Popularity of Williams sisters on TW...

[onehandbh]

Wondering just how popular the Williams sisters actually are (here on TW)
Is it just a few vocal haters on the TW board that dislike them?
Is is mostly gender-based? Or is the posting TW membership simply
not representative of the tennis community and fans?

---- from AP ----
“The absence of the Williams sisters at any event—be it a major or non-major—is significant,” said Jason Bernstein, a senior director in ESPN’s programming department. “Fans, print and electronic media interest, TV ratings and overall buzz are all reduced.”

The interest generated by the Williams sisters’ ascension to the top of tennis—both have been ranked No. 1—is widely credited with the decision to move the U.S. Open women’s final to prime time for American television in 2001. Venus beat Serena that year for the championship, and nearly 23 million viewers tuned in to the CBS broadcast. Since 2005, three of ESPN2’s top five rated matches involved Serena Williams.

Bernstein described the Williams sisters as “game-changers for the sport” who “are compelling to watch.”

Full article here:
http://sports.yahoo.com/tennis/news?slug=ap-missingwilliamssisters

 

[Manus Domini]

you forgot to add "article paid for by friends of Serena and Venus Williams"

 

[Joe Pike]

Wondering just how popular the Williams sisters actually are (here on TW)
Is it just a few vocal haters on the TW board that dislike them?
Is is mostly gender-based? Or is the posting TW membership simply
not representative of the tennis community and fans?

---- from AP ----
“The absence of the Williams sisters at any event—be it a major or non-major—is significant,” said Jason Bernstein, a senior director in ESPN’s programming department. “Fans, print and electronic media interest, TV ratings and overall buzz are all reduced.”

The interest generated by the Williams sisters’ ascension to the top of tennis—both have been ranked No. 1—is widely credited with the decision to move the U.S. Open women’s final to prime time for American television in 2001. Venus beat Serena that year for the championship, and nearly 23 million viewers tuned in to the CBS broadcast. Since 2005, three of ESPN2’s top five rated matches involved Serena Williams.

Bernstein described the Williams sisters as “game-changers for the sport” who “are compelling to watch.”

Full article here:
http://sports.yahoo.com/tennis/news?slug=ap-missingwilliamssisters

They are talking about the USA, no?

 

[Figjam]

I only like watching when they get beat

 

[Sentinel]

Honestly, its their domination that puts me off. Coupled or intensified with Serena's attitude.

 

[Joe Pike]

Honestly, its their domination that puts me off. Coupled or intensified with Serena's attitude.

Venus has made 4 slam finals in the last 7 years.
Same as Svetlana Kuznetsova.

So what "domination" you are talking of?

 

[ollinger]

Note above that 3 of ESPN2's top 5 rated matches since 2005 involved Serena Williams. This, children, is why I've always contended here that equal prize money is reasonable -- the top women are the biggest draws on TV, and thus have great commercial value.

 

[Joe Pike]

Note above that 3 of ESPN2's top 5 rated matches since 2005 involved Serena Williams. This, children, is why I've always contended here that equal prize money is reasonable -- the top women are the biggest draws on TV, and thus have great commercial value.

Now you are speaking of the US TV audience, no?
It will be different in Switzerland and Spain, I think. And the rest of the world.

 

[jamesblakefan#1]

Now you are speaking of the US TV audience, no?
It will be different in Switzerland and Spain, I think. And the rest of the world.

2009 Wimbledon Women's Final - 4.1 million viewers on the BBC

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/jul/06/4m-watch-williams-sisters

 

[Sentinel]

Venus has made 4 slam finals in the last 7 years.
Same as Svetlana Kuznetsova.

So what "domination" you are talking of?

From what i've seen here, it seems people like Venus a lot more. It's Serena and her remarks, and perhaps her dad's behavior that puts other people off.

I am put off by the home favorites whom they keep showing during majors even when there are other matches going on .. serena, julie coin, dellaqua to name a few!

 

[Ronaldo]

Most guys I met do not watch them play or like them at all. Still find it amazing that people who never hit a tennis or wiffle ball will not only watch them but remember what they wore and their wig colour.

 

[Talker]

I'll watch the big matches. I don't like Serena much but Venus is OK.
It's still interesting. :neutral:

 

[Sentinel]

Most guys I met do not watch them play or like them at all. Still find it amazing that people who never hit a tennis or wiffle ball will not only watch them but remember what they wore and their wig colour.

Yep, those skin colored undies were *hot*.

 

[Ronaldo]

Yep, those skin colored undies were *hot*.

Rather see those yellow shorts anyday. Butt checkout any volleyball practice, thats 'hot'!

 

[Federerx16]

you forgot to add "article paid for by friends of Serena and Venus Williams"

:lol: I guess holding those grand slam trophies just isn't enough.

Most guys I met do not watch them play or like them at all. Still find it amazing that people who never hit a tennis or wiffle ball will not only watch them but remember what they wore and their wig colour.

I guess those people haven't been exposed to the snobby and superficial attitudes of avid tennis fans.

 

[TACOSRULE]

there are females on TW???

 

[Sentinel]

there are females on TW???

Clearly you haven't been frequenting the Rafa threads :twisted:

 

[forthegame]

Waiting for the usual suspects to chime in....

 

[Cyan]

Wow, the sistas don't have any female fans in here.

 

[Sentinel]

Wow, the sistas don't have any female fans in here.

Your avatar has stolen them all !

 

[TMF]

Serena lost a lot of fans. Had this poll was done before the USO incident, I'm sure the number of votes would have been more balance out. I feel sory for Venus, b/c she's part of this poll and get penalize for Serena's problem. In fact, I think the 2 sisters should have a separate poll. Why? some may want to vote "yes" for Venus, but since it had to include Serena, they voted "no". Hence, this poll benefit Serena but make Venus look worse.

 

[jamesblakefan#1]

Serena lost a lot of fans. Had this poll was done before the USO incident, I'm sure the number of votes would have been more balance out. I feel sory for Venus, b/c she's part of this poll and get penalize for Serena's problem. In fact, I think the 2 sisters should have a separate poll. Why? some may want to vote "yes" for Venus, but since it had to include Serena, they voted "no". Hence, this poll benefit Serena but make Venus look worse.

Once again your logic fails. Serena and Venus are 1-2 as America's most popular female athletes.

http://sports.yahoo.com/tennis/blog...re-America-s-favorite-female-a?urn=ten-257375

 

[samjones]

I don't mind watching them. I'm not afraid of booty.

 

[jakemcclain32]

Honestly, its their domination that puts me off. Coupled or intensified with Serena's attitude.

Now this statement irritates me from everyone it comes from. What is so off putting from a dominant individual in any field?

They put their time in, they put their energy in. They have more of a special talent that very few have, and have guts and determination added with that. They win lots and lots of matches. Do you WANT them to tank matches to "make things fair"? That's just a panty waist thing to do.

You want them beat? Beat them. That's the way to knock them off the mountain. Other than that, hush and watch greatness, and watch for the next great player to come around.

And this comes from a guy who can't stand Richard's "blacks against the world" mentality, Serena's bad attitude, and Oracene's arrogant attitude. Venus I have no problem with.

 

[Federerx16]

Oracene's arrogant attitude? :lol:

 

[THUNDERVOLLEY]

Once again your logic fails. Serena and Venus are 1-2 as America's most popular female athletes.

http://sports.yahoo.com/tennis/blog...re-America-s-favorite-female-a?urn=ten-257375

Don't tell that to any obsessed with hating the Williams sisters so much, they will post easily shattered nonsense. Some must really hurt over the fact America did not crown Sharapova the most popular everything who ever lived.

The OP: TW is filled with a lot of bitter people who cannot wrap their minds around the fact that the sisters were the most popular female tennis players (by some considerable measure) of the decade....unlike hollow hype machines (you can guess).

 

[Arthuro]

Don't tell that to any obsessed with hating the Williams sisters so much, they will post easily shattered nonsense. Some must really hurt over the fact America did not crown Sharapova the most popular everything who ever lived.

The OP: TW is filled with a lot of bitter people who cannot wrap their minds around the fact that the sisters were the most popular female tennis players (by some considerable measure) of the decade....unlike hollow hype machines (you can guess).

Quoted for truth and verifiability.

 

[Joe Pike]

Once again your logic fails. Serena and Venus are 1-2 as America's most popular female athletes.

http://sports.yahoo.com/tennis/blog...re-America-s-favorite-female-a?urn=ten-257375

By default.
America has no other female world-class athletes currently.

 

[Joe Pike]

Don't tell that to any obsessed with hating the Williams sisters so much, they will post easily shattered nonsense. Some must really hurt over the fact America did not crown Sharapova the most popular everything who ever lived.

The OP: TW is filled with a lot of bitter people who cannot wrap their minds around the fact that the sisters were the most popular female tennis players (by some considerable measure) of the decade....unlike hollow hype machines (you can guess).

Henin and Sharapova were definitely more popular.
The Williams sisters were among the top 5 popularity-wise, though.

 

[jamesblakefan#1]

Henin and Sharapova were definitely more popular.

Sharapova may have a case? But Henin? She has never moved the needle.

There is a disconnect here. Just because people are popular with a certain segment, people tend to try to discredit this. Ignorant statements are made, like 'no real tennis fan is a fan of the Williams Sisters'. Bitter is the perfect word to sum this up. There's a few other words that could be used, but I won't go there (perhaps Thunder will).

 

[Bhagi Katbamna]

I think some of the resentment that posters here have of the Williams sisters is due to ESPN's TV coverage of the slams focusing on them rather than any particular animosity to the sisters themselves.

 

[Joe Pike]

Sharapova may have a case? But Henin? She has never moved the needle.

There is a disconnect here. Just because people are popular with a certain segment, people tend to try to discredit this. Ignorant statements are made, like 'no real tennis fan is a fan of the Williams Sisters'. Bitter is the perfect word to sum this up. There's a few other words that could be used, but I won't go there (perhaps Thunder will).

The Williams sisters were among the most popular players in the last decade.
They had and still have many fans.
But at least here in Europe Sharapova, Henin and Clijsters are more popular.

 

[LDVTennis]

By default.
America has no other female world-class athletes currently.

Funny, because didn't Serena beat a horse for title of AP Athlete of the Year in 2009.

That says it all, doesn't it? LOL.

 

[P_Agony]

Don't like their attitude, especially Serena's.

 

[Ronaldo]

Funny, because didn't Serena beat a horse for title of AP Athlete of the Year in 2009.

That says it all, doesn't it? LOL.

Zenyatta just won the 2010 title by losing and never uttered a word.

 

[Sentinel]

Now this statement irritates me from everyone it comes from. What is so off putting from a dominant individual in any field?

Yeah but just go back a couple of years to when Roger was dominant. There was quite a bit of anti-Federer posting in those days. People would say they were not going to watch a match or were going to sleep or off to work since they knew the outcome.

 

[THUNDERVOLLEY]

Funny, because didn't Serena beat a horse for title of AP Athlete of the Year in 2009.

That says it all, doesn't it? LOL.

Clijsters was third on that list, which means a horse earned more votes, so what does that say about her...or others on the list, like Lindsey Vonn?

...it says your joke--an attempt to make some socially warped corelation between a woman and an animal--takes its expected place at the bottom of the toilet.

 

[Underhand]

Serena's 'roid rage fits are entertaining, VW is just a boring ball basher.

 

[THUNDERVOLLEY]

But Henin? She has never moved the needle.

True.

For being a "top" professional in such an international sport, one can argue that Henin is one the most low-key, forgettable players in a generation. Being the business that tennis happens to be, her presence in the ancillary market would be missed if you blinked--unlike the Williams sisters or a Sharapova. Even some female skating and golf pros appear to have a stronger international media/ancillary market presence than Henin, which should tell anyone all they need to know about her stand in the popular culture.

There is a disconnect here. Just because people are popular with a certain segment, people tend to try to discredit this. Ignorant statements are made, like 'no real tennis fan is a fan of the Williams Sisters'. Bitter is the perfect word to sum this up.

Bitter works well enough, as it covers many motives for the kind of posts seen on this board.

 

[WChiang]

I enjoy good tennis and I like watching both Serena & Venus play. Usually their level is far and above the competition and it's fun to see. I get very tired of the baseline bashers from Russia or the unimaginative play of people like Wozniaki. The Williams sisters have been great for women's tennis and have a wonderful legacy established.

That said, I lost a lot of respect for Serena after her USO wig out but that doesn't effect my enjoyment of watching her destroy the competition. Her run through the Wimbledon draw was incredible. I've always like Venus and consider her a class act.

Those that bash them using backhanded insults; call them the "sista's"; or make fun of their "looks" have issues that go way beyond a love of tennis or sports and I feel sorry for those people. In fact, one of the bonus reasons that I love seeing either Serena or Venus win is to see the usual suspect TT posters start threads to prove their ignorance and hate. Sadly comical...but it's the same bunch every time. Oh well...

 

[dlk]

I enjoy good tennis and I like watching both Serena & Venus play. Usually their level is far and above the competition and it's fun to see. I get very tired of the baseline bashers from Russia or the unimaginative play of people like Wozniaki. The Williams sisters have been great for women's tennis and have a wonderful legacy established.

That said, I lost a lot of respect for Serena after her USO wig out but that doesn't effect my enjoyment of watching her destroy the competition. Her run through the Wimbledon draw was incredible. I've always like Venus and consider her a class act.

Those that bash them using backhanded insults; call them the "sista's"; or make fun of their "looks" have issues that go way beyond a love of tennis or sports and I feel sorry for those people. In fact, one of the bonus reasons that I love seeing either Serena or Venus win is to see the usual suspect TT posters start threads to prove their ignorance and hate. Sadly comical...but it's the same bunch every time. Oh well...

I enjoy watching them play, but of course, someone has to bash the Russians (I like WOZ's style), because 'we' can't like the Williams & everyone else, at the same time Just come right out and say you believe people don't like them because their black!

 

[TMF]

Athlete cannot gain popularity when he/she did something repulsive. Because Tiger and Kobe's infidelity, they lost fans, endorsement, and respect from fans. Serena is no exception after her USO outburst. It's unfair to include Venus in this poll b/c it had nothing to do with her.

 

[ashitaka2010]

Athlete cannot gain popularity when he/she did something repulsive. Because Tiger and Kobe's infidelity, they lost fans, endorsement, and respect from fans. Serena is no exception after her USO outburst. It's unfair to include Venus in this poll b/c it had nothing to do with her.

 

[LDVTennis]

Clijsters was third on that list, which means a horse earned more votes, so what does that say about her...or others on the list, like Lindsey Vonn?

...it says your joke--an attempt to make some socially warped corelation between a woman and an animal--takes its expected place at the bottom of the toilet.

I didn't make the correlation. The AP writers did. In the history of that poll, Serena is the only person to ever beat out a horse for the title.

But, beyond that, my point was that even the AP writers had only two good choices for female AP Athlete of the Year and one of them was a horse.

If that's the case, what choices could the people who answered the poll that named Venus and Serena the most popular athletes have had?

If I remember the results of that poll correctly, Chris Evert was named one of the top 5 most popular. Chris Evert? She hasn't played in years and yet some people chose her over Venus and Serena. Yeah, the results of that poll were very scientific.

Here's another poll for you. And, in this poll people voted with their money. No Venus and Serena, yet attendance at Indian Wells increased year over year again in 2010. (Indian Wells is the largest event in terms of attendance outside of the majors.)

 

[jamesblakefan#1]

Athlete cannot gain popularity when he/she did something repulsive. Because Tiger and Kobe's infidelity, they lost fans, endorsement, and respect from fans. Serena is no exception after her USO outburst. It's unfair to include Venus in this poll b/c it had nothing to do with her.

You once again stick your head up your arse. Tiger and Kobe were voted the US' most popular male athletes.

http://www.seathound.com/news/2010/...the-us-2010-harris-poll-gives-tiger-the-edge/

:roll:

 

[THUNDERVOLLEY]

I enjoy good tennis and I like watching both Serena & Venus play. Usually their level is far and above the competition and it's fun to see. I get very tired of the baseline bashers from Russia or the unimaginative play of people like Wozniaki. The Williams sisters have been great for women's tennis and have a wonderful legacy established.

True.

Those that bash them using backhanded insults; call them the "sista's"; or make fun of their "looks" have issues that go way beyond a love of tennis or sports and I feel sorry for those people. In fact, one of the bonus reasons that I love seeing either Serena or Venus win is to see the usual suspect TT posters start threads to prove their ignorance and hate. Sadly comical...but it's the same bunch every time. Oh well...

Agreed; they cannot hurt their tennis reputations or erase the accomplishments, so--on schedule--comes irrelevant attacks based on the social ills of the usual suspects....as we see in this thread.

 

[THUNDERVOLLEY]

I didn't make the correlation. The AP writers did.

The AP simply released a list based on votes with no negative undertone at all. On the other hand, your contribution to page 2--unlike the AP list--made the negative correlation:

Funny, because didn't Serena beat a horse for title of AP Athlete of the Year in 2009.

That says it all, doesn't it? LOL.

We know your game where Serena is concerned, so can the innocent act.

 

[THUNDERVOLLEY]

You once again stick your head up your arse. Tiger and Kobe were voted the US' most popular male athletes.

http://www.seathound.com/news/2010/...the-us-2010-harris-poll-gives-tiger-the-edge/

:roll:

I wonder why he insists on making bold statements (like anything regarding Serena, public perception, etc.) which are so easily refuted...

 

[TMF]

You once again stick your head up your arse. Tiger and Kobe were voted the US' most popular male athletes.

http://www.seathound.com/news/2010/...the-us-2010-harris-poll-gives-tiger-the-edge/

:roll:

If it weren't for their sexual infidelity, I'm sure they would have much more votes(and not lose some of their fans' respect). If you think they will continue to be more popular, then they should go out and have more affairs. Or Serena come up with another outburst at the slam.

 

[TMF]

I wonder why he insists on making bold statements (like anything regarding Serena, public perception, etc.) which are so easily refuted...

Serena lost respect from many tennis fans, that's even include members on this board. There's no denying that unless you are a **********(and that's you!).

Again, the OP should have left out Venus from this poll. It's not fair for her. Capiche?