Women's World Cup 2023

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I am truly not taking any shots at women's soccer. I had a daughter play for 6 years and I like it. I am very proud of our national team who have been great.

I was pointing out in the world of soccer it is not like top tier NCAA Basketball as it was compared to by JWags. Perhaps comparing our national team to UCONN WBB would have been best.

Yes you did take a shot at women's soccer. No one said anything about popularity or finances. Wags was just comparing how big of an upset the women's team losing in the first round of the knockouts was to how not as big of an upset it was for the men's team. You were the one who felt compelled to bring up how much less popular women's soccer is than men's soccer and have now compared an event watched around the globe to two events that no one outside of the US watches.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

I am truly not taking any shots at women's soccer. I had a daughter play for 6 years and I like it. I am very proud of our national team who have been great.

I was pointing out in the world of soccer it is not like top tier NCAA Basketball as it was compared to by JWags. Perhaps comparing our national team to UCONN WBB would have been best. 

Of course you're taking shots at women's soccer. When Wags brought up a parallel based on the sport this group follows, you introduced a different parallel based on "the overall interest in the sport."  The overall interest in the sport has no bearing on the parallel Wags made.

[panda]

Live look at usmnt vs uswnt watch parties

[noblewarrior]

USWNT interest is to FCS Playoffs
as
USMNT interest is to NFL Playoffs

Live look at usmnt vs uswnt watch parties

[Its DJOver]

Honestly, it mostly probably depends on circumstances that have nothing to do with the actual sport or performance.  Viewership was always going to be down solely based on the fact that it was in Australia/New Zealand.  The USMNT game vs England at the 2022 WC had incredible ratings largely because it was on Black Friday when a lot of people aren't working.  1999 is largely remembered because of one PK, the actual 120 minutes of the game were fairly dull, but because it was at the Rose Bowl, and was on a Saturday in July, it still had an attendance of over 90K.  I suspect that regardless of performance, the 2026 WC numbers are going to be huge, and that shouldn't necessarily be used to compare the men's and women's game.

[wadesworld]

As someone who doesn’t like soccer, I’d much rather watch the women’s National Team than the Men’s. I understand on the world level, men’s soccer is much more popular than women’s, but I’m actually pretty surprised that in the US the men’s side has more viewers than the women.

Honestly, it mostly probably depends on circumstances that have nothing to do with the actual sport or performance.  Viewership was always going to be down solely based on the fact that it was in Australia/New Zealand.  The USMNT game vs England at the 2022 WC had incredible ratings largely because it was on Black Friday when a lot of people aren't working.  1999 is largely remembered because of one PK, the actual 120 minutes of the game were fairly dull, but because it was at the Rose Bowl, and was on a Saturday in July, it still had an attendance of over 90K.  I suspect that regardless of performance, the 2026 WC numbers are going to be huge, and that shouldn't necessarily be used to compare the men's and women's game.

Good point on games being played at 3 AM and 5 AM Central time. I watched the two 8 PM games and nothing else.

[JWags85]

As someone who doesn’t like soccer, I’d much rather watch the women’s National Team than the Men’s. I understand on the world level, men’s soccer is much more popular than women’s, but I’m actually pretty surprised that in the US the men’s side has more viewers than the women.

Because they were the best team in the world versus a mid tier team like the USMNT?  Genuinely curious?

And its actually not surprising at all.  Womens soccer has come a long way, but mens soccer is still VASTLY more popular.  I would wager Australia's mens Socceroos, which trails the US mens team significantly, still has far more viewers than the womens team, despite them being a world power.  Its like it wouldn't be a surprise if the WNBA's Aces were still in SA and significantly trailed the Spurs in viewers, even though they were champs and the Spurs stunk (before Wemby obviously).

The USWNT has predominantly fans of that team.  I would wager most that tune in for the WWC aren't watching NWSL or other Womens professional leagues.  Whereas the mens team attracts soccer fans who are watching the EPL or La Liga or Bundesliga weekly, especially now that the Mens team has multiple players in those leagues.  Even in the US, where soccer in the mainstream on TV and whatnot is "newer", the mens team and leagues still have a decades head start on the women.

[wadesworld]

Because they were the best team in the world versus a mid tier team like the USMNT?  Genuinely curious?

And its actually not surprising at all.  Womens soccer has come a long way, but mens soccer is still VASTLY more popular.  I would wager Australia's mens Socceroos, which trails the US mens team significantly, still has far more viewers than the womens team, despite them being a world power.  Its like it wouldn't be a surprise if the WNBA's Aces were still in SA and significantly trailed the Spurs in viewers, even though they were champs and the Spurs stunk (before Wemby obviously).

The USWNT has predominantly fans of that team.  I would wager most that tune in for the WWC aren't watching NWSL or other Womens professional leagues.  Whereas the mens team attracts soccer fans who are watching the EPL or La Liga or Bundesliga weekly, especially now that the Mens team has multiple players in those leagues.  Even in the US, where soccer in the mainstream on TV and whatnot is "newer", the mens team and leagues still have a decades head start on the women.

Yeah the main reason is they have a chance to win the World Cup while the men don’t. But I have also felt (probably very incorrectly) that there are more scoring opportunities in the women’s game than the men’s game. I guess I just find it more entertaining.

[tower912]

Congratulations to Spain.   They deserved.it.

[brewcity77]

Just heart breaking. Just after Olga Carmona scored the World Cup winning goal, she learned her father died. I can't even imagine the emotional roller coaster that must've been.

https://x.com/meninblazers/status/1693365738780684737?s=46&t=y09G3XF0pbaZZc_-K-dYSw

[MuggsyB]

Just heart breaking. Just after Olga Carmona scored the World Cup winning goal, she learned her father died. I can't even imagine the emotional roller coaster that must've been.

https://x.com/meninblazers/status/1693365738780684737?s=46&t=y09G3XF0pbaZZc_-K-dYSw

Wow.  How awful. What happened to the guy?