It’s been quite a morning. Getting the women’s football world cup for 2023 is massive news. It’s not easy to go to FIFA and get a result, but we’ve done it. An excellent bid, plus the positive outlook for COVID-related issues mean we’ve got two women’s world cups (assuming the cricket one goes ahead as planned) in the next couple of years. Fantastic stuff, and well done to all involved.
Things are starting to feel a little normal here. Being part of the big Eden Park crowd for the Sunday afternoon match on opening weekend was amazing (as were the beer prices). Netball and basketball is up and running too, and even kids sport.
It’s a special time, and ideally some of the innovative thinking that’s happening to get crowds back and engage fans will stick. The finance is obviously a concern, but as long as we keep the virus out, our current spot as an island of sporting normality makes us the envy of the world.
Oh - and well done Liverpool for getting there after so long, after putting a fantastic team and season together. Tremendous to clear the way for Spurs to be the clear ‘big club’ with the most embarrassing title drought.
Thanks for reading - Richard
The week's best NZ sport content
Dana Johannsen on the future of NZ sport, and if we’ll need to merge our professional sport teams to survive [Stuff]
Here’s episode one of A Neesh Audience, a new podcast featuring WHITE FERNS Amelia and Jess Kerr, along with everyone’s fav BLACKCAP tweeter Jimmy Neesham [Locker Room]
Is Super Rugby Aotearoa killing scrums, he asks hopefully. Scotty Stevenson investigates [Spinoff]
Interview with Netball NZ CEO Jennie Wylie on the original sports biz podcast [Sports Geek]
Video nasty
Unfrozen caveman lawyer
Long read
Long, fantastic interview from the archives with Batman and Sport Review fav The Lost Boys director Joel Shumacher, who died this week [Vulture]
Recommendation
Team Foxcatcher, a great doco about billionaire heir John Dupont, his wrestling obsession and how it all went south is on Netflix.
Selected weekend fixtures
Rugby - it’s Blues v Highlanders at Eden Park tomorrow night at 7pm, then Crusaders v Chiefs at 3.30pm Sunday in Christchurch, they’re on SKY
There’s ANZ Premiership Netball every day until Monday with Pulse v Northern Mystics on Monday at 7pm the pick, they’re on SKY
The Warriors play the Storm at 8pm tonight, it’s on SKY
Bring back the gif
When you tell the family it was aliens that ate all the chocolate and chips while they were out.
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