The other day I served up a detailed podcast on some of the lies that the political and media classes try to get us to swallow. The flip slide of this Orwellian nightmare are the things that you cannot say without risking being branded some sort of “ist” and potentially silenced. I got an email today from UEFA.
I got it because I bought three tickets to a match at the women’s Euros. I was delighted to take my daughter to see Northern Ireland for the first time. I have travelled thousands and thousands of miles to support her sporting career, but I am probably classed as a sexist for raising the matter below.
UEFA’s email says thanks for showing up and then stated:
A total of 574,875 were at UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 matches across England this July, making it the most-attended Women’s EURO in history!
You created a vibrant atmosphere at every match. You inspired those on the pitch and you’ve helped bring women’s football to new heights.
Ends
Well sort of. I think the 9,500 of us cheering on Norway and Northern Ireland all seated on one stand in a ground that can hold 45,000 did our best. But the atmosphere might have been better in a stadium holding 10,000. The Women’s game expected more folks to turn up. They did not.
There were 31 matches played at Euro 2022 so the average attendance per game was, in fact, 18,673, less than most games in the men’s second tier in England. And those numbers are skewed by the c89,000 attending the final. The average attendance at the other 30 games (including five involving England) was just 15,786.
But flagging up that this is not very many people is the sort of thing that you are not allowed to say. It is almost as bad as suggesting that the “amazing” double nutmeg goal in England’s semi was down to just shockingly bad goalkeeping. Which it was. But we can’t say that either. Nor can we suggest that scoring more goals for England than, Bobby Charlton, is somewhat diminished by playing in games where the score is 20 nil and your opponents are just plain rubbish.