The uncertain, vulnerable, scandal-prone land of [women's] sports??
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posted by One Sport Voice Dr. Nicole M. LaVoi: This blog reflects my critical eye and voice on all things sport. I am a critical thinker, scholar, and researcher in girls & women in sport, youth sport, and coach & sport parent education. |
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To cap off a week of weird sport media, I’ll end the week with this piece on ESPN.com that discusses the “state of uncertainty for women’s sports.”
The author documents the “state” of women’s sport, which in turn will influence the opinion of some, and nudge others to believe that the “historic meltdown of women’s sports” is imminent.
The problem is the journalist does not document similar “uncertainties” in mens’ sport such as lack of parity in leagues, changes in personnel, controversies, retirements, changes in sponsorship and endorsements, “bad” seasons, teams that don’t make money, mismanagement, lack of ’star’ power, and financial difficulties driven by a bad economy which are hurting ALL leagues and male and female athletes alike! The sensationalist and inflammatory language that is used also helps inflame the sensibilities of those who already think women’s sports are unwatchable and not consumable, and potentially drive away fence-sitters. Who wants to attend or watch something that is about to crumble? Do you buy an plane ticket of an airline that just had a catastrophic crash? NO! You pick another airline.
He goes on to write that, “The modern women’s pro sports movement has proven dangerously vulnerable to market conditions and scandal.” Is this to say that men’s sports are not prone to the same? I haven’t seen a similar piece on men’s sports….anyone? For everyone out there who believes in women’s sport…keep buying those tickets, the women’s sport plane is not likely to crash anymore than the mens’, both might be on a steep decent, but buckle up and ride it out.
UPDATE: In fact some argue the “WNBA: Not Just a Punch Line Anymore”
View Original Post at onesportvoice.wordpress.com
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- Filed Under:
- SportsPLUS, OpEd, Discrimination/Title IX, Media/Marketing
There are 2 comments on this post. Join the discussion!
AnnGaff
It's almost as if he was given the assignment to "prove that women's sports are approaching an historic meltdown" and then really had to make up some stuff to do so.
Really, the Williams sisters facing off in the Wimbledon final is a sign of weakness in women's tennis??? I think more people were talking about and watching that final than any other year in recent memory.
And it would be easy to look at men's sports and find reasons to call them vulnerable to the recession as well...MMA, anyone? It was announced today that fight promoter Affliction is canceling its August 1st show after Josh Barnett tested positive for steroids, thus rendering the main event between him and their superstar Fedor Emelianenko dead in the water. Talk about hinging a promotion on a single star (Fedor). And what about the MLS? I'll bet some money that the average attendance at an MLS game is nothing to brag about, and bringing in David Beckham was only a temporary boost. Now he's getting booed by the fans and fined for retaliating!
And try telling Yelena Isinbayeva that female athletes are succumbing to the economy. The pole vault world record holder signed a 5-year, 7.5 million dollar deal with Chinese athletic gear company Li Ning in February, setting the record for the most lucrative deal signed for ANY track and field athlete EVER.
Friday, July 24, 2009 at 11:30pm EDT
Dr. Nicole M. LaVoi
Ann, I couldn't agree more. We could go down the roll call of men's sports and write a similar article, but I"m guessing we won't see that being done. I read this week too that Watson's run in the British Open was less watched than the 2007 event...but you didn't really hear about that. It is a vicious cycle though. the more the media writes about dying women's sports, it drives away fans, then people can say "look, less fans"...and it starts over again. But we will see even faltering men's sports getting more media attention than strong women's sports....so then it perpetuates the problem. Maybe WTS should branch out and start a all women's sports channel!! -nml
Saturday, July 25, 2009 at 9:31am EDT