Racial Bias in Football Commentary

[DanB90]

We had the same teacher for Geography and RE, I hated him, I spent the last year of school standing outside his class room, needless to say I got an F in my GCSE Geography . And only got a D in English.

And besides, the missus is making tea and dancing round the kitchen like a tit, so I'm kinda distracted!

No judgment here mate, I left school with hardly a gcse to my name.
I just like making fun of other people’s educational deficiencies from the safety of my keyboard because it makes me feel better about myself.

 

[TheBigIguana]

Who takes the ramblings of football commentators with anything but a shovelful of salt? The idea of actually doing an analysis of them is laughable, and a sign of how easy it must be to get an academic grant these days.

Well that's the thing it might not mean much on the surface but if you look for these ideas in general now I'm sure you'll find it isn't just commentators but the football community in general who does this. So maybe we could recognize it and try to stop it. Couldn't hurt right?

 

[Dymak]

Well that's the thing it might not mean much on the surface but if you look for these ideas in general now I'm sure you'll find it isn't just commentators but the football community in general who does this. So maybe we could recognize it and try to stop it. Couldn't hurt right?

Stop what? Complimenting players on attributes such as size and strength if they happen to be black?

 

[Sarnia Kevin]

Well that's the thing it might not mean much on the surface but if you look for these ideas in general now I'm sure you'll find it isn't just commentators but the football community in general who does this. So maybe we could recognize it and try to stop it. Couldn't hurt right?

What? You want football commentators to talk garbage but in a way that can't be construed as being racially biased by someone doing an in-depth analysis? Okay, best of luck with that. Perhaps there should be a ban on non-BAME football commentators and see how we get on.

 

[kenada_blue]

I think its bollocks personally.

Its not racial bias to suggest black athletes have more power and are stronger, name a sport and the black person will stand out for their power and strength.

If people want to turn praise about a positive into a negative that's on them.

Yup.

Any description is purely based on physicality and not skin colour.

Put Sterling against Adama Traore...whats the first thing you'd use to describe them as footballers?

The unconscious racial bias does have its place. But for the most part it get shoehorned into aspects where it's completely unfounded.

It's also a huge problem nowadays for any debate due things being selectively thrown in rather than looking at the numourous factors that can make something what it is.

 

[Minimeister]

Watch any European game and it's always those pesky foreigners diving all over the place whilst the brave Englishmen try and stay on their feet and play like real gentlemen.

 

[Big Sams Undies]

Bit mad this isn't it.

60% of the time "intelligence" was applied to a white player... So therefore 40% of the time it was applied to a black player.

Hardly a world apart that is it?

Just taking the City team as an example, you've got some creative, intelligent footballers in KDB, David Silva, Bernado Silva and Aguero who happen to be white. You've got Sterling that I'd consider to be an intelligent player (even more so for leaving Liverpool) who's black. By nature of them having more creative/intelligent white players than black players, there will be more reference in favour of white players.

Or am I missing something?

I'll admit I didn't read the whole article as I got pretty fed up very quickly.

 

[Dymak]

Imagine athletes being complemented for their athletic abilities like pace and power, it’s just downright disgusting, it must be stopped at once!

 

[kenada_blue]

Who takes the ramblings of football commentators with anything but a shovelful of salt? The idea of actually doing an analysis of them is laughable, and a sign of how easy it must be to get an academic grant these days.

In an envogue subject to give data ramblers and academics something to be on the pulse about.

We're entering this...

 

[kenada_blue]

Bit mad this isn't it.

60% of the time "intelligence" was applied to a white player... So therefore 40% of the time it was applied to a black player.

Hardly a world apart that is it?

Just taking the City team as an example, you've got some creative, intelligent footballers in KDB, David Silva, Bernado Silva and Aguero who happen to be white. You've got Sterling that I'd consider to be an intelligent player (even more so for leaving Liverpool) who's black. By nature of them having more creative/intelligent white players than black players, there will be more reference in favour of white players.

Or am I missing something?

I'll admit I didn't read the whole article as I got pretty fed up very quickly.

That's the problem with the "data" in my view. You'd have to have an equal amount of players of either colour being commentated on, of the same stature and physicality for it to actually mean what they're wanting it to address.

 

[TheBigIguana]

What? You want football commentators to talk garbage but in a way that can't be construed as being racially biased by someone doing an in-depth analysis? Okay, best of luck with that. Perhaps there should be a ban on non-BAME football commentators and see how we get on.

Being able to say things about black players other than they're fast and strong isn't talking garbage. Complimenting someone like Mane for his intelligence in finding space or Yaya Toure for his ability to read the play isn't talking garbage.

Unless of course you think it is. Do you think it is?

 

[TheBigIguana]

Stop what? Complimenting players on attributes such as size and strength if they happen to be black?

The racism mate. Stop the racism. Whether it is intentional or just the result of a lifetime spent in a culture that constantly presents racial stereotypes, we should probably stop doing it when we see it happening.

 

[Sarnia Kevin]

Being able to say things about black players other than they're fast and strong isn't talking garbage. Complimenting someone like Mane for his intelligence in finding space or Yaya Toure for his ability to read the play isn't talking garbage.

Unless of course you think it is. Do you think it is?

Wow!! I'm just saying that the bulk of what comes out of most football commentators mouths is garbage in my opinion. Doing an in depth analysis of said garbage isn't helping the cause of inter-racial harmony any favours either.

 

[TheBigIguana]

Bit mad this isn't it.

60% of the time "intelligence" was applied to a white player... So therefore 40% of the time it was applied to a black player.

Hardly a world apart that is it?

Just taking the City team as an example, you've got some creative, intelligent footballers in KDB, David Silva, Bernado Silva and Aguero who happen to be white. You've got Sterling that I'd consider to be an intelligent player (even more so for leaving Liverpool) who's black. By nature of them having more creative/intelligent white players than black players, there will be more reference in favour of white players.

Or am I missing something?

I'll admit I didn't read the whole article as I got pretty fed up very quickly.

That's not exactly it. They took positive comments and negative comments and split them up first and then found what percentage went to players with lighter skin and darker skin. What they found was that something like 65% of comments praising players intelligence were directed at lighter skinned players while 65% of those critical were directed at darker skinned players.

 

[TheBigIguana]

Wow!! I'm just saying that the bulk of what comes out of most football commentators mouths is garbage in my opinion. Doing an in depth analysis of said garbage isn't helping the cause of inter-racial harmony any favours either.

I find from reading this forum, other forums, Twitter and from conversations with supporters that this conclusion isn't exactly surprising. It's just a way of putting numbers on it a bit more so maybe people will try to not do it so much.