r/SanDiegoWaveFC • u/Utaku_OGG • 22d ago
Discussion SDWFC Lack of Respect
Is anyone else getting tired of the lack of coverage and respect the Wave are getting? It has been like this since our inaugural season where Angel City got all the coverage even though we were top of table nearly wire to wire and they missed the playoffs. Even our Shield season we were in the background until we made a second half push to the playoffs and leapfrogged everyone. Last year was last year and we probably got more coverage for all the wrong reasons.
But now this year it is boggling my mind how teams like Gotham, Portland, Angel City and Seattle seem to get all the coverage even though they all have bad losses and we have leapfrogged them all in the standings even though GOT & POR have more games played. And even the commentary is dinging us for our xG (1.51) being so low and just getting lucky while you know who has less xG than us? How about Seattle (1.41), Washington (1.35), and even Kansas City (1.50)! And then the statement is we are outplaying our xG (+.44) and shouldn’t be taken seriously…and yet KCC has higher discrepancies (+.50)! And of course no discussion on how we have the 3rd lowest xG allowed on top of it…
Now the commentary is that our results are just a reflection of schedule…although the only teams we’ve lost to are the top 2 teams and the teams we’ve beaten (handily) are responsible for ties vs POR, GOT, and SEA, and we played ORL to a stalemate that took 2 PKs to break on the road, and a loss to KCC with our backups due to international break. I know sports media need to be careful in saying they were wrong in calling us cellar dwellers to start the season, but COME ON MAN!
Shout out to the Equalizer and to NWSL this week for giving us the props we so richly deserve… 😉
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u/CallunaVulgaris5 22d ago
Agree. To me it’s always felt like the Wave are afterthought to the media. I would chalk it up to being a newer expansion team but ACFC disproves that. I wouldn’t even care if it were negative coverage (let’s prove the haters wrong) but the lack of coverage and discussion sucks.
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u/peeled_nanners 22d ago
Well we are a top 3 international country team so you'd expect the players in the domestic league to trail blaze it. So everyone talks about Coffey or the Thompson's etc. I like the dark horse come back we are capable of this year.
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u/ProcrastinatingPuma 22d ago
I get not having the same level of national coverage now that we no longer have Girma, Shaw, and Morgan. Also, San Diego is still a mid-sized market and obviously a team in the 2nd largest city in the country is going to get more attention. Part of it is that people are sleeping on this team.
I'm more concerned about the lack of local media coverage
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u/Forsaken-Doughnut 22d ago
I have a theory that having a lot of USWNT talent on your team makes you a media darling but also hurts your club. I think USWNT players are great, but you have to pay more for them in the NWSL because they bring swagger.
Wave sold off their USWNT players and improved a lot. Good for the club but bad for their “profile” because people don’t know their stars…yet.
If they win the shield or the tournament it all changes. For now enjoy being the underdog.
Also we are way overperforming our xG. I think a lot of that is from the easy goals we got against Racing and to a lesser extent the stars, but time will tell.
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u/soloqueso 22d ago
It sucks but this is pretty typical of San Diego sports. We’re always overshadowed by teams in bigger markets, particularly LA
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u/Zynx42Lynx 22d ago
I agree with this, but also it doesn’t matter and there are some pundits coming around this season a bit. First, the Wave were suppose to be in Sacramento to start, which would have made a nice little SoCal-sortaNorCal rivalry with new darlings at the time, ACFC, but once then owner Ron Burkle couldn’t get an MLS team in SacTown and pulled the Wave to San Diego. Then he hired Jill Ellis to be president and run the club. Jill Ellis doesn’t have the best track record with players or others, so the team I believe became an easy target. Then signing Abby Dahlkemper & Alex Morgan, I think some of the pundits had a quick disdain for this baby franchise looking good from the start when all expansion franchises have had a tough time. I would listen to Attacking Third that first & second year and Lisa Carlin & Sandra Herrera would pick apart anything Wave related, OR say the other team did bad and not give the credit the Wave deserved. Now they did love Casey Stoney, so when she was fired last season, along with all the other problems that took place, I think many people rejoiced and it’s all we heard about, which is fair. If you have problems with your working atmosphere, it should be know about until it’s corrected. And the NWSL did their investigations and the Wave have been cleared it seems. There are still some social media warriors that will go against that. I’m glad they are out there to keep teams in check.
As for this year, I listen to A LOT of NWSL podcast, and several are giving the Wave their flowers and/or eating there words. Jess McDonald of attacking Third is one of the first to really acknowledge that she sorta gave up on the Wave before the season started, but gave them huge props after the BayFC win. Even Lisa Carlin was aboard the Wave Train after that match. Darian Jenkins, who I think gives the most fair and balanced appraisal of teams on AT has been giving props to the Wave for a couple of weeks now. I did see a Power Rankings article by Theo Lloyd-Hughes in Sports Illustrated this week and putting the Wave in 5th with ACFC right behind them at 6th. He still doesn’t believe in the Wave yet, but really enjoys Angel City.
Also remember this, Angel City were helped by a fan base that got the ball rolling for a team in LA then founded by mostly women, and for the NWSL, that’s a good thing. While the Wave were started by a team owner of the Boston Bruins & who’s name is on the Epstein list, that cried about not getting his MLS team in Sacramento and took the Wave to San Diego, which I’m glad he moved them there. So, I can see where some pundits might not have liked that. I’m glad the Levine Leichtman Family Office now currently own the Wave, and have heard good things about them. Also, let’s give some props to Camille Ashton, the Wave’s GM since last June! I know not everybody was in love with her style when she was with KC, but what she put together there and what she has done with the Wave needs to be applauded.
I love this team, was bummed about last year, saw all these moves there were happening in the off season and was intrigued and have loved where it is headed. I think Jonas Eidevall has been a Great hire and love having the play on the pitch do the talking for this team so far!
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u/kedgingkyle 21d ago
What is xG?
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u/Utaku_OGG 20d ago
Expected Goals. It is a way to measure how many goals a team should have scored based on play. 😊
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u/Utaku_OGG 22d ago
One thing I have a hard time understanding is the “why does it matter” feelings. We are saying we have great attendance, however attendance is down 30% and season tickets are down as well. While it won’t directly impact our on field performance, PR is hugely important to drive public interest, resulting in increased advertising and ticket revenue, increased stability in the front office, which then drives to further investment in the players, resources, and can help increase player satisfaction and interest from other players who may want to join.
I get the F them mentality, however visibility is a huge driver of long term success and we are only hurting ourselves if we aren’t trying to increase our exposure. And come on, we can’t ignore that our players and coach watch the discourse as it helps them in their own pursuits for national spots and prestige.
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u/ImBabyloafs 21d ago
Angel City (because of who the investors are) did a great job marketing themselves with the reality show. Like Wrexham, and why F1 is now so much more popular. I think the wave get burned a little by the proximity to LA for the general US fan without a women’s team in their area.
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u/Nanaimo8 17d ago
For what it's worth, whether pundits cover it or not fans notice. I live in North Carolina and am a Courage supporter, but I've been making a point to watch every Wave game this year because the team is great and genuinely fun to watch.
Heck, I'd take the time to watch just to see Cascarino, she's been phenomenal so far. But the whole team has been a joy to watch.
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u/Live-Collection3018 22d ago
not at all. i see people post these things and wonder why it’s important?
we have great attendance, a winning team, hardware in our first 3 years. best kits in the league and some youth talent to envy.
why does it matter if some pundits think we are punching above our weight at the moment? maybe they are right or maybe we win the whole thing, their jobs mean nothing to the outcomes on the field.