It looks like "Eddie Everywhere" McGuire can't be everywhere - or at least not when it comes to women's footy.
The Collingwood Football Club president was missing from Friday night's AFLW's inaugural game between Carlton and the Magpies.
The match at Princes Park, the old Carlton stadium, attracted 24,500 supporters.
The interest was so immense that by late in the first quarter security had stopped letting people into the ground.
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Present among the cheering crowds was Carlton Football President Mark Logiudice.
But missing was Mr McGuire.
The high-profile television presenter and businessman was instead in Adelaide, hosting the night's big fight, in which Danny Green beat Anthony Mundine in the final clash of their bitter boxing rivalry.
Eddie really getting behind @aflwomens #AFLWBluesPies tonight in Adelaide at #MundineGreen2. pic.twitter.com/FHorTvwteW
— Mikey Nicholson (@Mikey_Nicholson) February 3, 2017
His absence from one of his club's most important games has drawn flak on social media.
Hmmm. Wondered why we never saw him during the game. Poor form. He missed a great game! #AFLW #AFLWBluesPies https://t.co/14GV3jUJWm
— Amy McCann (@amymccann) February 3, 2017
Any reason why the president of @CollingwoodFC is hosting the boxing on @FOXSports rather than at his club's historic @aflwomens debut?
— Francis Leach (@SaintFrankly) February 3, 2017
Mr McGuire welcomed the launch of Collingwood's women's team in June last year with "pure optimism and joy".
"This is a game, and its time has come and we're up to our necks in it," he said.
When it comes to women, Mr McGuire has courted controversy before.
Personally I'm glad Eddie McGuire didn't attend #AFLWBluesPies - it was an incredible game and history will roll on without him #boybye
— Rhiannon Newman (@rhiannon_newman) February 3, 2017
Last year, he came under fire after saying he would pay $50,000 to see The Age's chief football writer Caroline Wilson stay under a pool of iced water and charge an extra $10,000 for "everyone to stand around the outside and bomb her".
After days of outrage, he apologised on radio, saying "I say from the bottom of my heart that I am so sorry that those comments have resonated that way, I am so sorry that anyone could even think that's what anyone was thinking".
So Collingwood president Eddie McGuire watched a fight instead of the #AFLWBluesPies says a lot of what he thinks of the competition
— Allen Besch (@beschy83) February 3, 2017
What a surprise, not! Demand more from your Prez. Eddie McGuire missing from Collingwood's historic AFLW debut https://t.co/FBcHQ2QQIx
— Janine O'Flynn (@JanineOFlynn) February 4, 2017
The former Channel Nine chief executive was also alleged to have said he wanted to "bone" the then Today Show presenter Jessica Rowe. he said later that he had said "burn", and the sworn affidavit of head Nine news and current affairs, Mark Llewellyn, said that "bone" meant "sack".
Mr McGuire has been contacted for comment.
What sort of President would miss an inaugural match? Collingwood should sack McGuire. #AFL #AFLW #AFLWBluesPies
— Thomas Parkes (@_thomasparkes) February 4, 2017
Why is #EddieMcGuire commentating a sport he has no assoc. with & not @ the first ever AFLW women's match of a club that he's the Prez of??
— Gavin Ingham (@Gavin_Ingham) February 3, 2017
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