Women’s sport, what it represents and some of the perceived inequities involved when comparing it with men’s sport has become a hot discussion point over the last couple of years.
But it is important to stop for a moment, put all of that aside and recognise what has been an exceptional period.
If some of the recent statistics around TV audiences and digital traffic are anything to go by, the interest in women’s cricket, soccer and netball in Australia is now hitting mainstream relevance.
In an increasingly crowded sporting landscape, many codes have successfully carved a niche for their female leagues and gain a foothold in the market.
Australia’s female cricketers are now receiving an income more commensurate to the work they put in.
The last pay deal negotiated in 2017 saw the total player payments increased from $7.5 million to $55.2 million.
The minimum retainer for an Australian representative was just $40,000. With the completion of the new agreement, that grew more than 80 per cent, to $72,076.
It will increase further to $87,609 by the end of the deal in 2022.
It was one of the reasons star allrounder Ellyse Perry decided to play cricket instead of continuing her career in soccer, where she was a national representative with the Matildas.
But our female soccer players aren’t all being left behind.
Fans going Kerr crazy
Perth Glory and Australian striker Sam Kerr is arguably Australia’s premier sports star at the moment.
As reported by The Sydney Morning Herald, of the 1,720 playing shirts sold this season by the Perth Glory, 270 were requests for Kerr and her number 20 to be printed on the back.
In the lead-up to the W-League grand final against Sydney FC, the Glory had more media requests for Kerr than they did for the rest of the men’s and women’s teams combined.
The Glory lost to the Sky Blues at Kogarah, but it still took Kerr 30 minutes to walk from the changeroom to the team bus after the game.
She obligingly stopped for more than 100 fans who had waited to for a signature or to get a photograph with the star striker.
This is the type of attention usually reserved for rock stars.
Netball reaches fever pitch
Netball has long been a popular social and junior sport in Australia, and Perth club the West Coast Fever has capitalised on its most successful season last year.
Record crowds have prompted a permanent move from a smaller home venue to the 14,000-capacity Perth Arena — also home to the Perth Wildcats basketball team.
West Coast Fever’s grand final against Sunshine Coast last year was watched by more than 1 million people across Australia and its 16 games over the season were streamed by a total of more than 1 million people.
The Fever also did 170 pieces of media in the week leading up to the decider.
Everybody loves a winner, but many sporting teams would love that type of interest.
Current progress worth celebrating
Of course, there are things that need improvement, including the pay in some sports and facilities for female athletes — particularly at the junior and amateur level.
But there has been a lot of ground made in a short period of time and that is worth celebrating.
It is interesting to reflect on the comments from former UFC champion Ronda Rousey when she was asked about pay in women’s sport a few years back.
“I think how much you get paid should have something to do with how much money you bring in,” she said.
“I’m the highest paid fighter not because Dana [White] and Lorenzo [Fertitta] wanted to do something nice for the ladies. They do it because I bring in the highest numbers.”
If the growth in interest and numbers of people watching on television around the country continues its current trajectory, more advertising and sponsorship dollars will follow.
There is still a long way to go but things are heading in the right direction. And there are a bunch of kids with Sam Kerr and Ellyse Perry jerseys that now have something to aspire to.