Although there are many reasons that women's sporting events don't receive media attention, these three factors are the most prevalent. Men's sport is dominant, underfunded and lacks role models. These are just a few of the reasons why women aren't represented in sport. To counteract these issues, the media needs to do a better job covering women's sport.
Lack of consistent presence
According to the study, nearly 80 percent of all televised sports news programs fail to include stories about women's sports. Even those that include stories are usually shorter and sometimes overshadowed in part by stories about male sports. Although the study was conducted before the COVID-19 pandemic, sports coverage of women's events has increased. The study also cites recent investment by ESPN to broadcast WNBA games.
Subfunding
Despite the NCAA's efforts to ensure equal funding, the improvements have been insufficient. First, the NCAA does not have a staggered system and broadcasts of games do not occur simultaneously. The second issue is that women still have a low representation in coaching positions. Even though this has been an issue for decades, it remains an issue even today. The change, while welcome, is a step in the right direction.
Men's sports dominance
Media coverage of women’s sports is almost entirely dominated by men. Asymmetry in gender marking may temporarily raise the profile of a specific women's sport or team but it does not mean there is more coverage for other women's sporting events. Additionally, asymmetric gender marking often combines with local parochialism and obfuscation of the local men's team's success.
Role models are lacking
Female athletes are often underrepresented in the media, which has made them the main source for information for younger generations. This results in a dearth of role models for young girls. A lack of role models in the media can lead to gender stereotypes being perpetuated. These are some of the ways media outlets can better represent female athletes and increase their viewership. This is a good start.
Investments not being made
Studies on gender disparity in sport investments are few and far between, and often distributional. Very little research has looked at why managers invest more money in men's sports than in women's. And sponsorship spending has become more strategic. But why? Let's investigate the matter. Tokenism has been a long-standing problem in women's sporting. Major brands see their investment in women's sports as a PR stunt.