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A historic day at Hundred auction but barely any women were there to see it | Andy Bull
| United Kingdom | politics | ✓ Verified - theguardian.com

A historic day at Hundred auction but barely any women were there to see it | Andy Bull

#Hundred auction #women's cricket #gender inequality #historic event #attendance #Andy Bull #cricket administration

📌 Key Takeaways

  • The Hundred's inaugural player auction was a historic event for women's cricket.
  • Despite its significance, very few women attended the auction in person.
  • The article highlights ongoing gender disparities in cricket's administrative and spectator spaces.
  • Andy Bull critiques the visibility and inclusion of women in major cricket milestones.

📖 Full Retelling

<p>Sophie Devine and Beth Mooney were signed for £210,000 in what was meant to herald a new era, but it was still mostly men making the decisions</p><p>It’s Piccadilly Circus. It’s candy pink and dayglow green. It’s 19-year-old Davina Perrin being bought by the Birmingham Phoenix for £50,000 a couple of years after she has <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/oct/29/five-years-40000-kids-and-three-pro-cricketers-now-ace-programme-has-bigger-ambitions">graduated

🏷️ Themes

Gender Disparity, Cricket Milestones

📚 Related People & Topics

Andy Bull

Musical artist

Andy Bull is an Australian alt-pop singer-songwriter and producer, based in Sydney. He is best known for his singles "Dog", "Keep on Running" and "Baby I Am Nobody Now"; as well as his prolific Australian touring. Bull also provides the singing voice to animated character, Jay, in the Netflix origin...

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Deep Analysis

Why It Matters

This news highlights a significant gender disparity in attendance at a major cricket event, underscoring ongoing issues of inclusivity and representation in sports. It affects women cricket fans, players, and advocates who seek equal visibility and participation in the sport. The lack of female presence at such a high-profile auction raises questions about accessibility, marketing, and cultural barriers within cricket. This matters for the sport's growth and its ability to inspire future generations of female athletes and supporters.

Context & Background

  • The Hundred is a professional 100-ball cricket tournament in England and Wales, launched in 2021 to attract new audiences to the sport.
  • Women's cricket has seen increased investment and visibility in recent years, with The Hundred featuring equal prize money for men's and women's competitions.
  • Historically, cricket has struggled with gender equality, with women's matches often receiving less coverage and attendance than men's events.
  • Auctions for The Hundred involve teams bidding for players, similar to other franchise leagues like the IPL, and are key events in the cricketing calendar.

What Happens Next

Cricket authorities and teams may review strategies to boost female attendance at future auctions and matches, potentially through targeted marketing or community outreach. Discussions on improving inclusivity in cricket events could lead to policy changes or initiatives ahead of the next Hundred season. If unaddressed, this issue might spark broader public debate on gender representation in sports media and fandom.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is The Hundred auction?

The Hundred auction is an event where teams bid for players to form their squads for The Hundred cricket tournament. It is a key part of the league's structure, determining team compositions for the season.

Why were there barely any women at the auction?

Possible reasons include lack of targeted promotion to female audiences, cultural barriers in cricket fandom, or accessibility issues for women attending such events. This reflects broader challenges in making cricket inclusive for all genders.

How does this affect women's cricket?

Low female attendance at major events can hinder the growth of women's cricket by reducing visibility and support. It may also impact inspiration for young female players and the overall perception of gender equality in the sport.

What can be done to improve female representation at cricket events?

Solutions could include better marketing to women, creating more inclusive event environments, and promoting female role models in cricket. Engaging with communities and offering incentives might also help boost attendance.

Is The Hundred making progress on gender equality?

The Hundred has made strides with equal prize money and simultaneous men's and women's matches, but attendance disparities show there is still work to do. Continued efforts are needed to ensure full inclusivity in all aspects of the tournament.

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Original Source
A historic day at Hundred auction but barely any women were there to se There were £210,00 deals for Sophie Devine and Beth Mooney in what was meant to herald a new era, but it was still mostly men making decisions I t’s Piccadilly Circus. It’s candy pink and dayglow green. It’s 19-year-old Davina Perrin being bought by the Birmingham Phoenix for £50,000 a couple of years after she has graduated from Ebony Rainford Brent’s ACE programme . It’s the former Leicestershire fast bowler Charles Dagnall in skinny jeans with an iPad and an interactive screen. It’s Hero Players. It’s Vitality Wild Cards. It’s Sophie Devine and Beth Mooney being signed for £210,000, which is more than the entire women’s squad earned between them when the Hundred launched in 2021. It’s English cricket’s first player auction. It’s that Richard Madley off Bargain Hunt with a gavel and a silk handkerchief in his top pocket, it’s a grand total of 2,667 people watching a YouTube live stream. It’s the teams’ in-house content creators filming TikTok interviews with their bosses in a “brand performance space” at the centre of a part of London no Londoners go to unless they absolutely have to. It’s the bright, brilliant, inclusive future of English cricket. And it’s a room full of men sitting around weighing the relative merits of young women so they can bid against each other for their services in a competitive auction. Wait. Is that last one right? Unfortunately, yes. It was a historic day for female cricket players. England’s Dani Gibson has become one of the best-paid sportswomen in the country after being brought for £190,000. But it wasn’t a historic day for female cricket coaches, analysts, administrators or franchise owners, who were mostly missing from the scene. Among the 60-odd people in the room, a dozen of them were women and two of the team’s tables were entirely male. Whichever way you cut it, it was an odd look on the first day of the new era of the competition. “It is really disappoint...
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Source

theguardian.com

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