that the current interest in women’s rugby will go the same way as other fads that relied almost entirely on marketing, such as the ‘pet rock’ that briefly sold well in 1975.
I was beaten by a woman, in a sport of strength.
One on one, in tug of war.
I was winning in the beginning, but not in the end.
I was stronger, but she had better endurance.
So in that sport, some women did compete with men.
But not in reverse, the lady’s competition had no men.
Who knows what sports, may try mixed teams.
Is soccer to contact physical, for half girls and boys.
I would think, rugby couldn’t be a mixed sport.
They have no choice, but separate competitions.
Why all the fame for the singles winner, in tennis.
Why isn’t the mixed doubles, the premium event.
Some sports can’t get equality, while some can.
Comment by DJ Ward — Sat 12th November 2022 @ 5:56 pm
In every game the black ferns played every effort was made to boost the crowd numbers. Complimentary seats were in abundance and tickets were cheap for the final. There was a concerted effort by TV3 crew to amplify the crowd sound above that of the commentators. The average person does not understand that female rugby sport has become politicised . Once again feminists have done a very good job and the public have indeed swallowed the pill. I would like to be a fly on the wall in the Wellington office of the woman’s affairs department. Those evil bitches are experts at manipulation and I’m sure would’ve pumped some of their money into the promoting of the Black Ferns. I’m not against women playing rugby at all but I am against the promotion of female rugby as an equal to male rugby as much as I’m against promoting school rugby on par with the All Blacks. The talent of the Black Fans compared to the All Blacks is enormous.
Comment by Bruce — Sun 13th November 2022 @ 1:27 am
Good on them, for winning the competition.
What is taking place, is a competition for airtime.
Each sport, fighting for viewers.
There is only so many, viewers to go around.
In the long run, each sport ends up with income.
Payments for views, even a share of gambling.
Each sport, can then only give so much to players.
Are we subsidising sport, based on gender.
The sports income, becomes a pool of money.
Men and women teams, paid equally.
The size and seat price of crowds, the airtime not considered.
Men cannot say, men’s sport was without subsidies.
Taxpayers have spent billions, supporting sport.
Stadium building, and donations to rugby clubs.
So how can it be wrong, to support a women’s team.
As the year goes by, sport try’s to fill the calendar.
This competition, then that competition.
If you like a sport, media can let you see more views.
If the calendar was no female sport, how can that not be wrong.
Clearly men and women, are different.
There is no contest, in the fighting ring.
But if you can test, for the best men.
You can also test, for the best women.
Comment by DJ Ward — Sun 13th November 2022 @ 8:21 am
Yes of course it’s great that women compete with each other and it’s impressive to see them on the tennis court or around the Olympic track. Just that some us prefer to keep some domains as men’s domains.
Comment by Ministry of Men's Affairs — Sun 13th November 2022 @ 12:08 pm
It’s like a dose of Hot Chocolate … everyone’s a winner.
They run their own book of records, that records every woman who was a first to do something. No matter how trivial they all collectively clap and cheer that individual success.
The mistake men make is to think what they did is just sillyness.
In reality this fantasy world of success these feminists have created for themselves becomes the model for society.
We no longer have an ensuing generation inspired to go where no man has gone before but a bunch of idiots whose aspirations are essential organised failure.
Comment by Evan Myers — Sun 13th November 2022 @ 2:51 pm
*essentially
Comment by Evan Myers — Sun 13th November 2022 @ 2:53 pm
“ Never could believe the things you do to me,
Never could believe the way you are.
Every day I bless the day that you got through to me,
‘Cause baby, I believe that you’re a star.
Everyone’s a winner, baby, that’s the truth (yes, the truth) … “
Comment by Evan Myers — Sun 13th November 2022 @ 3:16 pm
It’s about competition, isn’t it? But not between the sexes but within the sexes.
When two guys started behaving like girls we’d give then each a gun at 10 paces and see who could shoot better.
Women compete like scrapping cats. Right down to the last plucked eyebrow or the colour of their …
In the men’s world we’re all contenders. One of us will be the best. That’s the standard. You don’t get better chasing someone else’s success. You can only win by improving your own performance.
When it comes to the sexes, men and women have different rules when it comes to competition. If you want to be the standard bearer, earn it, not by fair means or fowl but by being the best.
You can see that in some of our female athletes like Valerie Adams. Her choices were limited – get better or get lost.
I shouldn’t say that, because it’s a kind of sexism where we regard women as winners and losers rather than contenders.
I think the word contender is important by comparison to participate.
Comment by Downunder — Sun 13th November 2022 @ 4:05 pm
Competition isn’t always about winning. There’s a social element too. Mixed bowls for example. There you have a whole bunch of old people having fun. It’s still sport and has a serious side when it comes to who is the best.
Behind that though is not just an individual or a team but a club or an organisation. This is what feminism is destroying, our clubs and our organisations because some women like to think their gender is more important than the collective effort.
Comment by Evan Myers — Mon 14th November 2022 @ 6:50 am
I think sport, has a lot to do with culture.
NZ culture was rugby focused, with cricket for summer.
Around the nation, community and friends made in social interaction.
So you would want, the good result to continue.
Presently never before has the person, had more choices in sport.
The viewer or athlete once with a monoculture of rugby, vs today.
Can culture be maintained, all the clubs surviving.
Will the youth of today, become the new members.
Sport can even become political, with the controversial player.
Comment by DJ Ward — Mon 14th November 2022 @ 5:30 pm