This article was originally published on November 8th, 2019.
Here is this week's dose of “5-Point Friday”. A weekly round-up of the sports news and stories that I find most interesting and enjoyable.
Soccer news that excites me -
Australia's national women's soccer team, the Matildas, struck a historic deal that will see them earn equal pay and entitlements on many key measures. Football Federation Australia (FFA) said it means the top male and female players will be on the same pay scale. "This is a massive step taken to close the gender pay gap between the Socceroos and the Matildas," said FFA chief executive David Gallop. Professional Footballers Australia, a union that represents both teams, said it was "a commitment that is blind to gender".
Football story that intrigued me -
A Long Island high school football coach has been reprimanded after his team thrashed another high school 61-13 in a game. Plainedge High School's head coach, Rob Shaver, was suspended for one game after violating the local county "lopsided scores policy". Under the rule, coaches have to explain their winning margin to a committee if it exceeds more than 42 points. The policy has been in place for three years and is intended to prevent poor sportsmanship. Mr. Shaver is reportedly the first to be punished under the unusual rule.
Article I am reading -
Melbourne Cup: Will Australian racing overcome cruelty scandals? by Phil Mercer (@philmercer). The article delves into the reality of how racehorses in Australia are being treated, following the leak of secret videos.
Ticketing news I am learning about -
The San Francisco 49ers plan to include food and beverage in the cost of a full season ticket package, the Member Inclusive Menu, from the start of the 2020 NFL season. "The San Francisco 49ers are continuing the organization’s focus on fan satisfaction at Levi’s Stadium by becoming the first sports team to include food and beverage items as a benefit for its full Season Ticket Member base. The industry-shifting Member Inclusive Menu will debut with the 2020 season and include more than 15 of the most popular food and non-alcoholic beverage items available at 49ers games," per the 49ers' news release.
Athletics news I have been following -
Diamond League meetings will no longer feature the 200m, 3,000m steeplechase, discus, or triple jump at all of its events in 2020. Athletics' governing body the IAAF said it did research on the popularity of events and wished to cut the length of meetings for a "90-minute broadcast". There will now be 12 disciplines staged at each of the 15 Diamond League meetings. "Our objective is to create a faster-paced, more exciting global league that will be the showcase for our sport. A league that broadcasters want to show and fans want to watch," IAAF president and Diamond League chairman Lord Sebastian Coe (@sebcoe) said. Have a wonderful weekend, all!
Jonathan