Edith Cowan University Research Online Theses : Honours Theses 2001 The call of the sirens: The women who support the Fremantle Dockers Fiona Irvine Edith Cowan University Follow this and additional works at: https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses_hons Part of the Sports Management Commons Recommended Citation Irvine, F. (2001). The call of the sirens: The women who support the Fremantle Dockers. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses_hons/151 This Thesis is posted at Research Online. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses_hons/151 Edith Cowan University Copyright Warning You may print or download ONE copy of this document for the purpose of your own research or study. The University does not authorize you to copy, communicate or otherwise make available electronically to any other person any copyright material contained on this site. You are reminded of the following: Copyright owners are entitled to take legal action against persons who infringe their copyright. 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THE CALL OF THE SIRENS: THE WOMEN WHO SUPPORT THE FREMANTLE DOCKERS By Fiona Irvine Bachelor of Business (Sports Management) A thesis submitted in partial fulfillmentof the requirements forthe award of Bachelor of Business Honours (Sports Management) At the Faculty of Business and Public Management, Edith Cowan University Date of Submission: November, 2001 USE OF THESIS The Use of Thesis statement is not included in this version of the thesis. Declaration I certify that this thesis does not, to the best of my knowledge and belief: (i) incorporate without acknowledgment any material previously submitted for a degree or diploma in any institution of higher education (ii) Contain any material previously published or written by another person except where due reference is made (iii) Contain any defamatory material Date: __;2;..__ 0.,__/ 2_/_2_0_0_2..__ _ Signed: _ _· __ iii Acknowledgments To Dr Sue Colyer, thankyou for directing me towards an area of interest and igniting the enthusiasm, your patience and guidance through a year no one can describe is greatly appreciated. To the reviewers of my proposal, thankyou, your time and input was invaluable in the completion of my thesis. Thankyou Meredith Eddington and the Fremantle Dockers Football Club for allowing access to the Sirens members and giving so freely of your time and resources. To the Sirens members, thankyou for being so open and honest in expressing your feelings and opinions, it was a pleasure gaining an insight to your passion for the Fremantle Dockers Football Club. To Mum, thankyou for your support throughout what was a challenging year and for always being there for me when I needed to talk it through. To my sister Suzi thanks for the support. Judy Mouchemore, thankyou for instilling the belief that I could go to University and succeed your faith in me is greatly appreciated. Finally to my fellow Honours student and best friend Lis, for never doubting I could do it even when I did, thankyou. iv Abstract Australian Football and sport in general is a large part of the Australian culture. In the past men have dominated most aspects of sport as participants, spectators and administrators. Women have fulfilled a submissive role supporting men's sporting pursuits. However, the role of women is more significant and football clubs are recognising the importance of this membership segment by creating clubs within clubs to cater forthe needs of female members. This study examined the reasons why women enjoy watching men's sport and if there are specific reasons why they joined a women-only supporter club of a male sport. A census of the Sirens, the women-only supporter club of the Fremantle Dockers Football Club was completed using a self-administered questionnaire. A 58 percent response rate was achieved. The quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics. The qualitative data responses to open-ended questions were analysed using thematic and content analysis. Demographic characteristics revealed women who were older than expected, employed professionally and predominantly of Australian or British origin. The Sirens' dedication to the Fremantle Dockers team and Fremantle Football Club as a whole was the main reason for women's membership of the supporter club. While social activities were enjoyable more satisfaction was derived from activities associated to the game of Australian football. The findings suggested that the Sirens preference was not for men's sport generally but for the Australian Football League specifically. V Table of Contents Page Use of thesis 11 Declaration 111 Acknowledgements iv Abstract V Chapter One: Introduction Background to study 1 Significance of the study 3 Purpose of the study 4 Research questions and objectives 4 Definition of terms 5 Limitations 5 Expected outcomes 6 Structure of the study 7 Chapter Two: Literature Review Spectators 8 History of women as spectators 10 Women who watch sport 13 Marketing to female spectators 15 Women and the AFL 17 Dockers and the Sirens 21 Background to implementing the Sirens Making the Sirens a part of the Fremantle Dockers Aims of the Fremantle Dockers by implementing the Sirens Initiatives to cater for the needs of the Sirens The future of the Sirens A Comparison 35 The St Kilda Angels The Essendon Women's Network The Port Adelaide Women in Power vi Page Chapter Three: Methodology Research design 48 The study population 49 Research instrument 49 Data collection 51 Pilot study 52 Ethics 53 Data analysis 53 Chapter Four: Findings Demographic of the Sirens 56 Age Occupation Residential suburb Birthplace of the Sirens Time as an AFL fan The name, Sirens Other sports watched Section Two 61 Time as a Dockers supporter Becoming aware of the Sirens Reasons forjoining the Sirens Most enjoyed activities The importance of being a Siren Sirens expectations Meeting expectations Section Three 71 Feelings about Sirens membership Main benefitsgained as a Siren Improving the Sirens Describing the Sirens Preferencefor men's sport Further comments Summary 85 vii Page Chapter Five: Summary, Conclusion and Recommendations Study Approach 86 Summary of results 86 Who are the women who join the Sirens club of the Fremantle Dockers Football Club? 87 Sirens demographic profile Why do female members of the Fremantle Dockers join and continue as members of the women's supporter club the Sirens? 88 Reasons for joining the Sirens Importance of being a Siren Expectations of the Sirens Catering to the Sirens needs and improvements to the club Do these women have specificreasons for following a male dominated sport? 96 Interest in Men's sport Conclusion 99 Recommendations for the Fremantle Dockers 100 Recommendations for further study 103 References 105 Appendices 109 Appendix A: Sirens Publicity Appendix B: Sirens Membership Brochure Appendix C: Sirens Newsletter Appendix D: Essendon Women's Network Brochure Appendix E: Women in Power web-site information Appendix F: Sirens Survey Form Appendix G: First Mail-out Letter Appendix H: Second Mail-out Letter Appendix I: Birthplace of Sirens and Immediate Family Appendix J: Sirens Feelings and Opinion Themes viii List of Figures Page Figure 1: Conceptual framework of the study 6 Figure2: Revised Conceptual framework 98 ix List of Tables Page Table 1: Age dispersion of the Sirens members 57 Table 2: Occupation status of the Sirens members 57 Table 3: Time as an AFL fan 59 Table 4: Time as a Fremantle Dockers member 62 Table 5: Becoming aware of the Sirens 63 Table 6: Reasons for joining the Sirens 64 Table 7: Most enjoyed activities 66 Table 8: Importance of being a Siren 67 Table 9: Expectations of the Sirens 69 Table 10: Meeting Sirens Expectations 70 Appendices Table 11: Birthplace of the Sirens 144 Table 12: Birthplace of the Sirens parents 144 Table 13: Birthplace of the Sirens grandparents 145 X -- Chapter One Introduction Background to the study Sport has been a large part of Australian culture for many decades and still remains a strong part of the lifestyle of many families. Love of sport and playing sport are considered characteristics of being Australian (Adair & Vamplew, 1997), and in the past sport was seen more as a way to promote the required male image (Stoddart, 1986). Toughness and resilience, qualities considered among the most important for males to possess were developed on the sporting field. "Women, it seems were never meant to take sport seriously in the Australian context" (Stoddart, 1986, p. 153). A belief held by society was that a serious interest in sport by women would threaten family and marital relationships (Talamin & Page, 1973). Australian football (traditionally known as "Aussie Rules") is considered by many to be the epitome of Australian manhood whether in the capacity of participants or spectators (Adair & Vamplew, 1997). The sport gains great benefit from its followers, with attendance at Australian football matches across Australia over 6 million people each year (Butler, 1998). A Grand Final match attracts approximately 100,000 people to the ground, with millions more watching this match on television (Butler, 1998), more than any other sport in Australia (Ryan, 1998). This interest manifests itself in a strong spectator base that has allowed some sporting organisations to build large membership clubs of spectators.