Ch7 has announced that the premiere season of
the Australian Lingerie Football League is set to air exclusively on 7mate
starting December 14. Just one problem, Ch7 and the organisers appears a bit
embarrassed by the word ‘Lingerie’ and would prefer us to call it the ‘Legends
Football League’ instead.
Female sport’s coverage is at an all time low
on Australian FTA TV. The ANZ Netball series has moved from OneHD back to Fox
Sports, and apart from a limited number of WNBL matches on ABC1, the Lingerie
(sorry, Legends) Football League will be the only sport featuring women
broadcast on Free To Air TV in 2013.
Its an age old argument, networks blame
viewers for low ratings, while sports bodies blame the TV Broadcasters for not
giving women’s sports enough time and support to develop an audience.
Lingerie Football commenced in the US in 2004
to provide ‘alternative entertainment’ during half time of the SuperBowl, It
recently underwent the name change to Legends league hoping to deflect criticism
of it sexy image, although the costumes players wear are still highly
revealing. Ch7’s Head of Sport Saul Shtein, said yesterday,
“The
LFL has developed a great fan base here in Australia and we feel 7mate is the
perfect fit from an audience perspective for this emerging and entertaining
sport”,
This despite the fact that American Football (Gridiron)
has never held much interest to Australian Sports Fans.
Sports Broadcaster Tracey Holmes was clear in
her opinion of the LNL.
“There’s no
problem with highly skilled, athletic women running around in lingerie but
let’s not pretend it’s elite sport, it’s about the sexualisation of women – in
the same way a bunch of men running around in leather g-strings playing Aussie
Rules would not be about the Aussie Rules, the sport is just providing a
platform for something else.”
“Numerous studies have been conducted that
show sex sells sex, nothing more. Women who want to play elite sport are
playing elite sport. Women who want to have their bodies objectified can
play lingerie footy – it’s their choice.”
Responding to criticism
organiser Mitchell Mortaza from LFL Global said yesterday.
“We
have proven that there is a great audience for LFL in Australia.”
“This
partnership with 7mate opens the door to developing the next big Aussie
sport”.
LFL Australia’s premiere season will include
four state clubs: the Western Australia Angels, Victoria Maidens, New South
Wales Surge and the Queensland Brigade.
The LFL on 7mate is scheduled to premiere on
Saturday, 14 December at 10.30pm with LFL Australia’s ‘State of Origin’ as the
New South Wales Surge host the Queensland Brigade in HD from CentreBet Stadium.
LFL on 7mate Broadcast
Schedule
Saturday, 14 December 2013, 10.30pm Queensland
v NSW (CentreBet Stadium)
Saturday, 21 December 2013, 10.30pm WA v
Victoria (AAMI Park)
Saturday, 28 December 2013, 10.30pm Queensland
v WA (NIB Stadium)
Saturday, 4 January 2014, 10.30pm Victoria v
NSW (CentreBet Stadium)
Saturday, 11 January 2014, 10.30pm WA v
Queensland (Skilled Park Stadium)
Saturday, 18 January 2014, 10.30pm NSW v
Victoria (AAMI Park)
Saturday, 25 January 2014, 10.30pm Victoria v
Queensland (Skilled Park Stadium)
Saturday, 8 February 2014, 10.30pm NSW v WA
(NIB Stadium)
Saturday, 15 February 2014, 10.30pm
Legends Cup 2014, LFL Australia Championship Game (NIB Stadium)
