There’s a distinct and positive move for more coverage of Women’s sport and more Women being involved in Sports media right now. Something that’s been long overdue in my eyes. From a media point of view there are some great presenters including on TV Clare Balding, Gabby Yorath and Sue Barker who have the secret of make presenting look effortless. On Radio, Georgie Bingham, Laura Woods and Natalie Sawyer are presenters I listen to on a regular basis.
This week in print media saw the launch of The Telegraph Women’s Sport a stand alone 8 page pullout on Women’s Sport.
They say they’re making a commitment to transform the profile of Women’s sport and it’s visibility in the media with the launch of a major new editorial initiative.
Dina Asher-Smith the triple European sprint champion is one of the columnists and she said “Why wait? There’s no moment like the present. Why make it that we aspire to be better for the next generation? Why not the current one? I am aware that people with the same determination and drive are just not getting the same coverage. It would be selfish of me to not want to open the door and leave it open. There is not much point in having a platform without trying to use it to benefit the wider community.”
Another columnist is Judy Murray, the pioneering tennis coach and mother of grand-slam tennis champions Jamie and Andy, said that “the greater visibility of female role-models would inspire excitement and also called for more women to get involved with teaching PE and coaching sport.”
Also writing is Maggie Alphonsi, who played 74 times for the England women’s rugby union team, said that the initiative would “lead the way” and added that: “Times are changing – in 20 years’ time we will look back and think, ‘I can’t believe we were having this discussion’.”
So that’s the media but what about the sports themselves?
Sky Sports have dedicated channels for football, cricket, golf and Formula 1, so how long before they launch their own dedicated women’s sports channel?
Last weekend at the Wanda Metropolitano a record 60,739 fans turned up to watch Atletico Madrid V Barcelona. That’s a World record crowd to watch a Women’s football match. In fact it was a 99-year record that was broken. On 26 December 1920, and just under a year before the Football Association banned women’s football a ban that lasted 50 years, 53,000 people filled Goodison Park, with a further 14,000 reportedly turned away, to watch the famous Dick, Kerr Ladies beat St Helens 4-0.
Talking of Women’s football in the UK. This year for the 2019/20 season their Super league has their first ever title sponsor in Barclays. The 3 year deal is worth millions of pounds and will see the start of prize money. It is the biggest investment in Uk Women’s sport by a brand.
A record nine countries have told Fifa they want to host the 2023 Women’s World Cup. Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Japan, New Zealand and South Africa have formally declared their interest. A joint bid for the tournament could also be made by North and South Korea.
Other women’s sports we’ve started to see more regularly are cricket, rugby and golf, so the sea of change is happening and I for one fully support it.
George Ezra has been forced to pay royalties from his smash-hit Shotgun after a little-known singer accused him of copying the tune.
Derek Ryan gets 7.5% of the income from the tune last year’s third best-selling song.
The settlement came after Irish singer Derek, 35, said the song was similar to his 2014 tune Flowers In Your Hair.
Millionaire George, 25, insisted he had never heard of Derek’s song before penning Shotgun in a Barcelona apartment. But his lawyers agreed to pay Derek royalties in a secret deal. A source said: “Shotgun put George back on the map, going three times Platinum in the UK and pretty much earning him his Best Male Brit. “Label bosses acknowledged a section of Shotgun has a similarity to the chorus melody of ‘Flowers”. I hadn’t heard this tune until I played it on the radio this week and you can’t deny there’s a definite similarity.
“7 Rings” is a big hit for Ariana Grande but according to The New York Times, it’s an even bigger hit for Rodgers & Hammerstein.
“7 Rings” uses “My Favorite Things,” which was written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II for the musical The Sound Of Music. And although 10 writers are credited on “7 Rings,”
Rodgers and Hammerstein, both of whom have been dead for decades, are getting 90% of the songwriting royalties.
A few weeks before its release, representatives for Grande and her label brought the completed song to Concord, the music company that has owned the Rodgers and Hammerstein catalogue since 2017. Concord asked for 90% of the song, and Grande’s people agreed without further negotiation.
Theodore S. Chapin, the executive who has managed Rodgers and Hammerstein’s copyrights for decades, says that Rodgers’ daughter Mary, who died in 2014, “would have thought this is pretty kickass.”
British Kebab awards this week. Unfortunately I couldn’t make it so I’m not sure if the rumour was true that it took place from 11.30 pm to 3am to make sure everyone turned up. Apparently when each award was picked up each winner was asked “do you want chilli sauce with it?” I’ll get my coat.
Do you like me remember England’s first million pound footballer? It was Trevor Francis in 1979 who left Birmingham City to join Nottingham Forest. So this was a landmark that was matched in the World of Pigeon Racing this week. Yes I kid you not! Armando the Lewis Hamilton of the bird world and was bought by someone in China. However he’s not going to race they’re putting him out to stud and apparently he has his own loft house suite, sorry!
Real Mallorca won only their third away game last weekend in Gran Canaria beating Las Palmas 2-1. They now lie 6th in one of the play-off places and entertain Real Zaragoza on Monday at 9pm at the Son Moix. Even better news for Atlético Baleares who beat their nearest rivals Villareal B by 1-0 to go 4 points clear at the top of their league. They are away this weekend playing Español B on Sunday at 12 midday.
Disappointing results for my two this week and both by the odd goal. Jude my youngest had the long Friday night trip to Santanyi where they lost 2-1 and Jake the eldest by 3-2 against Salla A. After our away trip to the South east last week, you’d think a nice easy home game for my youngest this week. But no, just the small matter of Manacor on Saturday morning. Jake has an away game but locally in Palma against the team who are directly below them. Busy weekend for Dad Taxi as I’m also announcing the boxers into the ring in the big fight night at the Trui Theatre on Saturday night.
Enjoy your weekend!
Richie presents the Radio One Mallorca Breakfast show Monday to Friday 07.30-11.00am on 93.8fm in Mallorca and 102fm in Calvià, online at www.radioonemallorca.com on mobile through their free App for IPhone & Android, The Tunein Radio App, iTunes, the Spanish TDT TV service and all smart speakers. . If you can’t hear him on the radio then you’ll find him working at Pirates Adventure the islands number one night out and every now and again he may make an understudy appearance!
Feel free to email him at rprior@globobalear.
Dad Taxi Mallorca 