’Disgrace’: Channel 7 slammed for ‘absolutely atrocious’ Matildas snub
Channel 7 has seen record viewership throughout the FIFA World Cup but their treatment of the Matildas’ final game has been slammed.
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Channel 7 has been slammed for relegating the Matildas’ final FIFA World Cup game on home soil to a secondary channel in Victoria.
The Matildas were playing for pride and a bronze medal against Sweden on Saturday night in Brisbane as they looked to finish the tournament on a high.
Australia’s women’s football team have taken the nation by storm and it’s been reflected in record TV viewership numbers for free-to-air broadcaster Channel 7.
The quarterfinal penalty shootout win over France set Australian TV ratings records, only to be surpassed by the mammoth 11 million people who tuned in to watch the heartbreaking semi-final loss to England.
Given that match was viewed by nearly half the country and was the most watched Australian TV program this century, you’d have thought Channel 7 would have kept the Matildas on its main channel.
But after making the decision to push back the nightly news to put the quarterfinal against France on the main channel, Seven reverted back to old ways for the third place playoff against Sweden.
Viewers in Victoria were left flicking through the channels, dumbfounded that the Matildas were relegated to 7Mate while Border Security took pride of place on Channel 7.
And even when that program finished, Channel 7 ran its evening news at 6pm in Melbourne and prioritised the AFL game between Geelong and St Kilda at 7pm.
The decision defied belief after the groundswell of support and eyeballs towards the Matildas over the past month — especially since Melbourne and Victoria is arguably the football heartland of Australia.
Viewers could stream the game on 7plus, but to say viewers weren’t impressed in an understatement.
Why have Channel 7 put the game tonight on '7 mate'? 🤨🙄#FIFAWWC#Matildas
— Sarah Hartree (@sarahartree) August 19, 2023
So Channel 7 decided that 7mate broadcast the matidas bronze match #matildaspic.twitter.com/X30yTQz8SW
— Marmalade (@Marmalade_Jam12) August 19, 2023
“Absolutely atrocious by @Channel7 moving the #Matildas off 7 to 7mate,” one viewer said.
A second tweeted: “Wtf is border security doing on channel 7? After record ratings - this is what seven does?”
A frustrated fan said: “The fact that @Channel7 has bumped @TheMatildas to 7mate tonight now they’re not in the final is a disgrace. Seriously read the room idiots. People still care.”
Another fumed: “Disgraceful Channel 7, can’t even show the soccer on your main channel.”
Another fan summed it up: “Hopeless @Channel7 - not switching the @AFL game to 7MateHD. The #Matildas deserve to be on the main channel for what they have given the nation.”
Sweden had the upper hand for most of the first half and took the lead when Matildas defender Clare Hunt conceded a penalty for making contact with Sweden’s Stina Blackstenius in the box.
It was relatively minor contact but VAR deemed it was a penalty and Frindolina Rolfo made no mistake as Sweden went up 1-0.
Kosovare Asllani slotted a superb strike in the 62nd minute to give Sweden a 2-0 lead and a fatigued Matildas outfit couldn’t find the back of the net.
Originally published as ’Disgrace’: Channel 7 slammed for ‘absolutely atrocious’ Matildas snub
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