Women's Sports Rise: A Call for Male Journalists to Step Up

La Trobe University, as a member of The Conversation AU, provides funding. This month, the issue of sports media misogyny gained significant attention.

In the United States, two high-profile sports reporters found themselves apologizing for their inappropriate coverage of female athletes, Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. These talented basketball players moved from the National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) Sweet 16 to the Women's National Basketball Association's (WNBA) draft within weeks.

Los Angeles Times reporter Ben Bolch faced backlash for referring to Reese's Louisiana State University (LSU) team as "dirty debutantes." LSU coach Kim Mulkey vehemently criticized this comment, labeling it sexist. Bolch quickly retracted his statement and issued an apology.

Similarly, Indianapolis Star columnist Gregg Doyel sparked outrage after engaging in an inappropriate exchange with WNBA No. 1 draft pick Clark at a press conference. He too had to apologize publicly for his behavior.

Male commentators or journalists have frequently made derogatory remarks or taken actions against women in sports in Australia.

The fact that contemporary sports media is overwhelmingly male-dominated contributes significantly to this problem. In Australia, only about 10% of sports reporters are women; figures in other countries like Canada and the U.S. aren't much better either.

This gender imbalance sends out a damaging message: sport is primarily men’s territory, and any woman who enters it becomes subject to men's perspectives, often resulting in ridicule or marginalization. Even though overt sexualization has decreased over time, subtle forms persist, which continue to undermine women’s achievements in sports.

Sports journalism needs more diversity to effectively address this issue, especially more representation from women who have firsthand experience playing these sports. Such diverse insights can help to shape better narratives about women athletes while also challenging existing biases prevalent within traditional reporting frameworks.

The same NCAA competition served as an example of what positive change could look like. ESPN assembled an all-women panel comprising of former players and sports journalists to cover the tournament, a move that led to record viewership for the event.

Australia experienced something similar in March when an all-woman commentary team covered an A-League round, marking a first for any Australian professional league. Yet, as commentator Kate Allman pointed out, it took until 2024 to reach this point, indicative of the numerous challenges women face within this industry.

As we approach another Olympics where Australia’s female athletes are expected to shine across various sports disciplines, it becomes even more critical that they receive fair and respectful coverage from diverse voices in the media.

Moreover, we need to develop and promote youth mentoring initiatives widely to encourage young girls to envision careers in sports journalism. Not only does such representation break down gender barriers, but it also contributes to improving overall coverage standards, something our deserving athletes certainly need.