Gender (In)Equality in Sport

The world at large has been trying to stand up against gender inequality and has been suggesting ways and means to lessen the gap. However, the reality seems to be different when we take a look at women’s participation in sport around the world.

Inequality has been an issue ever since women were introduced to sports. The sporting world talks about how women make less than men, how female athletes often have to work full time jobs on top of being professional athletes and the obvious unfairness of the disparity despite the equal amount of effort they put in. The issue is not just equal pay – it is the Marketing and Promotion.

The disparity between men and women in sports is even more stark in terms of media coverage. Underrepresentation of women by the mainstream media  along with feminization and sexualization have remained consistent over the past 35 years.

For instance, almost 42% of sportspeople (in the United States) are women, yet only 5-7% of the total sports media coverage is devoted to them. Furthermore, women-only sports stories add up to a paltry 3% of all sports stories in the four major US newspapers.
The statistics is similar around the world, if not worse.

While 22-year old Marcus Rashford (Manchester United) is admired by millions in the world, not many have even heard of 24-year old Katie Zelem, who captains the Manchester United women’s side. Female athletes are simply undervalued, in both money and media terms.

Within the small amount of coverage that women athletes receive, we find that they are more likely to be portrayed off the court, out of uniform and in a highly sexualized way where the emphasis is on their femininity and their physical attractiveness rather than their athletic competence.

WTA world number 350, Eugenie Bouchard is one of the most searched for athletes on Google despite winning just one tennis title till date.

For years, sport writers and editors have established various reasons why they do not cover women’s sport – apparently ''nobody is interested.'' I eventually came to realize that it was they who were not interested, and there is actually a large and untapped audience for women’s sport.

How is it a self-fulfilling prophecy?

You are interested in women’s sport, but you do not find any relevant coverage on newspapers or websites. Eventually, you stop logging into those websites and after marketing analysis, the writers find out that there does not appear to be great interest in reading about their coverage of women’s sport. It’s not because ''nobody is interested'', it is because there’s nothing there. This simply creates a vicious cycle. Thankfully, the advent of new media and social media have opened opportunities for independent bloggers and websites like ESPN(W), which focus exclusively on women’s sports.

Are things actually getting better in women’s sport?

Having said a lot about gender inequality in sport, it is worth noting that certain nations have already taken measures to reduce the gap. For instance, Cricket Australia, the National Rugby League and Football Federation Australia have signed up to the ‘’Pathway to Pay Equality’’, which details a milestone -based approach to achieving pay equity between male and female sports professionals.   

Several sporting bodies and organisations around the world have started to develop this approach and this is surely a good sign for sport in general.

How can we all work together to overcome gender inequality in sports?

•   High school gender inequality in sport

There are more girls playing high school sport in recent times, but there is still a long way to go in order to create equal opportunity for young women in high school. It is not just a lack of opportunity that plagues young women, it can also be a lack of encouragement. Among the biggest reasons for dropping out is a feeling that they have no future in sport. The best way to overcome this is by celebrating and recognizing the value of women in sports.

•  The value of women playing sport

Young girls should not look at sports as a dead end. Instead, they should be taught that sport is a springboard to personal development. This opportunity can also translate into better career development and the potential for higher success.

•  Equal Pay for women in major tournaments

Over the last 15 years, only two organizations have established equal pay, with Wimbledon being one of them. When an influential sporting event takes the lead on pay inequality in professional sports, it can definitely have a positive effect.

• Growing female sports media coverage

Female sport leagues and events need to develop a larger audience in order to attract networks. 

But how do you grow audience without attracting network coverage?

Look for cross-over promotional opportunities with men’s sport. For instance, establish a well-structured women’s IPL. The existing promotional activities can be used to capitalize on the given opportunity. Brands should focus on the technical ability of female athletes and tap into the power of male allies to promote a 'one game' philosophy. 

Media and sport have always had a peculiar relationship. Certain measures can be taken to improve women in sport:

·         Commit to consistent coverage

·         Focus on lesser known stories and tell backstories

·         Change the culture in sport departments

·         Give women in sport more of a voice

As a current sport management student, I can confirm that the future of women’s sport is bright. 

But is this statement completely true?

  Gender equality in sports is growing as women in sport continue to blaze trails and clear hurdles at a fast rate. But there is a considerable amount of work to be done to reach the desired goal. The more we come together to highlight the value of women in sports, the more likely that young girls will realize the bright future that sport offers.