Marquette basketball marks National Girls and Women in Sport Day with all-female broadcast
Wednesday night’s Marquette women’s basketball game against Villanova took centre stage on national TV, marking a significant moment as part of the annual Female Forward initiative.
What made this broadcast on National Girls and Women in Sport Day unique was the fact that every single person involved, from play-by-play broadcaster Lisa Byington to director Carol Langley, along with every camera operator and audio technician, was female.
Marquette senior guard Jordan King expressed her admiration for the dedication and hard work of the women behind the scenes, noting, “How hard these women work, and what they put into their jobs. And not just us as athletes but even to put our games on tv and to cover our games is special.”
The women’s sports landscape is experiencing unprecedented growth, with sold-out arenas, impressive TV ratings and the rise of genuine superstars. The coverage of women’s sports by women has played a crucial role in driving this surge in popularity in recent years.
King has witnessed this enthusiasm firsthand throughout her career, including increasing attendance at games.
“The crowds have been bigger at some of the games recently, just from experience in the Big East for the past five years,” King said.
Marquette head coach Megan Duffy also highlighted the changing attitudes towards women’s sports.
“I think that’s been a change in the last ten to 15 years where you see families and young boys wearing a Jordan King jersey or Caitlin Clark jersey. Where maybe that didn’t happen before,” Duffy said.
While star players like Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese draw large crowds wherever they play, Duffy emphasised the ongoing need for continuous support and recognition of women’s sports beyond designated celebration days.
Wednesday night’s broadcast was a testament to this ongoing effort. Kim Adams, the game analyst for FS1, described the event as “a really special and empowering night,” emphasising the importance of showcasing the capabilities of women in the broadcast industry.
Adams also highlighted the prevailing gender disparity in certain roles within sports broadcasting, demonstrating the significance of events like Female Forward in breaking down barriers and inspiring future generations of women in the industry.
As the sports broadcast landscape continues to evolve, the Female Forward initiative serves as a powerful reminder of the talent and potential of women in sports media, with the hope that gender equality in all aspects of sports broadcasting will become the norm.
“I do hope that one day I do have a female camera operator and it’s not just because it’s National Girls and Women in Sports Day,” Adams concluded.
