FIFA threatens Europe with Women’s World Cup broadcast blackout
Al JazeeraMay 02, 2023
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has threatened a blackout of the Women's World Cup in major European markets after criticizing broadcasters for offering to pay too little to screen the tournament.
Infantino said that offers for the rights from "Big 5" European countries were "disappointing" and a "slap in the face" of the players and "all women worldwide." The Big 5 countries are Britain, Spain, Italy, Germany, and France.
Infantino is right. The lowball offers of the Big 5 European nations are an insult to women's sports. Over 1 billion tuned into the last Women's World Cup. These talented female athletes deserve better than to be undersold by countries whose media broadcast giants don't appreciate them. Public broadcasters have an obligation to promote and invest in women’s sports, and if they can't do that, then FIFA has a legal and moral obligation to keep the tournament off their platforms.
Women's sports are entertaining and inspirational to young women all over the world, but there is simply less demand for watching women's athletics than there is for men. If as many people wanted to watch the Women's World Cup as wanted to watch the Men's World Cup, the offers would be priced accordingly. Unfortunately, this comes down to supply-and-demand economics in the sports entertainment industry.