Doloras don't agree with everything you have said, but respect for being the almost sole XX chromosome voice on the forum. That can't always be easy, and the 'traditional' male sports need to embrace their female players & fans not shun them.
I live in Brisbane. The AFL is easier smartest large sports organisation in Aussie. They cleverly saw an empty sporting window of February-March, when the cricket season is effectively finished and the AFL men's comp is yet to start - so launched their new women's comp in this window. It has been a major success. Still your rabid AFL tragic would watch a flea circus if the fleas were decked in the guernseys of his footy team. AFL fans are the closet Aussie has to the tribalism of say your English club football fan. The club comp is everything - there being no state of orgin or international AFL. Having the women's AFL teams based on the mens AFL club teams was a masterstroke. Still is a 'honeymoon' 1st year for the ladies AFL - so be interesting to see if interest drops in following seasons.
Wouldn't getting a Kiwi women's semi-pro side in the W League solve many of Abbey's gripes? With flights, accommodation etc not cheap of course. However isn't there a major company like say Lorna Jane - that has an almost solely female customer base that could be approached to be the major sponsor?
When were the team and supporters shunned?
I think there is quite a good FF supporter base here, and with the exception of a few d-bags on game day I see very little sexism going on here.
A Kiwi W League team would be awesome but where are the semi-pros getting paid from (you'll need more than 1 major sponsor) and what do you think the honest odds are of the FFA letting us get more NZ teams in their leagues?
We are struggling to keep NZ's only pro team in their league, I'd be very surprised if the FFA would be very open to the idea of another NZ team in another league, and with the increased W League costs (like every other teams travel), unless some philanthropists had osme deep pockets, I couldnt see it happening.
The need for 'traditional' male sports need to embrace their female players & fans not shun them - was meant as a general comment. I get the overall feeling NZ rugby is worse, in embracing the fairer sex. It's great that there is a page on this forum dedicated to Football Ferns, and no doubt 99% of people on here also want to see them succeed and do NZ proud. But also a fact that appears 99% of folks on this forum are male, and I find that a bit disappointing.
Re a NZ W League team. Yes of course it would be expensive, and good point that FFA may not let it happen. From memory a Kiwi women's basketball side out of Christchurch only lasted a season playing in the Aussie women's basketball comp.
But I just like to see people at least try & come up with ideas to problems, rather than throw their hands in the air and say it's all too hard, and/or run to some govt/FIFA funded money pit asking for a handout. I guess that's why I left the endless whinging of the office cubicle rat race to work for myself.