PiLigand

In response to Barry Bonds The Cyclist,

Barry Bonds uses money and resources to support women's cycling

Did anyone else read this and not immediately contemplate the position of Mr. Bonds?

I understand PEDs are an obvious question, but I found that by the end of the article, I didn't care about Barry Bonds or his record, but I was so irritated by the disparities between the Mens and Womens cycling leagues that I have trouble sitting still! The inequality in the sport is awful. I guess I never thought about it before.

Did anyone else feel this way after the article? Also, does anyone know how a nobody (yours truly) could get involved in fixing the situation?

rms13

Sure but is that any different than any other sport? The money that is put into all sports is relative to the amount of money that is generated. The amount that is generated is based on fans/consumers. At the risk of sounding sexist, most people don't care about women's sports from a fan/spectator standpoint. Even most female sports fans I know are only interested in watching men's sports. For female athletes to generate interest they have to be doing something otherworldy. Ronda Rousey is the only female athlete I ever remember that has been able to transcend her sport and become more popular than male counterparts.

CNC2204

He's a swell guy, ask anyone, he has his own posse of women racers ....

RPK79

...and I don't even know who Ronda Rousey is.

CNC2204

Rhonda is a pissed off scantly clad chick that likes to break arms, don't post a pic, she's usually half naked.

PiLigand

I do agree with that to an extent, but I've never been any less entertained watching a Women's game than a Men's. I get the feeling that it's an institutionalized sexism that we're just used to and it would take a significant (probably capital) investment to elevate. But, I would think that once elevated, Women's sports could attract equal fanbases. I just want to be the generation that does it.

D1andonlyDman

Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova do OK. And I'd certainly rather watch Michelle Wie than any male golfer (and golf itself is the least compelling aspect of it). Lindsay Vonn is probably better known in the U.S. than any current male skier.

Andy Somnifac 

That also has a lot to do with her ex-boyfriend.

And that's exactly the problem I think the OP is pointing at.

CNC2204

Vonn isn't relevant with wasted knees, should have got Tiger for 2.2B

Think he saw it coming ...

I played golf with a Doctor, he said he knew 15 years ago that Tiger would self destruct from the sheer velocity of his swing.

Jiggle

lol, there is nothing to fix. Their respective sizes are driven by demand. Simple as that.

Have you ever considered the inequality in demographic representation of middle aged black men at Taylor Swift concerts? omg, what can you do to fix THAT situation? Something must be done.

Lazyass

Just stop it with the War On Women moonbat BS. Stop. It's like the WNBA. They will never attract a fraction of the interest of the NBA. It it because everyone hates females? No I don't think so. You sound ridiculous.

PiLigand

See my more recent post. Also for Taylor Swift.

PiLigand

Just so we're on the same page, "Institutionalized sexism (or racism, etc)" doesn't mean that I'm accusing you of hating women, it means that society is still - largely by antiquity - set up to praise men before women and it's really difficult to break old habits.

Jiggle

Why? Why is this important? Why this "cause" and not another?

It sounds like you have a case of what is called pathological altruism.

D1andonlyDman

Well according to a recent Time Magazine, Kanye West is a major opinion leader in that Demographic - and he's on record as NOT being a big fan of hers.

dtrain

...and I'd much rather watch Anna Kournikova play tennis than a Williams sister. Yes, I totally understand that I'm part of the problem.

PiLigand

Well, reasonable or not, peoples tend to follow their idols. Ours are often sports teams or athletes. Seems like this would be a step in the right direction. If that's not your point, then it sounds like you're asking me why not do all of the other things? Which would invalidate addressing any particular thing, so I don't think I follow you there.

Pathological altruism? I guess I feel obligated to make some improvement on society. Shouldn't we all feel that way?

DinoShepherd

Sure. Grow up and take an economics class...

Jiggle

I'm sure Kanye considers himself a major opinion leader in every area he has an opinion.

obed7

professional sports is not a sport for the sponsors, it is an investment... returns are expected and if the returns are not there, the sponsorship goes away...
as an ordinary "joe" there is nothing you can do...if you have money to lose, invest in women's sports... feeling good about yourself is worth something.

Jiggle

Yes, pathological altruism. You feel a need to take up a "cause" but lack the ability to rationally articulate why it is worth it. It is worth it to you, for purely personal reasons. You are not improving society in any way.

Lazyass

Stop lecturing about your perceived "institutionalized sexism" BS. If women were genetically as strong and athletic as men, which they aren't, perhaps they would generate similar interest. But that's not the case. Would people rather see a professional cyclist climb the Alpe at 13+mph as Pantani did or 8mph? 13 is a little more exciting. Would I rather see a basketball player do a backwards dunk or a lay up? I'd rather see the dunk.

PiLigand

I think I've articulated it pretty well and rationally so far. I don't know what you think I'm lacking.

How do my reasons apply any more to me than to you?

D1andonlyDman

I actually wouldn't because it was crystal clear to me that Kournikova never really aspired to be a champion, And Serena is a transformatiional athlete, at a level that no female tennis player has been since Steffi Graf.

That being said, I would not turn down a chance to watch Maria Kirilenko play Ana Ivanovic, even as I know full well that neither of them is going to get through the semifinals of any major.

Jiggle

I have carefully read each of your posts. You have stated that you think there is a problem - inequality of fan bases and "institutionalized sexism". You have said nothing about why this is worth fixing....assuming these are real problems and not just misinterpreted basic economics of demand.

There's a trend these days to label anyone who acknowledges that men and women are different as "sexism". It's a vacuous term. A cliche.