While most people are still waking up, the tennis court is already alive with movement, rackets swinging, balls bouncing and players focused on every shot. Yet the pace and passion I see on the court don’t match the way women’s tennis is covered in the media. The players I follow are women, but the voices covering them, on TV, in articles, on podcasts, are almost always men. Later, when I open my laptop to check the WTA highlights, I notice it again: almost every article I click has a man’s name at the top. This isn’t just coincidence; it’s a clear sign of who still controls the narrative in sports and who is still fighting for a place to be heard. Women hold only about 14 percent of sports-reporter jobs and 17 percent of sports-editor seats in the United States - numbers so low that the latest Associated Press Sports Editors report still grades the industry an “F” for gender hiring.
Back when my parents were growing up, the situation for women in sports media was even worse. In 1977, Sports Illustrated reporter Melissa Ludtke had to sue Major League Baseball just to step into the Yankees’ clubhouse. She won, but only after a federal judge reminded the league that the First Amendment doesn’t come with a “men only” sign.
Progress is happening, and it’s starting to show, not just in headlines, but in the voices we hear during the biggest moments in sports. In 2023, Doris Burke called the NBA Finals on ABC, the first woman to sit in that analyst chair for any major men’s championship. She didn’t just break a barrier, she redefined what authority sounds like in a sport long dominated by male voices. A month later, Jenny Cavnar became the Oakland A’s full-time TV play-by-play voice, the first woman to handle an MLB team’s entire schedule. These weren’t just symbolic gestures. They were hard-earned positions, built by years of hard work, that proved women belong at the center of sports coverage, not as exceptions, but as trusted experts.
More women on the mic changes what gets talked about, not just who talks. When I read a piece by a female writer, I’m more likely to learn why a backhand slice caused an error or which strategy could have won the point, not just who won it. Studies show female journalists often highlight technical skills and strategy more than their male counterparts, who tend to focus on outcomes or personalities, reflecting different lived experiences and perspectives. But getting that voice out there still carries a cost. A 2024 survey of more than 300 sports journalists found 95 percent say online abuse is widespread, and 85 percent admit it can scare them away from certain stories. Misogyny sits at the top of the insult list.
Luckily, new outlets show that fans want different voices. The GIST, launched by three friends in 2017, already emails plain-language game notes to over one million subscribers. Retired legends Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe now tour live shows built around their podcast A Touch More, treating women’s sports as the main event, not a side dish. I learn techniques from both sides: write in short sentences, think big, and have zero apologies for caring who wins the NCAA women’s tennis final.
So what now? Editors should actively seek out young female writers the way college coaches hunt for standout point guards, spotting talent early and giving it a real shot to grow. Leagues and organizations need to take online trolls seriously, treating them like unruly fans who disrupt the game, swiftly removing them and sending a clear message that abuse won’t be tolerated. And for the rest of us, every click, stream, or share isn’t just casual browsing; it’s a vote. A vote for whose stories get heard, whose perspectives shape the conversation, and whose voices stay on the airwaves. If we want change, we have to back it up with action, on and off the court.
Someday, I’ll be courtside asking the questions, not just reading the answers. By then, I hope the doors aren’t just open, they’re crowded with voices that were once pushed out. Until that day comes, I’ll keep putting in the early hours, on court and on the page, pushing for a future where every story gets the spotlight it deserves.
Image credit: New York Times