Gaining Yards

There’s been a lot of talk lately around the numbers around viewership for women’s sports. Graphics posted on Instagram. Tickers on SportsCenter. Quote ReTweets contextualizing the stats on X (FKA Twitter). And while most of this talk is celebratory, I can’t help but feel there’s an undercurrent of something else brewing—an almost subtext to the celebrations. People aren’t just happy that women’s sports are finally getting their moment. They’re surprised. That there’s not just an audience. But a big one. One that’s engaged and watching in record numbers. It begs the question why? Why after all this time are people (finally) tuning in? Well, a short and simple answer is: because they finally can.

In just the last few months, viewing records have been on the rise. Coco Gauff’s U.S. Open win drew an incredible 3.4 million viewers. Soccer legend Megan Rapinoe’s final game with the OL Reign drew near-record audiences for the league. The 2023 WNBA finals had its best viewing in over two decades and the women’s NCAA  Women’s Championship had almost 10 million viewers. These are history-making numbers. And while a lot of the credit should 100% go to the fans who are parking themselves on their couches or watching at bars, credit should also go to these games and matches finally being more accessible.

We’re living in a time where content is everywhere, and people’s attention spans are shorter than ever. And yet, in a lot of cases, networks, streamers and companies alike, are making it harder and harder to access the games we love. Just to watch the New York Yankees this season, you needed basic cable, ESPN, AppleTV and Prime. The NBA’s Phoenix Suns are even launching their own streaming service just so locals can get unlimited access to the games and content they crave. At a time when showing your support for your favorite teams is getting more and more difficult, being a fan of women’s sports is getting slightly easier.

Coco’s win had a primetime slot on ESPN. Rapinoe’s was on primetime on CBS—a channel widely accessible to most markets in the US. The WNBA finals was also on ESPN and brought those numbers in despite it being against big match-ups on NFL Sunday. 

While it’s worth noting that “real” fans will find a way to watch their teams at any cost, growing the game and the audience is only possible when the events in question get real airtime. It’s also worth noting, that while these wins are proof of women’s sports as a whole #GainingYards in the media, there‘s still a long way to go. There’s still a huge disparity across the board when it comes to sponsorships, marketing, salaries, accommodations, and yes, airtime that’s more prominent and consistent. 

With all that said, the last few months have proven what most fans have always known to be true: watching the first American teenager to win the final in New York since Serena is inspiring. That bidding farewell to an Olympic-Gold medal-winning-two-time World Cup champion is worth watching. And that watching the 2022 WNBA champions defend their title is can’t-miss TV. It’s shown that women’s sports aren’t just background noise, or something to watch because “nothing else is on.” It’s shown that women’s sports are just as entertaining and impressive as men’s, and we’re finally getting the stats to prove it.