Dawn Staley, coach of the top-ranked University of South Carolina women’s basketball team, wore a t-shirt that read “Everyone Watches Women’s Sports.” Women’s sports are on the rise. This month, two new women’s professional leagues are launching: Professional Women’s Hockey League and Pro Volleyball Federation.
I’ve been following women’s sports my whole life and covering it for a long while (nearly 18 years for the New York Amsterdam News), so to me women’s sports have always been exciting. As I wrote articles about important stories, such as Lauryn Williams becoming the first American woman and fifth person in history to win medals at both the Summer and Winter Olympics, few others in the media seemed to notice.
While women’s basketball received airtime during the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta (first U.S. gold medal), it took going for a record seventh gold in 2021 for the women’s gold medal game to make NBC’s primetime broadcast. Yes, I’m thankful that all the U.S. games were broadcast live on NBC’s other networks, but that primetime NBC slot speaks volumes.
Here are a few things that may have changed the narrative. First, the United States has its first female vice president in Kamala Harris. Second, Sedona Prince made a viral TikTok video during the 2021 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Tournament about the disparities between men’s and women’s tournaments that brought attention to the lack of accommodations provided—a dozen free weights and a few yoga mats don’t make a gym.
Third, Title IX turned 50, which highlights how fantastic women’s sports are despite severe underfunding. Fourth, led by Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, the WNBA did a significant capital raise and has been investing more money in marketing.
On Jan. 4, the NCAA announced a lucrative eight-year media rights deal with ESPN that begins on Sept. 1. My concern is that women’s basketball is yet again bundled with other sports, nearly half of which are men’s sports. While it is clear that ESPN values women’s hoops, it does not yet stand alone.
I am exploring writing a book about women’s team sports in America. Maybe the 2024 Olympic Games will bring that idea to fruition as U.S. women’s teams seek to defend gold in basketball, volleyball, beach volleyball, water polo and the 4×400 relay.
Thank you to everyone for coming on board. I wish it had happened sooner, but now is the moment in time.
