WASHINGTON — When it comes to sports, one thing is apparent: It’s a man’s world.
In August, 13-year-old baseball superstar Mo’ne Davis made the cover of Sports Illustrated, and her appearance made national headlines.
Leslie Morgan Steiner, parenting expert and blogger for ModernMom.com, says the reason the cover made such a splash is because, for starters, Davis wasn’t in a bikini, and because the occurrence was so rare.
Steiner says girls are one of the fastest growing demographics in sports markets, but they are the most ignored.
“Female athletes account for 40 percent of athletes in the U.S., but we only get 1.5 percent if of the media airtime,” Steiner says. “And you very rarely see women or girls in sporting goods catalogs, except as fans cheering on men.”
Could the sporting industry be missing a major mark? According to Steiner, women account for the vast majority of sports apparel and equipment purchase decisions. And in one year, the female sports market grew at more than 50 percent. Almost 20 million females played basketball, soccer and volleyball last year.
“So it’s incredible that the sporting goods industry is ignoring women and our daughters,” Steiner says.
But the disparity isn’t just about sports. It’s about how women are portrayed in society, more generally.
“There are few markets more dominant in U.S. culture, in terms of shaping how men treat women, than professional sports and their advertising and media coverage,” Steiner says.
“And in the sports world, men are supersized and powerful; women are pretty cheerleaders and fans, silent expect for when we cheer for men. And this skewed world- view really warps how we all see women and girls every single day of our lives.”
If you want to see a change in the industry, Steiner says the first step is to become aware of what’s going on. She says to take a look at what’s coming into your home via advertisements, TV programming, catalogs and magazines.
“And if you notice there aren’t enough women in it, protest,” she says.
However, not everyone is turning a blind eye to female athletes. Steiner says companies such as Under Armour, Athleta and Lululemon include more female athletes in their marketing than most.
Need more ideas on ways to support women and girls in sports? Steiner says the Women’s Sports Foundation can point you in the right direction with its research and resources.
WTOP’s Rachel Nania contributed to this report. Follow @WTOP and @WTOPliving on Twitter and on the WTOP Facebook page.
