Nine times female sports fan engagement was condescending and sexist
By Dani Bostick
There are a lot of females out there. Are pink, glitter, and fashion the way to get them interested in sports?
An estimated two out of three sports fans are men. Moreover, it’s widely believed that when women aren’t sports fans, their main mission is to oppress their men, preventing them from enjoying a six-pack of mediocre light beer, bingeing on microwaved cheese sticks, and watching sports all day long. Nagging banshees, they lurk in the shadows creating inane honey-do lists and scheduling duty-calls with the in-laws.
At least, this is what sports executives fear. The solution? Female fan engagement, of course!
When women do watch sports, some executives hypothesize, they enjoy a glass of pink wine and maybe some carrots and hummus. Occasionally, the woman will ask her husband for help: “Does the team with more points win, or do those numbers mean something else?”
And, yes, in the world of sports, all sports-watching couples are invariably heterosexual.
Back in 2013, Mark Waller, chief marketing officer of the NFL, said, “Women are the custodians of most decisions made in the households.” Clearly, the NFL wants those women choosing to let their spouses watch football. And, if they can really woo these women, maybe they, too, will become actual fans.
Alcohol, clothes, and beauty products are clearly the key to winning over female fans, based on recent outreach programs. In order to cater to these female fans, the leagues offer bedazzled jerseys in flattering cuts, while individual sports teams sponsor Ladies Nights that feature wine, glitter, and chevron-patterned gear.
If you that sounds awesome to you, check out this list of events you’ll want to attend. If it sounds patronizing and ridiculous, this list will infuriate you.
Next: 9. Texas A&M Chalk Talk for Women