World Cup Set To Hit Pitch

As the clock ticks down to the start of the 2015 FIFA Women’s soccer World Cup on June 6^th, hopes are rising that the competition could herald a major breakthrough for the women’s game.

The announcement that in the UK the BBC are to screen every game live points to the heightened exposure that women’s soccer is enjoying right around the world.

In Canada, CTV, CSN and RDS have already committed to the same level of exposure.

All the signs are that the women’s game is about to deliver something special.

by  ExperienceLA 

Of course, that blanket coverage is only the first part of the equation. If the games fail to capture the public imagination there is the danger that rather than singing the praises of women’s soccer the media will start to point to its limitations.

That is the same dilemma that all sports face. But in a crowded sporting marketplace, a relatively new kid on the block – which is still how many still perceive women’s soccer – is obliged to over-deliver in order to capture the loyalty of viewers going forwards.

Needless to say, broadcasters, sponsors, advertisers and even bookmakers all have a vested interest in maximising the audience for the competition.

A cynic might suggest that broadcasters like the BBC – whose domestic revenue is not derived commercially – are seeing the women’s game as an affordable means to fill the gap left in their schedules by the absence of any other live soccer.

Commercial broadcasters such as BSKYB have simply priced them out of that particular market. For all the cynicism, though, having such heavyweight friends can only be of benefit to the tournament. Likewise, any secondary interest provides further momentum.

by  comedy_nose 

And there are definite selling points that make women’s soccer a more than viable proposition.

The establishment of professional leagues in countries such as Australia, England, Germany and the US has inevitably raised levels of technique and tactical awareness as well as physique.

Women’s soccer is now played at a level that is every bit as accomplished as that of their male counterparts.

The nomination of Ireland’s Steph Roche for the FIFA Goal of the Year last year was the perfect illustration of the quality that the game has to offer.

The USA and Germany are among the strongest contenders while you can get a better overview of the teams by checking out the odds with betfair and others.

Although Roche and her Irish team-mates failed to qualify for the finals, there will be no shortage of comparable talent on show.

And a further aspect of the women’s game means that fans will be able to savour the technical mastery of the athletes in a way that is often impossible in the men’s game.

Simply because it is played at such pace and with such an emphasis on physicality, much of the technical brilliance of even the best players is often taken out of the equation.

In the less frenetic environment of women’s soccer the emphasis on technique and tactics makes for a more aesthetically appealing, more watchable product.

A key ingredient for the broadcasters and the event organisers alike is full stadia. There is nothing quite as drab as a crowd that hasn’t turned up. Happily, ticket sales are going extremely well.

A sensible pricing policy has put seat prices on the right side of the supply and demand curve – and as early as March this year 625,000 tickets had already been snapped up.

The organisers are hoping to reach an aggregate of 1.5 million over the thirty days of the tournament.

The early US games and the final itself sold out months ago. Matches are being held in Montreal, Edmonton, Ottawa, Moncton and Winnipeg.

by  mastermaq 

The opening matches will get the tournament under way when hosts Canada take on the People’s Republic of China at the Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton.

New Zealand will face the Netherlands in the same venue later the same evening. Sell-out crowds are also anticipated for those games.

Despite home advantage, John Herdman’s side are not expected to challenge for the major prize. But buoyed on by the expectancy of an enthusiastic home support, the Canucks are hoping to surprise a few people.

Experience looks like the hosts’ strong suit. For example, striker Christine Sinclair has been competing at international level for over a decade now.

That experience may prove invaluable if the Canadian public start to get behind their team.

Bell Media Announces RISE, a Documentary Following #CanWNT on the Road to the 2015 @FIFAWWC: http://t.co/VaGmp3CJsp pic.twitter.com/i6TRzMzvPQ

— TSN PR (@TSN_PR) May 12, 2015

All the signs are that the tournament is gearing up to be something that goes beyond anything seen in the long history women’s soccer.

The level of media and public attention may well take one or two of the participants by surprise.

If it does, that can only be a good thing for the tournament, just as a successful tournament itself can only be good news in Canada and throughout the footballing world.