In the top-rated, most circulated, American sports publication (name held anonymous) – only 8% of the total coverage focused on women’s sports or athletes. That figure was generously calculated from a sample of 6 editions covering a 3-month period (May – July 2009), with “coverage” being defined as the name of a female athlete mentioned, an advertisement featuring a female athlete, an image (despite size) shown, or a full article. Taking these statistics into consideration, the following are facts:
Between May and July 2009…
1) The LPGA had 7 tournaments, with the total purse for all 7 events totaling $19.3 million.
2) The WNBA, the WPS (Women’s Professional Soccer League), and the NPF (National Pro Fast-Pitch Softball League) were in the heart of their seasons.
3) The NCAA Women’s College World Series took place, where the Washington Huskies went undefeated in the tournament, taking the Championship for the first time in history and finishing the season with a 50-12 record. The MVP, All-American and National Player of the Year, Danielle Lawrie, pitched six complete games in six days to take the championship for her team.
What forces in our society drive this disparity between men’s and women’s sports? It’s no secret that women have fought inferiority over the course of history. Women’s rights have been subjected to contempt and judgment; the right to vote, the right to equal pay and job opportunities, the right to gender equality. These same societal forces have played an undeniable part in women’s sports. In the early 1900s, medical doctors warned the public that playing sports for girls would deplete the necessary energy needed to conceive and bear healthy children (Coakley, 2007). Organizers and sponsors of sports during this time challenged that sport participation was not as important in the character development of females as it was for males. The opportunities for females to become involved in sports were limited, and often restrictive. It was not until after Title IX was passed (1972) that growth was seen in female athletic participation. Even at that, the mere expectations of female athletes are different. Think back to the 1999 Women’s World Cup. The moment when the USA’s Brandi Chastain scored the game winning penalty kick goal versus China to win. The real question is would anyone have still remembered that moment, if it was not for the controversy that arose afterwards? Controversy - because she removed her shirt in traditional soccer celebratory fashion, something Chastain’s male counterparts have done for years without ridicule.
The typical response is that women’s sports and female athletes do not receive as much coverage because their popularity does not compare to that of men’s sports and male athletes. If so, which comes first? Women’s sports are not popular so the media chooses not to cover it, or the media chooses not to cover it, so women’s sports do not gain popularity? The media is an influential and powerful entity born from our society.
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You've brought up interesting points here. I've noticed the WPS getting more coverage as the season goes on, which is great, even if it's not 100% supportive or if it compares it to the WNBA. In the beginning of the season, the WPS was being mistaken for the WUSA, but I haven't seen that happen since.
ReplyDeleteI think the 90,000 fans packed into the sold out rose bowl would have been enough to remember that event. Shirt off or not. Of course, it put women's soccer into a different part of the media, but it would have been remembered just the same.
So yes, women's sports are starting to gain some media attention - but let's be real in how it compares. As for the World Cup, no one denies the fans in attendance remembered the event - they were there. The point is that the media directed attention to her controversial appearance rather than the team's victory; which is something male counterparts in the sport have never been subjected to.
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