I like football, but…

HermionyGonzo and I were walking around the Grandstand at the State Fair and saw a table for the Minnesota Vixen, the Eden Prairie based woman’s professional football league (WPFL). I expressed my feelings of disbelief that such a thing as a woman’s professional football leagues exists. HG pointed out that it’s a free country and if women wanted to play football, they should be able to. I agree in principle. I did point out, though, that doesn’t mean they have a right to be profitable or that people should be subject to watching it should they wish to avoid such a thing.

Apart from the immediate family I grew up with, in most cases, men spend more money on sports then women. And most men are more passionate about sports then women (HG and my mom being two very notable exceptions to this rule). So, the market audience is not women who do not watch football, rather women who do watch football and men. I have a hard time believing that men who watch football would prefer women’s football to men’s football, unless mud and scanty outfits were involved. And if mud and scanty outfits were involved, it would resemble mud wrestling more then football. Plus, I personally suspect that Mom and HG would rather watch men beat each other up then women beat each other up.

Anyway, the point of a professional team is to generate profit for the team owners. I have a difficult time believing that the WPFL will be profitable. And when the league becomes defunct, I imagine that the sexism of society will be blamed. In a case like this, equality is not an issue, rather marketable product. And women, dressed like me, beating each other up over a football does not seem to appeal to the masses. Women have the right to go and play football, and even in an organized league, if they so choose. Markets, not gender, determine profitability.

Besides, it’s not as if the Vixens have a winning record. And it isn’t like even the Star Tribune follows them.