MEDIA COVERAGE
30. The FA and the Premier League are better placed
than any to develop broadcasting opportunities for women's football.
The televising of matches involving the England team at the Women's
European Championships in 2005, at prime-time and live on BBC2,
turned out to be more attractive to viewers than many had anticipated.
The Women's Sports Foundation described the coverage as "a
real watershed" and it commended the FA for its work in media
liaison, which had ensured wide coverage of the tournament by
national daily newspapers. [96]
The FA, for its part, was grateful for the support shown by BBC
Sport and for DCMS's role "in ensuring that the BBC was as
supportive as possible".[97]
Clearly, media coverage will promote awareness, and awareness
will drive media coverage. The FA served the women's game well
in co-ordinating media coverage of the Euro 2005 tournament, but
this should not obscure the fact that support for grassroots football
and a stronger women's league will be necessary if the initial
flare of media interest is to be sustained over the long term.
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
31. We have been impressed during the course of this
inquiry by the commitment of players taking part in a sport which
they enjoy, despite prejudice, lack of encouragement and practically
no money. The Football Association, as guardian of the women's
sport, has also shown commendable and increasing awareness of
what needs to be done. This is clearly demonstrated by the very
stretching targets for levels of female participation and numbers
of women coaches which it has agreed with Sport England under
the Whole Sport Plan, which serves as a funding agreement.[98]
Women's
football needs to carve a niche for itself and establish its own
territory where it can shine and attract support. A women's summer
league, when teams would face limited competition for pitches
and spectator support, seems a promising way forward. A home nations
championship would also raise the game's profile and might well
be attractive to broadcasters and sponsors. The
British Olympic Association pointed out that the football competition
at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games will be the largest
international football event to take place on UK shores since
1966. We share the BOA's view that the presence of a GB women's
football team competing in 2012 "will encourage thousands
of girls and young women to take up the sport, not only as players
but as coaches, referees and volunteers".[99]
We therefore urge that every effort should be made to ensure that
our top women players have the opportunity to compete in the London
2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. We very much hope that the
success achieved in developing women's football over the last
ten years will continue for the next ten years and beyond.
32. The popularity of football is growing quickly
and there seems no doubt that this will continue into the foreseeable
future. The men's worldwide professional game may well be the
inspiration for the majority of youngsters but it is the pleasure
and satisfaction from playing that makes the game so attractive.
It is clear that women enjoy playing just as much as men and the
only reason for the difference in numbers participating has been
the culture and the lack of opportunity to start playing at primary
school and beyond. It has been recognised in recent years that
participation in sport by people of all ages improves health and
well-being. It is clear that women's football is a sport with
enormous growth potential. It
is recommended that a task force be set up involving the Department
for Culture, Media and Sport, the Department for Education and
Skills and the football authorities, to produce a blueprint for
the future of women's football.
1 See Kicking against tradition by Wendy Owen,
page 17, ISBN 0-7524-3427-6 Back
2
Q 18 Back
3
Ms Donohoe Q1 Back
4
Ev 30 Back
5
Football Foundation Q 63 Back
6
FA, Ev 34 Back
7
Ev 34 Back
8
Ev 34 Back
9
Ev 39 Back
10
BBC, Ev 59 Back
11
Ms Donohoe Q 6 Back
12
Q 116 Back
13
Ms Cocozza Q 14 Back
14
Ms Donohoe Q 11 Back
15
Q 106 Back
16
Q 1 Back
17
Ms Owen Q 6 Back
18
Q 45 Back
19
Q 18 Back
20
Q 45 Back
21
Q 91 and Ev 37 Back
22
Q 1 Back
23
Football Development Officer, Batley Football Centre, Ev 57 Back
24
Q 91 Back
25
Mr Caborn Q 118 Back
26
Q 91 Back
27
Ev 37 Back
28
Ev 13 Back
29
Ev 57 Back
30
Q 103 Back
31
Q 102 Back
32
Q 103 Back
33
Ev 13 Back
34
FA, Ev 38 Back
35
Ev 11 Back
36
Sue Lopez QQ 1 and 18 Back
37
FA, Ev 38 Back
38
Ms Simmons QQ 100 and 98 Back
39
Ms Simmons Q 104; FA, Ev 38 Back
40
Paragraph 2.11, Ev 38 Back
41
Q99 and Ev 41 Back
42
Q20 Back
43
Lucy Mills, Ev 62 Back
44
Ms White Q 86 Back
45
Ev 9 Back
46
Q20 and Ev 4 Back
47
Mr Caborn QQ121-2 Back
48
Q 115 Back
49
QQ 25 and 27 Back
50
Physical Education, School Sport and Club Links Back
51
DCMS, Ev 46 Back
52
Q 18 Back
53
Q 11 Back
54
Ms Donohoe Q12 Back
55
Ms Donohoe Q6 Back
56
Ms Cocozza Q 10 Back
57
Q83 Back
58
Ms Simmons Q96 Back
59
Paula Cocozza Q 15 Back
60
Women's Sports Foundation, Ev 8 Back
61
Football Foundation Annual Review 2003/04 Back
62
Stephanie Cannon, Ev 61 Back
63
Ev 8 Back
64
Q 120 Back
65
Ev 27 Back
66
Q 93 Back
67
Q 7 Back
68
Ev 8 Back
69
Ms Fitzgerald Q66 and Ev 27 Back
70
Q 66 Back
71
Q 68 Back
72
Q 108 Back
73
Q 81 Back
74
Ev 2 Back
75
Ev 36 Back
76
Ev 36 Back
77
Ev 39 Back
78
Ev 39, FA Press notice 3 July 2006 Back
79
Ev 39 Back
80
Emma Wake, Ev 13. In Kirklees , most clubs have secured support
from the local business community: see submission by Sports Development
Officer, Kirklees Council, Ev 58 Back
81
Football Development Officer, West Lothian Council, Ev 59 Back
82
Ev 68 Back
83
Ev 68 and Sport England, Ev 26 Back
84
Wendy Owen, Ev 5 Back
85
Q 78 Back
86
FA, Ev 36 Back
87
Q 116 Back
88
Q 117 Back
89
QQ 4,5 and 18 Back
90
Q 3 Back
91
Ev 61 Back
92
Q 97 Back
93
Sue Lopez, Ev 1 Back
94
Mr Baddeley Q 32 Back
95
Q 114 Back
96
Ev 10 Back
97
Ev 39 Back
98
Ev 35; Q 22/23 Back
99
Ev 66 Back