Football Follies - The Problem With The Beautiful Game

A few days ago, the beautiful game died (again, you might say) in the land most commonly associated with it. What started out as an ordinary game in northern Brazil soon descended into chaos after the 20-year old referee ejected a player. In the brawl that ensued, the referee stabbed the player, and then ended up being lynched himself in full view of the audience. You may not see this happen in the more limelight-friendly stadia of Europe, but society’s ills know no boundaries, and European football struggles with problems that are subtler, but with possibly more far-reaching consequences.

Racism, sexism and homophobia continue to haunt the game in the old continent. As admirable as the ‘Kick it Out’ and FARE campaigns are, the “good guys” continue to be on the defensive. The persistence of these ills can only be combated by a more aggressive approach that will choke out the causes, rather than merely gloss over the symptoms. Football, despite the growing preponderance of female fans, remains a male-dominated sport when it comes to live attendance.

Family Friendly Fields

Perhaps the European leagues could learn a lesson or two from the NFL and the MLB, and look to attract a greater section of family support by offering family season tickets. Turning a football game at a stadium into a wholesome family affair reduces the fertile ground for the more nefarious elements in the crowd whose modus operandi, when it comes to fomenting trouble, relies on being surrounded by their ilk.

The Problem with Football - Tottenham's Yid Army — Tottenham fans’ use of the Y-word may have a good intent, but it doesn’t change the offensive nature of the term

Yobs are unlikely to have a field day – pardon the pun – at the football field, if they’re surrounded by families with little tolerance for their antics. With the greater emphasis being laid on members of the crowd reporting instances of racial abuse, the authorities stand a far better chance with more families in the crowd than there are today. When fascists and other hooligans run the risk of being noticed and identified by members of their own community and neighbourhood, they’re likely to think twice before satisfying their basest impulses in public.

The reliance on that tired old defense for racist behavior – the recipients of the abuse wear their identity proudly – has to stop. Tottenham Hotspur fans may see themselves combating racism with their use of the Y-word themselves, but it doesn’t change the offensive nature of the term. It doesn’t right the wrongs of several decades ago, no matter how much circumstances have changed today.

Easier Said Than Done

There’s also a financial aspect to turning the sport into a more family-friendly affair. While the suits at FIFA rack their brains on finding ingenious ways to expand the game’s presence, here’s a thought: why not “expand” the game’s touch to deliberately target women, even in nations that are seen as saturated markets for the sport? As long as female attention towards football is centered on what WAGs wear or don’t, football is reduced to a spectacle targeting only about half its potential audience.

Blatter continues to bumble his way about at the helm of FIFA

That’s easier said than done: so far women’s involvement in the game has been met with derision, snark and a roll of the eyes from even the most respected voices of the game. Andy Gray, a revered talking-head of the game, was forced out of Sky Sports after the outrage at their inadvertently televised sexist remarks. While racism remains taboo, a casual acceptance of sexism goes right up to the very top.

Ten years ago, Sepp Blatter, the president of FIFA suggested women players adopt more “aesthetic” outfits. In any other corporation, someone spouting these gems of wisdom would’ve been driven out of power. But apparently, not at FIFA though. Blatter remains in charge, presumably giving his blessing to other initiatives in the sport geared at weeding out discrimination.

While racism constitutes a more definable enemy, what constitutes sexism and what measures need to be taken to fight it are very often unclear. ‘Kick It Out’, who come in for much acclaim for their effort promoting equality and inclusivity, tried but failed with their anti-sexist campaign. A video montage of women reciting the offside rule only confirms what every sexist holds to be true – that women should play no part in the sport, and any attempt at ensuring otherwise is forced and scripted.

Tone Down The Testosterone

A more natural – if slower, perhaps – way to encourage female viewership and attendance will be to treat them as equal targets of the game’s outreach plan. American football may be seen as a violent sport, but women make up 43% of the NFL fan base, and gameday attendance is often along the order of 40%. Contrast that with European football: the EPL, the most female-friendly version, attracts a measly 19%. Only 28% of adults bring their children to the game, even if they unanimously think of it as a safe outing.

Football needs to make itself more female and family friendly

With greater percentages of under-represented sections featuring in the audience, football can concentrate on what it does right, as opposed to trying desperately to keep its dirty linen private. You’re less likely to see violence at the NFL or the MLB, despite how intense those games get, precisely because of how family and female-friendly those sports are. Even as replacement referees in the NFL proceeded to embarrass themselves with sub-par decisions that even attracted attention from the President Obama, not one punch was thrown. Not one flare was lit. Not one post-game riot erupted.

In the testosterone-fueled world of football with no calming counter-acting influences, referees are punched and killed, volunteer-linesmen are fatally assaulted, and match officials are hospitalized for simply doing their job. This has to stop. The sport deserves better. The audience deserves better. So do those who take the field.

Maybe it’s time football looked to those it left behind.

Football Follies – The Problem With The Beautiful Game

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