Why isn't there women's college football?

[18IsTheMan]

Just happened to see something pop up on the tv last night about women's college hockey game. Must've been a replay or something. It was news to me that women's collegiate hockey even existed and got me to thinking...for most men's collegiate sports, there is a women's equivalent: basketball, soccer, softball (ehhh, close enough in theory to baseball), diving, swimming, tennis, golf, track and field. Every major men's sport at USC has a women's equivalent, except for football.

Why is that? I know there are some fringe leagues out there. But why hasn't this been done at the high school or collegiate levels?

With the huge surge in interest in women's sports and our nation's love of all things football, it seems foolish that this hasn't been explored.

 

[Gamecock Jacque]

We had powder-puff football at my high school.

 

[PrestonyteParrot]

Probably because it's the most expensive sport to finance/operate due to sheer numbers required to field a team.
Easier to meet ''Title IX requirements'' with less costly sports.

 

[Gamecock Jacque]

Probably because it's the most expensive sport to finance/operate due to sheer numbers required to field a team.
Easier to meet ''Title IX requirements'' with less costly sports.

When I played hockey it was pretty expensive.

 

[will110]

I doubt there's enough high school girls out there interested in playing football to make high school girls football a thing. Until there's a grass roots effort to create it at the youth level, I don't see it happening.

 

[Gamecock Jacque]

And I think it would be painful to watch more than once.

 

[Debo77]

Just happened to see something pop up on the tv last night about women's college hockey game. Must've been a replay or something. It was news to me that women's collegiate hockey even existed and got me to thinking...for most men's collegiate sports, there is a women's equivalent: basketball, soccer, softball (ehhh, close enough in theory to baseball), diving, swimming, tennis, golf, track and field. Every major men's sport at USC has a women's equivalent, except for football.

Why is that? I know there are some fringe leagues out there. But why hasn't this been done at the high school or collegiate levels?

With the huge surge in interest in women's sports and our nation's love of all things football, it seems foolish that this hasn't been explored.

Did you see the girl kicker at Vandy a few years ago????....if so that should answer your question

 

[atl-cock]

Many schools which sponsor varsity ice hockey do so for both women and men. Most ice hockey programs in the south are at the club level. The last I read up, Alabama-Huntsville was the only southern school to sponsor D-I ice hockey.

One sport which is popularly sponsored for women and not for men (at least on the D-I level) is volleyball. There's something like 30 D-I schools which sponsor volleyball for men, mostly in the traditional B1G and PAC12 footprints (I'm using PAC12 merely for geographic reference).

Plenty of D-III schools sponsor men's volleyball - Lander is one which comes to mind. And I believe that the SCHSL just started sponsoring championships for boys volleyball.

 

[gamecockcleo]

Stop it!!!! You would be the first one to say l ain't watching no women's college football

 

[18IsTheMan]

And I think it would be painful to watch more than once.

That hasn't hampered WBB, though.

It's admittedly less athletic in every way than MBB, but people still watch and enjoy it.

 

[18IsTheMan]

Did you see the girl kicker at Vandy a few years ago????....if so that should answer your question

Can you elaborate?

 

[Gamecock Jacque]

That hasn't hampered WBB, though.

It's admittedly less athletic in every way than MBB, but people still watch and enjoy it.

Just speaking for myself.

 

[The Reel Ess]

Most of them don't like playing the sport.

 

[18IsTheMan]

Most of them don't like playing the sport.

I wonder what can be done to change that and make the sport more inclusive? Why does it stand out as the one sport that portrayed as "male only"? There is women's college rugby.

 

[USCEE82]

Football is a collision sport. Not too many chicks willing to launch their body to make a tackle or make a catch. I agree with the previous poster who said maybe if there was girls football leagues so they gradually become more aggressive like boys. Also, helmets mess up their beautiful hair. Don't argue with softball helmets because they only wear them during part of the game. Call me sexist.

 

[Debo77]

Can you elaborate?

They sent her out to kickoff and she barely made it to Mizzou's 40....went about 25 yards....people wont sit there and watch that level of play for 10 minutes much less 3 hours

 

[vacock]

They sent her out to kickoff and she barely made it to Mizzou's 40....went about 25 yards....people wont sit there and watch that level of play for 10 minutes much less 3 hours

Wow! 25 yards. What was she wearing?

attempting to be funny. Didn’t make it.

 

[Debo77]

Wow! 25 yards. What was she wearing?

attempting to be funny. Didn’t make it.

good try

 

[Gamecock Jacque]

good try

I've never kicked a football wearing heels. But I'd probably make it a least 30 yards.

 

[18IsTheMan]

They sent her out to kickoff and she barely made it to Mizzou's 40....went about 25 yards....people wont sit there and watch that level of play for 10 minutes much less 3 hours

But every female sport is considerably slower and far less athletic than the male equivalent. Yet, people still watch them.

 

[Gamecock Jacque]

But every female sport is considerably slower and far less athletic than the male equivalent. Yet, people still watch them.

What percentage of those watching are women?

 

[Evilchicken]

Nobody on the planet would watch women’s football except a few plaid-wearin’ biker chicks.

 

[USCEE82]

They sent her out to kickoff and she barely made it to Mizzou's 40....went about 25 yards....people wont sit there and watch that level of play for 10 minutes much less 3 hours

Saw that. I believe one of the the announcers called it a pooch kick.

 

[USCClassof1974]

Georgia has girls high school flag football and has a championship game or two at the same site/dates as the boys finals.

 

[Uscg1984]

Nobody on the planet would watch women’s football except a few plaid-wearin’ biker chicks.

There are tons of varsity scholarship sports that nobody on the planet watches.

It certainly seems like varsity flag football would solve most of the issues raised in this thread. If you can recruit enough women to play lacrosse, then you could recruit enough to play flag football. And you don't need 85, er. . .105, scholarships to completely offset football, but it seems like a cheap way to add a women's sport with 15 or 20 scholarships - enough to offset the new increase in football scholarships.

 

[Gamecock Vet]

Just happened to see something pop up on the tv last night about women's college hockey game. Must've been a replay or something. It was news to me that women's collegiate hockey even existed and got me to thinking...for most men's collegiate sports, there is a women's equivalent: basketball, soccer, softball (ehhh, close enough in theory to baseball), diving, swimming, tennis, golf, track and field. Every major men's sport at USC has a women's equivalent, except for football.

Why is that? I know there are some fringe leagues out there. But why hasn't this been done at the high school or collegiate levels?

With the huge surge in interest in women's sports and our nation's love of all things football, it seems foolish that this hasn't been explored.

Because it would cost a fortune and not bring in anywhere near the money that men’s college football does!!

 

[18IsTheMan]

Because it would cost a fortune and not bring in anywhere near the money that men’s college football does!!

If making money was a necessary qualification, women's sports wouldn't exist at all.

 

[Johnny She Said]

Umm girls have b**bs. Probably difficult to wear shoulder pads

 

[PrestonyteParrot]

Georgia has girls high school flag football and has a championship game or two at the same site/dates as the boys finals.

And the guys in attendance are waiting for that grab for the flag that comes away with much more than the flag.
This happened to me in Jr High and I was running down the field in a jock strap. Everybody watching cracked up and it took me while to shed the nickname, Jocko. lol

 

[Debo77]

But every female sport is considerably slower and far less athletic than the male equivalent. Yet, people still watch them.

the ratings aren't great tho....and puttng together a basketball team or softball team or tennis team is much easier than a football team...there are some awesome softball players that are entertaining to watch but sitting through a 3 hour football game would be torture...imo

 

[Debo77]

I've never kicked a football wearing heels. But I'd probably make it a least 30 yards.

you would probably be like me and snap both your ankles walking onto the field....and by chance you did make it out there I would pay to see your approach on the kickoff

 

[Gamecock Jacque]

you would probably be like me and snap both your ankles walking onto the field....and by chance you did make it out there I would pay to see your approach on the kickoff

How much would you pay? We might can work something out. the heels would probably sail farther than the ball.

 

[Debo77]

How much would you pay? We might can work something out. the heels would probably sail farther than the ball.

Have your people contact my people....but I'm not responsible for any hospital bills

 

[USCEE82]

Umm girls have b**bs. Probably difficult to wear shoulder pads

Good point. But, it's possible. Google lingerie football league.

 

[Fried Chicken]

Good point. But, it's possible. Google lingerie football league.

This was my initial thought. Nobody will watch women’s football…at least not enough to make money. You can literally put them in lingerie and people still won’t watch. We’ve seen from experience. Not sure if nude will bring in viewers or not…

 

[USCBatgirl21]

I wonder what can be done to change that and make the sport more inclusive? Why does it stand out as the one sport that portrayed as "male only"? There is women's college rugby.

Why does it even have to be? Why can't there simply be a sport that is just for guys? I'd venture to say most women are just fine with not having women's football out there.

 

[USCBatgirl21]

you would probably be like me and snap both your ankles walking onto the field....and by chance you did make it out there I would pay to see your approach on the kickoff

Wearing heels is not for the weak.
(As I'm wearing my snakeskin stilettos.)

 

[18IsTheMan]

Why does it even have to be? Why can't there simply be a sport that is just for guys? I'd venture to say most women are just fine with not having women's football out there.

On the contrary, I am 100% certain there are girls who would love to play football.

 

[USCBatgirl21]

On the contrary, I am 100% certain there are girls who would love to play football.

I didn’t say there weren’t. I said “most”.
However, the few that might be interested are very much the exception and it would not be worth the costs associated.

We don’t have to have a woman’s equivalent to every man’s sport.

 

[18IsTheMan]

I didn’t say there weren’t. I said “most”.
However, the few that might be interested are very much the exception and it would not be worth the costs associated.

We don’t have to have a woman’s equivalent to every man’s sport.

Don't we? Women's wrestling. Women's boxing. Women's MMA. Women's rugby.

Why not football? It's no less physical/masculine than the above.