Women in Sports Media: Anything is possible!

One day, we won't need this day. We won't need a day to celebrate how far we've come. We won't need a day to prove we're just as fast, or strong, or skilled. We won't need a day to relive the comebacks, the first, or the titles we've won. We won't need a day to rally behind the ones fighting to change the rules. One day, we won't need this day at all. Because one day, this day, will be our every day. Female athletes have gone through so much, and there is still so much to be done. However, there is one group of women who are being overshadowed by these incredible athletes, and that is women in sports media. Hi, I'm Carly Espinoza. I'm a college student majoring in political science with a supplementary major in pre-health. So you're probably wondering, why is she going to talk about sports media if she's not even a business major or anything sports specific? Well, because of my interest in medicine, I'm really interested in sports medicine. And in general, I've been a sports fan as long as I can remember, and to this day, I'm involved with sports, not only playing sports for fun, but even on social media. On social media is where I actually found that a lot of women that are around my age, a little bit younger, a little bit older, have shown a lot more interest in working in this field than as before. So you're probably wondering, what is sports media? What exactly am I even talking about? So, when I'm talking about this, I'm talking about like jobs that are like journalists, broadcasters, photographers, analysts, those type of jobs we usually see like people on TV for. And, more specifically, you typically only see men on the TV. That's what the problem is, honestly. We have just seen so many men in this field that women are really having a tough time breaking that barrier and trying to fight different stereotypes and different issues. I would say the top three issues in this field are similar to those of female athletes. They have to deal with a lot of sexism, just a lot of inequality in the workplace, and just trying to really make their mark on the industry. Some, I guess, stereotypes are that those women that we only see on the TV and during broadcasts are conventionally beautiful women. And even though they are beautiful, some people say this for the wrong reasons. And they usually say these things with like sexual, sexist undertones. Actually, even just doing research for this podcast, I was trying to find a clip from the beginning that was more media-related than sports in general. And just looking up, trying to look up, like, female broadcasters, this and that on YouTube, very sexist videos were coming up when I was looking. And it's just interesting to me, like, some of the videos were titled, like, top 10 hottest, whatever, sexiest, whatever, which is just very belittling. Because of the injustice there still is in this field, many different women have at least reported one instance of sexual harassment. Would that be, like, a comment, an action from an employer, a fan, a co-worker? It's just very sad to see this all happening. There are fewer and more cases depending on, like, what type of career you have, like, your specific job, which, again, could be, like, a journalist, an analyst, etc. And more and more we're seeing more women in this field called out, like, saying, we need more representation. Like, many women are so tired of, like, walking into meetings and being the only woman in the room, or there being one more woman. Women want to walk into a room and feel as comfortable as they can be. And that is going to be achievable if there are more women in the workplace. So a lot of people wonder, why don't these male colleagues of these women ever speak up against something they know is interesting? And the main reason for that is they don't want to be outcast or ridiculed. There have been men in many cases that have stood up for the women they work with. But there have been instances where the men stand up for the women they work with. But it has led to harassment from other male employees saying, like, why are you doing this? Like, why are you speaking up? Like, that's so weird. So I feel like men just, like, instead of speaking up for something they know is wrong and needs fixing, and they have the power to make changes, decide to sit back in, like, their own world because they won't be judged or anything. And they just find that sense of protection in not saying anything. They'd rather stay silent and safe than say something and be in trouble in a way and just be harassed by other male colleagues. I feel like there is one topic in particular that comes up not only in the field of sports, but in, like, workplaces in general. And it's the double standards women face when they do things. In an interview for The Cut, Colleen Wolf and NFL Network host said this about ambition. When a man is ambitious, it is virtuous. But for women, ambition can have a negative connotation, that you are too demanding or too aggressive or not likable. Ultimately, the more you do this job, you realize that you have to ask for what you want, and not everyone is going to like what you have to say. This was said in 2022, so pretty recent. And, yeah, it's kind of sad that this still applies to this day, even though it was said two years ago. Granted, two years ago is not a long time, but you would expect there to be change from then to now. But there really isn't any change. This comment on ambition is one of the most common trends in, like I said, not only sports, but in all work aspects. When other women were asked about this in the same interview for The Cut, they almost all said the same things as Wolf, but some different key words have been that they come on too strong or they are a pushover, which is not really the case. In the workplace, women are always called different things based on their personalities and this and that. Like, a woman can be seen as, like, bitchy, for example, for just, like, being, like, maybe hard-headed or just, like, passionate about what she's doing. And in many instances, men ridicule women for being like this by saying misogynistic jokes like, oh, she's on her period, this and that, she's hormonal, this and that. Which is just really sad to see, since, like, these are grown men we are talking about. You would think they have a little maturity to them, but they don't. There's one area in the sports business that has seen an increase in women, and that's sports analytics. Many describe this field as, like, the overlap of one of the two most male-dominated industries in sports, which are sports management and analytics. Women in this field just face so many more hurdles since it's one of the more male-dominated fields, like overcoming imposter syndrome, breaking social stereotypes, trying to seem more appealing for professional advancement, and just spending a lot more energy to prove themselves, like the men have to. In an article for the sports business journal, Liz Wanlis says that there's a need for more women in this field of sports analytics because it will help provide more inclusion and support and innovation in the field. This just really helps overall, I feel like. I have seen, like, many different other, like, industries besides sports. Like, having women to back you up makes all the difference. Even just in college, I feel like having women-specific clubs for your future careers is just so much more helpful. I'm in a big, like, general pre-med society group that, like, is men and women, so it can feel overwhelming, but I'm also in the American Women's Medical Association club, which just feels so much more, like, motivating because it's like, all these women also want to accomplish good things. And I feel like that's honestly the same theory for, like, this profession. Women need other people to support them. It's really hard to do things by yourself, regardless of gender, but especially for women in a male-dominated field. After hearing all this, it might seem like, well, I don't want to go into this field anymore, but I don't think that should be the mindset you should be in right now. I feel like they should be... Hearing all this information should be an almost way to push yourself forward, give you that mindset that, yes, I need to do this, I need to accomplish, and I need to be able to push through all of these, prevail. It may seem like there is just so much negativity surrounding this field, and honestly, that's not the case. There have been so many advancements in the past year that are just, like, astronomical, and, like, I can't even believe it. Like, it's just so impressive to me and just so empowering to see all the changes that have been made. One of the most recent things is that for the first time, the Women's March Madness, which is the NCAA, like, championship, the women's title game drew more viewers than the men, averaging 18.7 million viewers on ABC and ESPN, and peaking at 24 million viewers. That is just so groundbreaking to me and impressive. Like, never in a million years would I have ever thought I read a headline saying that a women's game had way more viewers than a men's game. And that is just the beginning. With the new Professional Women's Hockey League being formed at the beginning of this year, and also the Pro Volleyball Federation being formed at the beginning of this year, that almost makes you wonder, hey, does that mean there's a need for new positions in the world of sports media? And, yes, that is literally what this means. Just from watching, like, female sports, I feel like there has been so much more female, like, broadcasters, journalists, like, fieldside reporters, like, so many more. I think, like, one of the first, I did watch the first Pro Volleyball Federation game, and there was only one male reporter doing that game. And I was like, wow, that is so crazy. So with all these recent changes, it's like almost as if there's, like, a higher need for women in this field, which is just so incredible to me, because even five years ago, this would have seemed impossible, and no one would have thought one of the leading, like, I guess you could say celebrity athletes is a female basketball player. Kaitlyn Clark has been all over the headlines for the past, I don't even know, she's just been on the headlines for that long. She won first-round pick on the WNBA draft, and she has so many deals coming her way because now the world is realizing how influential women are in sports, and how important it is for little girls all over the world to see people like themselves, interested in sports, seeing what is being done. There have been so many, like, posters people bring to, like, the new Volleyball League games and, like, the new Hockey League games, saying, like, if I would have known this would have been a thing, I would have been trying harder, which, to think about, is so sad, but, like, all at the same time, it's so, like, refreshing to think, like, wow, like, because these changes are made, like, now little girls will be able to push more. And now this push for just athletes in general, I think, will push forward an advancement for women who want to work in the media field. In addition to these incredible athletic milestones, I feel like some of the important themes that have been on the uprise are notable women organizations that are specialized just for women who are interested in the sports field. There's also some for just, like, the specific, like, careers. Some of these organizations include the Women in Sports and Events Association for Women in Sports Media, and Girls Club Sports for the Girls, just a few examples of the organizations that exist to make this field a normalized one for women to go into. Just to highlight these three a little bit, Women in Sports and Events is an organization that is the leading voice and resource for women in the business of sports. Through different programming and networking, WISE, the acronym for this organization, works to assist women navigating and accelerating their careers. They help women understand their collective value, foster peer connections, and champion the hiring and advancement of women in the industry. Association for Women in Sports Media is a nonprofit organization that works to promote and increase diversity in sports media through career advancement, networking, career enhancement, mentoring initiatives, and the infantship scholarship. Lastly, Girls Club Sports for the Girls is an organization whose motto is because it's not a boys club anymore, and strives to change the script that girls cannot be a fan of sports. They highlight weekly different women who work in the sports industry. Another thing Girls Club Sports does is, like, gives little, like, this week in whatever field of sports. I know off the top of my head that they had, like, this week in the NHL, especially a couple months ago with all the trade deadlines and whatnot. But I feel like the most valuable insight this organization has is highlighting different women who work in the field and, like, showing that it is possible. Like, because it is possible. Like, there shouldn't be anyone in the world saying, oh, it's impossible for you to be a sports journalist. Oh, it's impossible for you to be a sports analyst. It is very possible. On their different social medias, they post different things. For example, on their TikTok, sometimes they post, like, job openings for different sports associations. I know they did, like, the NFL at one point, the NHL. I think they did the MLB at one point. I just find these, like, new and upcoming, like, social media pages and, like, organizations so rewarding because they give you so much info. And this one is honestly my favorite one because there's just so much. They even had an event a while ago. Not too long ago, I believe. They had a women in sports conference, which allowed a lot of young women in college, I think in particular, to go to this event and network with these incredible women that are working in this field. And I feel like that is just a valuable experience. I just feel like there is so much out there for women to look for in trying to make an impact in this field. I know, at least here at the University of Notre Dame, that they have the sports, media, and culture minor here that examines, like, different media in sports. They do, like, journalism, radio, film, television, social media. But they also look into the deeper aspects, like gender and race. Not only that, but they have other opportunities if you're interested in different things. They have ND Studios, which allows, like, students to work in different sporting events, doing camera, audio, visual, all those behind-the-scene experiences. There's also, for those interested in sports medicine, student athletic trainers, which have the applying process, or there's even student managers for the sports teams. Like myself, next semester I will be the manager for the volleyball team, which I feel like is such an interesting way to get, like, maybe if you're really passionate about a field, like, a foot in. Like, it's just so interesting to me, like, all the opportunities that there now are for, like, women to be able to work in this field. So at the end of all of this, it's easy to see what the negatives are, the cons, if you will. But honestly, like, at the stage we're at right now in this, like, world of female sports and, like, all aspects, I feel like right now, like, there's a lot more pros at this instant. Obviously, there's going to be a lot of trials and tribulations along the way, but I feel like even now, or especially now, there's just so many more opportunities for women to accomplish that. And I feel like that should be the driving force for those, like, you that are interested, like, you just have so much more opportunities and forces to drive you forward. There's always going to be help for women, especially in male-dominated fields. There's always going to be women who want to help the younger generations push forward and make changes. So with that, I want to thank you for listening. I hope you enjoyed it. And I'm going to leave you with this Barbie movie-type monologue, but done by the Girls' Club Sports Instagram, which was filmed at the Women in Sports Conference they had. Thank you. It is literally impossible to be a woman in sports. You are so beautiful and so smart, and it hurts us that you don't think you're good enough. We always have to be extraordinary, but somehow we're always doing it wrong. You have to voice your opinion, but not too much. You have to say you have the bandwidth for extra tasks, but you also can't ask for too many days off because that will look like you aren't dedicated. You have to work hard, but not harder than them. You have to be a boss, but you can't be mean. You have to lead, but you can't squash other people's ideas. You're supposed to love sports, but don't talk about sports all the time. You have to be a career woman, but always look out for other people. You have to respect the grind, but you can't take a break because this is what you signed up for. You're supposed to stay driven and motivated, but not receive any praise or praise for doing so. So find a way to embrace that, but also always be grateful. You can never get tired, never be rude, never show off, never be exhausted, never fall down, never fail, never show fear, never make a mistake, nobody gives you a medal or says thank you, and it turns out in fact that not only are you doing everything wrong, but also everything is your fault. You have to understand that women's sports will never be the same as men's sports because that's just how it is. And that women don't belong in sports, but men do because once again, that's just how it is. But the truth is, that isn't how it is. We can change that. And we are here to change that. We will change the sports industry. We will do it in our heels, we will do it with our emotions, and we will do it for the betterment of our future.