Media Study Highlights Gender Disparities in Sports Coverage
A 2024 report by Cheryl Cooky and Michela Musto reveals that media coverage of women's sports remains minimal at 9.2%, downplaying women's athletic achievements compared to men's "Big Three" sports. While niche channels show slightly higher rates, legacy outlets fall far behind. Additionally, local sports updates highlight the Big Ten Network's 20th season features and new paid streaming requirements for Minnesota Timberwolves fans.
A new study shows coverage of women’s sports hasn’t changed that much and remains “siloed and secondary” as compared to men’s sports by media outlets.
Purdue Women’s Gender and Sexuality Studies Professor Cheryl Cooky for nearly three decades has closely studied traditional and online media coverage by gender. Her latest “Gender in Televised Sports Report,” which she co-authored with Brown Assistant Sociology Professor Michela Musto and published in Communication and Sport, found minimal improvement, but men’s football, basketball and baseball, the Big Three, keep getting most of the coverage in and out of season.
“The relegation of women’s sports media coverage to niche outlets and in online newsletters and social media accounts is a dominant pattern of coverage,” the study said, based on data collected over three one-week periods in 2024.
Other key findings include:
Overall coverage of women’s sports is 9.2%. It was 8.7% in 1997. The men’s Big 3 in the months analyzed made up 52% in online newsletters and 51.3% in social media content. Women’s sports coverage made up 21.7% in daily newsletters and 28.2% on social media but only 8.8% in newsletters and 15% on social media when looking at legacy outlets. ESPN’s women’s sports coverage was 12.5%, the highest since the study was introduced in 1999, while CBS Sports HQ/Spotlight was the lowest of the three networks at 3%.
Cooky’s study, however, does not factor in Black-owned media, such as MSR and others that regularly cover women’s sports in a non-niche fashion.
The report concluded that when women’s sports are covered in legacy networks, there are also noticeable differences compared with men’s sports coverage, and despite how good or extraordinary women’s athletic performances are, they will never rise above the routine coverage given to men’s sports.
Big Ten Network marks 20th season, spotlights Gophers stars
The Big Ten Network celebrates its 20th season, and all 18 Big Ten programs will be featured throughout the first three weeks of BTN’s television schedule. Among its original programming, BTN will air two school-specific vignettes for all 18 schools. Lakeville, Minn., native and current WNBA veteran Rachel Banham scoring an NCAA-record-tying 60 points against Northwestern in 2016 as a Golden Gopher star is expected to be among the 36 vignettes.
Sports talk radio remains overwhelmingly white
I am a longtime SiriusXM subscriber. A recent email informed me that my subscription now has 10 new local sports channels with hometown sports talk, live play-by-play and national coverage.
It sadly reminds me just how White sports talk radio still is in this country, with very few Black voices. Locally, WCCO’s Henry Lake is the only Black solo host on local sports radio.
Finally …
Local fans can watch Minnesota Timberwolves games this season only on the DAZN streaming service, either paying $19.99 per month or $119.99 for the season. Two higher-priced “ultimate” options are available for $24.99 per month or $139.99 for the season.
Unless fans purchase the 55-game DAZN package or attend games in person, they will only see Wolves games on 27 nationally exclusive games on ABC, ESPN, NBC, Peacock or Prime Video.
Charles Hallman welcomes reader responses at challman@spokesman-recorder.com.