Football: Not For Girls!

[overseas shrimper]

In a day and age where football is being marketed as an all-round family spectator sport - and trying to attract more women - is it a good idea that there's a competition on the official site for "The Ultimate Lads Weekend (It's not for girls)!"

I'm not knocking the club as I'm sure this isn't their doing, but I feel it's the wrong image and message to be sending out.

Having said that, our half-time entertainment would have to change as well if my point was to be taken to the extreme... and that would not please me.

 

[McScriven]

It is a competition being run by FLPTV and nothing to do with the club. It's sponsored by Yorkie hence the title and I believe it's for charity as well.

 

[overseas shrimper]

Quote[/b] (McScriven @ Sep. 14 2004,09:57)]It is a competition being run by FLPTV and nothing to do with the club. It's sponsored by Yorkie hence the title and I believe it's for charity as well.

Like I said... I knew it wasn't the club... it just gives football that 'lads' image the league and the club have worked so hard to move away from.

It's just a small point I felt like raising.

 

[Technician]

Quote[/b] (overseas shrimper @ Sep. 14 2004,08:00)]

Quote[/b] (McScriven @ Sep. 14 2004,09:57)]It is a competition being run by FLPTV and nothing to do with the club. It's sponsored by Yorkie hence the title and I believe it's for charity as well.

Like I said... I knew it wasn't the club... it just gives football that 'lads' image the league and the club have worked so hard to move away from.

It's just a small point I felt like raising.

For once, I agree with you Mark... another sporting first!

Why is it, that football "which needs to clean up it's image!", is still going out of its way to be discriminatory / sexist for the purposes of revenue... we all know money talks louder than anything else, but I am sorry... this sucks, BIG STYLE!

Could the RBoS Family Stand be nearly empty on Saturday week?

The Kick Racism out of Football slogans were important for obvious reasons... but if football [and particularly the FA] says its ok to be sexist by promoting Yorkie, then that it a double standard, especially with the FA's recent track record!

Yorkie 1-0 The FA

Scorer FLPTV (Own-Goal)

 

[Kent Shrimper]

Quote[/b] (overseas shrimper @ Sep. 14 2004,09:00)]

Quote[/b] (McScriven @ Sep. 14 2004,09:57)]It is a competition being run by FLPTV and nothing to do with the club. It's sponsored by Yorkie hence the title and I believe it's for charity as well.

Like I said... I knew it wasn't the club... it just gives football that 'lads' image the league and the club have worked so hard to move away from.

It's just a small point I felt like raising.

OS, Yorkies Ad campaigns have been focused around that Strap line "Its not for Girls" and has been portrayed in quite a tongue in cheek manor.

I beleive a few feminists got the hump but in general people have taken it in the jest its meant, i presume you dont get the ads over there in Malta?

 

[overseas shrimper]

Quote[/b] (Kent Shrimper @ Sep. 14 2004,10:23)]

Quote[/b] (overseas shrimper @ Sep. 14 2004,09:00)]

Quote[/b] (McScriven @ Sep. 14 2004,09:57)]It is a competition being run by FLPTV and nothing to do with the club. It's sponsored by Yorkie hence the title and I believe it's for charity as well.

Like I said... I knew it wasn't the club... it just gives football that 'lads' image the league and the club have worked so hard to move away from.

It's just a small point I felt like raising.

OS, Yorkies Ad campaigns have been focused around that Strap line "Its not for Girls" and has been portrayed in quite a tongue in cheek manor.

I beleive a few feminists got the hump but in general people have taken it in the jest its meant, i presume you dont get the ads over there in Malta?

Yes we do, and on the whole I think the strap line is okay, but I don't think it's applicable to football in the current climate.

 

[McScriven]

Would anyone be complaining though if the title had been "The Ultimate Ladies Weekend (It's not for men!)"?

 

[Hong Kong Blue]

Quote[/b] (McScriven @ Sep. 14 2004,08:57)]It is a competition being run by FLPTV and nothing to do with the club. It's sponsored by Yorkie hence the title and I believe it's for charity as well.

How the fcuk are FLPTV allowed to run an advert like that?

Putting aside issues of whether the club really wants to be associated with the antics that premier$hite footballers get up to (allegedly) at top London hotels - the real issue is that the premier$hite is the rival product to the football league.

The club's entire marketing scheme should be devoted to preaching that there is more entertainment to be had at Roots Hall watching your local team live, than there is being an arm-chair supporter watching Chris Kamara on sky sports and the occasional live London premier$hite (or 2nd division game in the case of premier$hite wannabes like Wet Sham).

If the club can't grasp that concept then Southend United will have no future and we'll be gradually squeezed out by Sky Sports' fixation on the premier$hite.

I know that it was FLPTV not the club who placed that article, but surely the club must have some sort of control over the content of the site (and if not - why the hell not?). Its lunacy to be advertising our rival's product, even if it is for charity. Any such prize on the Southend United web-site should be connected to Southend United - a ticket for Leyton Orient v Southend would be far more suitable.

 

[overseas shrimper]

Quote[/b] (McScriven @ Sep. 14 2004,10:57)]Would anyone be complaining though if the title had been "The Ultimate Ladies Weekend (It's not for men!)"?

I wouldn't.

 

[Ron Manager]

Sorry guys, but get a life!

I heartily agree that we should be encouraging all sexes, ages and nationalities to football in general and Roots Hall in particular (we need all the revenue we can get). However surely this is a harmless bit of fun, a promotion for one of the companies who sponsor the game in this country and provide much needed income for clubs.

It is no more discriminatory than having reduced admission for women or kids. I'm sure that any objection to this is just an over-reaction, being too PC, in response to just a light-hearted ad campaign.

 

[Wessex Blue]

OS aren't you overeacting just a teeny bit?

As RM said, it's just a tongue in cheek advert from a company that invests in football.
Just one other thing, by and large football is the preserve of lads, they always have and always will make up the bulk of support. The whole atmosphere and ritual of football revolves around laddish rituals, drinking, singing, opposition baiting, tribalism. Take that away and what are you left with?
I can't thing of anything worse than going to a match where you can't sing or bait opposition fans (because it's not nice or clever), the pre-match entertainment consists of a fashion show and at half time we have a Kosovan folk dancing troupe just to be inclusive and PC.
Sound like fun to you?

 

[overseas shrimper]

Quote[/b] (Wessex Blue @ Sep. 14 2004,11:57)]OS aren't you overeacting just a teeny bit?

As RM said, it's just a tongue in cheek advert from a company that invests in football.
Just one other thing, by and large football is the preserve of lads, they always have and always will make up the bulk of support. The whole atmosphere and ritual of football revolves around laddish rituals, drinking, singing, opposition baiting, tribalism. Take that away and what are you left with?
I can't thing of anything worse than going to a match where you can't sing or bait opposition fans (because it's not nice or clever), the pre-match entertainment consists of a fashion show and at half time we have a Kosovan folk dancing troupe just to be inclusive and PC.
Sound like fun to you?

No... I'm not over reacting because it was just a point I wanted to raise. I'm not on a crusade and I'm not painting a board in preparation for my big march to parliament.

I'm surprised my point has been taken so seriously when I even made a reference to our half time entertainment. Doesn't this show that I'm not on a PC mission?

I understand what you say... but if the game was not being geared towards family and women as well as the 'traditional' supporters, do you not think that our attendance figures would have been quite a bit lower than they were?

I just felt that the general message of partnering up with this particualr product, and the 'strap line' was a bit out of synch with football's general marketing.

That's all.

 

[Wessex Blue]

Quote[/b] (overseas shrimper @ Sep. 14 2004,11:05)]I understand what you say... but if the game was not being geared towards family and women as well as the 'traditional' supporters,  do you not think that our attendance figures would have been quite a bit lower than they were?

I just felt that the general message of partnering up with this particualr product, and the 'strap line' was a bit out of synch with football's general marketing.

That's all.

I think we should be looking to encourage more people to attend, I just don't like the idea of radically changing the format to appeal to a different market.

Just to draw an analogy, I'm sure if we're honest we've all been out with girls who met us, liked us and then spent the rest of the time we've been together trying to change us into someone else.

We don't need do-gooders interfering in the format of the game. It'll end up going the way of **** fighting and bear baiting, two other fine sports that suffered at the hands of the PC brigade.

 

[overseas shrimper]

Quote[/b] (Wessex Blue @ Sep. 14 2004,12:19)]It'll end up going the way of **** fighting and bear baiting, two other fine sports that suffered at the hands of the PC brigade.

Yeah, and probably fox hunting.

Still, Col Ewe fan hunting is still okay... although that could change soon what with their declining numbers. Even the inter-breeding programme doesn't seem to have worked much!

 

[Wessex Blue]

Quote[/b] (overseas shrimper @ Sep. 14 2004,11:34)]Still, Col Ewe fan hunting is still okay... although that could change soon what with their declining numbers. Even the inter-breeding programme doesn't seem to have worked much!

It has worked, but given that their genes are defective in the first place it's had the effect of reversing evolution. Huge numbers of invertebrate, Col Ewe supporting bugs and slugs can be found under a rock near you.

 

[overseas shrimper]

Quote[/b] (Wessex Blue @ Sep. 14 2004,12:45)]

Quote[/b] (overseas shrimper @ Sep. 14 2004,11:34)]Still, Col Ewe fan hunting is still okay... although that could change soon what with their declining numbers. Even the inter-breeding programme doesn't seem to have worked much!

It has worked, but given that their genes are defective in the first place it's had the effect of reversing evolution. Huge numbers of invertebrate, Col Ewe supporting bugs and slugs can be found under a rock near you.

Aaaahhhh; I heard they were a spineless bunch... and now you've explained it!

Thanks.

 

[* ORM *]

Quote[/b] (Technician @ Sep. 14 2004,09:22)]Why is it, that football "which needs to clean up it's image!", is still going out of its way to be discriminatory / sexist for the purposes of revenue... we all know money talks louder than anything else, but I am sorry... this sucks, BIG STYLE!

There are bigger issues in football to discuss than allegations of sexism and discrimination (of any type). These are issues that are at least being faced with and dealt with reasonably adequately albeit with lots of work still to do in some areas.

I'd much rather debate issues that affect the imminent future of clubs like SUFC. For instance the money being thrown around at Premier/International level with clubs in the lower leagues scrambling around for survival where an injection of 10% of the money from the top end would sort many of the problems out. This is a massive issue and everyone just wants to bury their heads in the sand.

FWIW I have no problem with women at matches. Would probably help getting the teas and burgers sold quicker.

 

[Wessex Blue]

Quote[/b] (* ORM * @ Sep. 14 2004,12:58)]FWIW I have no problem with women at matches. Would probably help getting the teas and burgers sold quicker.

Quite right, the kids could be utilised to deliver them direct to your seat.

 

[McNasty]

Quote[/b] (Ron Manager @ Sep. 14 2004,10:16)]Sorry guys, but get a life!

I heartily agree that we should be encouraging all sexes, ages and nationalities to football in general and Roots Hall in particular (we need all the revenue we can get). However surely this is a harmless bit of fun, a promotion for one of the companies who sponsor the game in this country and provide much needed income for clubs.

It is no more discriminatory than having reduced admission for women or kids. I'm sure that any objection to this is just an over-reaction, being too PC, in response to just a light-hearted ad campaign.

Did Mrs Ron Manager make you post this ?

 

[Ron Manager]

Quote[/b] (mcnasty @ Sep. 14 2004,13:41)]

Quote[/b] (Ron Manager @ Sep. 14 2004,10:16)]Sorry guys, but get a life!

I heartily agree that we should be encouraging all sexes, ages and nationalities to football in general and Roots Hall in particular (we need all the revenue we can get). However surely this is a harmless bit of fun, a promotion for one of the companies who sponsor the game in this country and provide much needed income for clubs.

It is no more discriminatory than having reduced admission for women or kids. I'm sure that any objection to this is just an over-reaction, being too PC, in response to just a light-hearted ad campaign.

Did Mrs Ron Manager make you post this ?