Athletics 2024 Discussion Thread

[phelps 7,675]

2 minutes ago, Grassmarket said:

Gymnastics, Figure Skating (Olympic) Softball & Netball (non-O) are the only female sports that sustain the kind of commercial audience sufficient to be professional without subsidies from the male version.  AFAIK the single shared sport where the women get bigger audiences & therefore better TV spots than men is….biathlon.  

well, here in Italy (right now, you know...) also women's Alpine Skiing has way better TV ratings than men's

 

Swimming also had the same attitude for years thanks to Federica Pellegrini (only Massimiliano Rosolino somehow had and still has a comparable degree of popularity...even Paltrinieri doesn't stand a chance to draw the same attention those 2 had in their prime)

[Grassmarket 3,408]

2 minutes ago, Olympian1010 said:

A lot of that does come down to publicity and broadcast coverage though. Would women's biathlon be as big if not offered as dual package with men's biathlon for the last few decades?

Sure, but lots of sports are broadcast with the same dual sex basis & biathlon is the only one where women win the ratings battle.  Possibly because it’s the only one where women actually have a biological advantage - with shooting positions.

[Olympian1010 7,976]

8 minutes ago, Grassmarket said:

Sure, but lots of sports are broadcast with the same dual sex basis & biathlon is the only one where women win the ratings battle. 

The broadcast slots the women's event are able to get might also have something to do with it.

[Belle 975]

Duplantis to jump for a New World Record 6.24 in France. 

[Belle 975]

Failed first attempt for Mondo. 

[Belle 975]

Failed second attempt for Mondo but that was so close. 

[Belle 975]

No WR for Mondo this evening. 

[Josh 10,512]

 Alysha Newman with a new Canadian record in women’s pole vault, with 4.83m at the All Star Perche! (WA Indoor Tour Silver) 

 

Edited February 23 by Josh

[Biathlonfan 625]

 Yay for a German stream that works

[Biathlonfan 625]

Mhm,Interesting,In the indoor german meet,a german female sprinter got the last place in the final despite runnning the same time as an ecuadorian .

Edited February 23 by Biathlonfan