Angry footy fans launch petition to stop Kelli Underwood from commentating AFL games

Multiple petitions have been launched by AFL fans to have Kelli Underwood removed from commentating following a torrent of negative comments on social media responding to her call on the weekend.

Underwood is a veteran Australian radio and television sports journalist and sports caster specialising in AFL, netball and tennis.

But she has copped plenty of flack for her AFL commentary, with fans attacking everything from her tone, to her ability to read a match to her excitement levels during key periods of matches.

A change.org petition has been launched with over 300 signatures already calling for the 45-year-old to be removed.

‘She needs to learn the players names and actually need to understand the game is played and some of the calls she makes are terrible,’ the petition reads. 

Another, with over 200 signatures, said ‘other females in special comments are great’ but slammed Underwood’s commentating.

‘This petition is to show Fox Footy that people do not want Kelli Underwood commentating games just so they feel more inclusive,’ it reads. 

There was a flood of anti-Underwood sentiment on social media on the weekend during the Brisbane Lions v Essendon Bombers match with a host of fans – male and female – calling for her to be removed from the commentary box.

Some of the calls were measured, like one fan who posted: ‘Kelli Underwood is so hard to listen to as a commentator. No flow, calls the name of the player who didn’t win the ball, and doesn’t get excited in the exciting parts.’

Some of the responses were savage, including: ‘Kelli Underwood, I’d just like to say thanks. I was in a tragic accident, paralysed from the neck down but today I stood up and walked to turn your commentary off’.

‘Listening to Kelli Underwood screech her way through a game makes me realise how good we had it with Dennis Cometti and Bruce, the contrast is startling,’ posted another AFL fan.

While the overwhelming sentiment toward Underwood’s commentating was negative, she did have her defenders.

‘Get ready to hear from the rednecks. They’re not sexist it just so happens that they think that Kelli Underwood, Daisy Pearce and Alison Mitchell are bad commentators,’ one post read.

‘Good gravy, I am shocked and appalled by the sexist and pathetic comments made about AFL commentator Kelli Underwood,’ another read.

But the calls for Underwood to be hooked from commentary were not coming exclusively from males.

‘Why the hell do you torture your viewers by having Kelli underwood commentating? Time to turn the sound down and put the radio on,’ posted a female AFL supporter.

‘Can we sub out Kelli Underwood now? Cool, thanks, bye,’ posted another.

Legendary broadcaster Rex Hunt recently found himself in hot water for ‘ruining’ the game after ‘wonderful lass’ Daisy Pearce replaced AFL great Wayne Carey in the commentary box.

He was also brought into the Underwood backlash, but one female supporter pointed to the fact that Hunt had actually championed Underwood’s cause early in her career.

‘Not going to defend Rex’s recent comments because they are wrong. But it is also sad, because if you know your history Rex gave Kelli Underwood her first chances to call games,’ they posted.

Underwood recently received lifetime membership at the Australian Football Media Association (AFMA) 2021 Awards and has been called a ‘global pioneer in the coverage of sports’ by veteran broadcaster Gerard Whateley.

In addition to hosting Offsiders for ABC, Underwood is a regular panellist on Fox Sports’ The Back Page. In addition, she calls AFL and AFLW football on ABC Grandstand and Fox Footy.

She called her first AFL game for Network 10 in the round 16 match between Geelong and Melbourne at Kardinia Park in 2009 but was later relegated to boundary rider following public backlash.

Kelli Underwood poses with the award for Most Outstanding Presenter – Female at the 2015 ASTRA Awards at the Star on March 12, 2015

Underwood said some in sport media are still in ‘the dark ages’ after her colleague Tom Morris was sacked by Fox Sports after degrading comments he made about sports broadcaster Megan Barnard were made public.

‘Everyone talks the talk publicly, don’t they? We’re talking about diversity, we’re talking about how important women are,’ Underwood said at the time.

‘And then to know that when you leave the room, some still live in the dark ages, that hurts.’