Interrogating inequalities in Sports Media: Examining gender/race representation in ESPN

Within in the last week the focus on ESPN has for the most part surrounded male athletes. Whether it is basketball, golf, football, or even the Olympics, men took the center stage. Occasionally they had a headlining article covering female athletes such as those covering the US women’s hockey team or a recap on a collegiate basketball game. However, by in large these articles were scarce. Just looking at the homepage of ESPN it is obvious that men dominate the spotlight. For example, the main tabs for ESPN's website are dedicated to male sport only: "NFL", "NBA", "MLB", and "Men's College Basketball". 

These findings support the research regarding the presentation of women in sports media, where female sport is placed on the back burner and or ignored completely. This is partially due to fact that in American society today, sports are seen as a part of “man culture”. Which, in effect has unfortunately pushed the focus away from female athletics. This highlights the values that are ingrained and emphasized in American sport in regards to women and establishes men as the head. 

However, while this may be the case this is slowly changing and this kind of selective reporting is being challenged. For example this week the US women’s hockey team received more camera time and praise than the men did due to their superior performance in the Olympics. In the past female sports have been brushed aside however, this stigma is slowly changing, headway is being made, and popularity is increasing. Yet even still such efforts need to continue and as a society we need to make the statement that all people are truly equal regardless of not only race but gender as well as we move forward. 

Sports and Education: Collegiate Sport

The question that has been surrounding the sports world is whether or not we should pay college athletes? This has been a headlining topic of discussion specifically today, some argue that athletes should receive compensation given the large revenue they produce, while others claim that if we paid athletes it would jeopardize the integrity of school sport.

One thing I found interesting that was noted in the article from The Atlantic: The Shame of College Sports, is that “We profess outrage each time we learn that yet another student-athlete has been taking money under the table. But the real scandal is the very structure of college sports, wherein student-athletes generate billions of dollars for universities and private companies while earning nothing for themselves” I believe that this perfectly highlights how this issue is masked and altered to make athletes look like the quote on quote bad guys and not the other way around.

However, even though this occurring, the NCAA holds the reigns of collegiate sports and it seems that they will continue to issue suspensions and fines anytime they are getting cut out of the so-called “deal” and frame the issue in this manner. There are many famous NCAA investigations; one popular incident was with the University of Southern California and Reggie Bush (now running back for the Detroit Lions), where he was found guilty for receiving large sums of money to play football. When sanctions were released Reggie was casted as the villain to such an extreme that he ended up surrendering his Heisman trophy. Also The University of Southern California received punishment as well, as noted in the ESPN article NCAA delivers postseason ban USC received a “two-year bowl ban, four years' probation, loss of scholarships and had to forfeit an entire year's games”.

All in all when I consider the risk these athletes take on it seems rationale to me to pay them for the value that they bring to a team. Yet, with individual beliefs aside, what is evident is that such programs are taking advantage of the student body for financial gain; however by categorizing these individuals as “student athletes” it has allowed such organizations to continue they efforts unscathed. The question is whether this will last? Or will we see a change in the future?

High School Sport

The U.S. is one of the only countries that provide funding for school athletics. As a result sport has flourished and has become the spotlight on all stages. It is geared to reinforce values of dedication, perseverance, and teamwork. However, high school sport does not always meet such goals, instead we see many student athletes being pressured to meet the high expectations that they are held to and consistently win games at any cost. These burdens have and continue to jeopardize the education of students. Schools may have eligibility requirements; yet even still many times such rules are bent or overlooked in order to keep top athletes in the game. During my high school athletics I saw this first hand, usually after one conversation with a teacher you were back on the field. This was especially the case if the team was doing well that year. This is something that happens across the board, which highlights how sport takes the front burner in U.S. culture, regardless of what is at stake. This is concerning because when we emphasize one skill over another, it can leave individuals with out opportunities if their athletic career comes up short of expectation or falls through.  However, by the same token it is important to note while such programs can strip opportunities they can also create them. Therefore, athletic programs are not the issue; it is what is being valued that creates the problem. I believe that if we put them on level playing field students will have a brighter future in all regards.  

Sports, Alienation & Athletes' Rights I

When young athletes enter their pro careers they find themselves signing what seem to be large contracts. However, while these initial earnings seem like a lot, these athletes take on a lot of expenses as well. With an increased pension many over consume, buying jewelry, cars, houses, and even yachts. As a result athletes get them selves into debt because many lack financial education, have the burden of friends and family to provide for, and or make careless decisions with the money they do have- either through gambling or through bad investments. What many of these pros do not realize is that eventually the money stops coming. As noted in the 30 for 30 documentary the average career for a football player is 3 years, yet many refuse to recognize this fact. This is especially true for NFL players because their contracts are not guaranteed and injuries can end a career in an instant. The most significant issue for athletes is the fact many never consider what they will do after their career is over, which makes the transition into retirement extremely difficult. This is another factor that adds to the strain, lack of stability, and downfall for an athlete.

It seems that athletes from the 80s and 90s have pointed to the consequences that can occur. However, even though these negative avenues have been highlighted, it is ultimately left up to the individual athlete to make the responsible decisions with their money. In my opinion I believe that such negative stories will continue to surface. Money has and will continue to pose a burden on individuals and without proper assistance financial stress will inevitably plague athletes in the future. 

Sport, Politics and the Olympics

In 1936 the Summer Olympics were held in Berlin, Germany. A critical time that was marked with angst and uncertainty for minority groups.  Leading up to the Games Hitler and the Nazi party made persistent efforts to exclude Jews and Blacks from participating in an attempt to promote “white supremacy”. Hitler’s actions highlight how sport can be used as a vehicle for propaganda.  With worldwide attention Hitler made efforts to promote anti-Semitic beliefs and underline the white race as the dominant race through sport.

However even with such efforts of exclusion, Hitler was forced to allow full participation due to boycotts from other nations. Even so, many athletes refused to take part as a form of protest specifically the Jewish community. However, equal participation did not extend on the German front.  Helene Mayer was the only female athlete of jewish descent that was aloud to participate and represent Germany, other than that the German team strictly represented Aryan supremacy.

If we look at the Olympic games in general, they have always evoked a sense of nationalism and pride for one’s own country, however, with the current tension and clear split between ideologies, the 1936 Berlin Games inflated such associations.  While Germans were trying to make overall racial generalizations, many American athletes pushed for participation even during such hostile times, in an effort to undercut the views and beliefs of the Nazi party and promote a sense of equality.  Jesse Owens an African American track star won four gold medals; he won the 100-meter, 200-meter, long jump, and the 4x10 meter relay. His performance along with other minority athletes proved that regardless of class, race, or creed that an athlete could succeed on the world stage. 

This is one example that proves that the statement: “sport is pure and devoid of political interference” is not only false but it is irrational. Especially in the case of the Olympics, sport and politics go hand in hand. The athletes from around the world represent the values and beliefs of their respected countries. Even, if it is not the specific intention of the given athletes their involvement marks a sense of support for their respected nations. In the case of the “Nazi” Games, for the most part with one exception German athletes symbolized the ideas and views of popular German thought at the time. It can be argued that German athletes essentially served as the support for Hitler’s assertions given their exclusive make-up. 

Therefore it is clear, that sport and politics inevitably bleed into one another. Even, today as we get ready for the Sochi Winter Olympics, we see athletes advocating for the popular moral and political beliefs that are in contention. With Russia’s stance on sexual liberties and the increased support it has received in other parts of the world, many athletes and politicians have refused and/or have protested participation as a result.  These actions have motivated others to contribute and support such progression of civil liberties. Such efforts prove that sport can promote change in society, question normative ways, and encourage others to follow suit. The results may not be immediate, however, they make such actions relevant and meaningful.  As we look forward this will continue to be case, athletes will continuously find them selves in the cross hairs of politics, given that citizens will continue to look toward popular figures for representation and support as various issues arise.