Matilda Magic
Australia’s Not So Secret Obsession
A. J. Baker
NEARLY HALF OF THE NATION TUNED IN TO WATCH THE TILLES defeat against England in the semi-finals of the Women’s FIFA Soccer World Cup. Almost every one of the 75,784 fans packed inside Stadium Australia were cheering when superstar Sam Kerr hit a 20 metre equaliser. However, that was less than 1% of the 11 million fans cheering from the comfort of their own home. The equivalent of nearly 150 packed stadiums. The real question is, where did all of these Matildas fans come from?
Scenes after the Matildas win over France via penalty shootouts.
Around eight million fans tuned in to watch Kathy Freeman win gold. Four million gathered to watch the Rugby World Cup in 2004 and 3.5 million watch the AFL grand final each year. Yet this doesn’t even scratch the surface of the Australian Women’s Soccer viewership. During the 2019 world cup, the Matildas admirably made it to round 16, before losing in a penalty shootout. They played a total of four games and racked up 9.6 million views from Australians. The substantial difference in viewership total could be the result of a multitude of factors; time difference between Australia and the host nation (France), minimal match broadcasting on free to air TV or possibly there were fewer fans in 2019.
Crowd of 75,000 (Matildas vs Lionesses) at Stadium Australia.
The classic Australian Steven Bradbury underdog story was on the cards for the Matildas this world cup. The team looked depleted without superstar Sam Kerr, out with a calf injury, however, Australia’s new young gun Mary Fowler, notorious for her signature black gloves, was undoubtedly one of the most improved players throughout the tournament and a crucial part of Australia’s success … Nail biting victories like the match against France, where 120 minutes of Football could not decide a winner, ultimately lead to dramatic increases in viewership.
Gatherings in Melbourne to watch on TV.
Comments from various family members and friends who showed great passion towards their beloved Matildas after the loss to the Lionesses included; “Why didn’t they just kick it in the net?” or “Why couldn’t Mackenzie Arnold just save their shots on goal?”. These comments are not intended to be offensive towards the players nor ignorant, however, they were just clearly coming from individuals who had not been educated about soccer. Comments like these lead me to a realisation of why there was such a great influx in viewership. It is because non-soccer fans have ‘hopped on the Matildas bandwagon’.
Similarly to the drastic rise in Golden State Warriors fans after their dominance in the 2015-2017 period, Aussies have started to support the Matildas even if they are unaware of what being offside means. The vast support shown at fixtures and on TV is a clear representation of Australia’s unmatched culture and pride towards the nation’s success. Football critics would argue that these casual fans are disrespecting the sport, but others would argue that any acknowledgement is a pure testimony to the high quality product these women are producing. Furthermore, the increased publicity placed on women’s soccer at the moment will likely lead to mass junior registration and generations of talent for soccer.
In summary, the enormous spike in viewership has occurred due to the tournament being held in Australia, the Matildas’ success and performance as well as Australia’s supportive culture.
Above: Rising Star Mary Fowler.
Below: Australian Goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold saving a crucial penalty against France.
