Ninth International Conference on Sport & Society

Abstract

Women’s sports in Australia have traditionally placed a distant second to men’s sports. Such second-rate treatment has been obvious through remuneration and media interest. Nevertheless, the last two years have seen the establishment of the inaugural women’s Australian Rules Football competition, a new Australian ‘National Netball League’ and the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) cricket competition. All of these sporting competitions have one thing in common, that is, media interest. All competitions have broadcast deals with major television networks in Australia. The message in the sports media in Australia is that women’s sports are taking over our screens, being remunerated more handsomely and becoming more high profile. However, there remain enormous disparities between male and female athletes and sporting competitions. These disparities focus on the amount of media coverage received by male and female sporting competitions and the remuneration paid to male and female athletes. In particular, this study focuses on the Australian Rules Football competition and the WBBL competition in Australia. These themes will be analysed using a third wave feminist lens to more clearly understand the differences (or similarities) between men’s and women’s in sport in Australia.