ESPN Launches espnW

ESPN has just recently launched espnW, a site created with the intention to expand the female ESPN audience and grow the “online destination for female sports fans and athletes”. The site focuses on three main areas: “women’s sports, recreational athletes and general content on men’s professional sports customized for female fans”. I think that we can all agree, something like this is a long time coming; finally, a sports source that is catered towards women.

As a female who works in the sport industry and has been for the last 10 years, visiting ESPN.com or watching all the debate programming is nothing knew to me. Laura Gentil, Vice President for espnW, was quoted in Poynter stating that as a female in the sport industry that “she didn’t event recognize the maleness of the culture until she started creating a business strategy to serve women.” I mimic her same thoughts. My source for sports has always been ESPN, and that wont change. It’s where I receive my daily news so that I am knowledgeable of the industry and important headlines across the world. As a “dude in a dress”, I have no shame in watching “Around the Horn” or “Pardon the Interruption”; I even own the “30 for 30” box set. Conversing about sports with the best of them is what I can do. I’ve even picked my Mountaineers over work or hanging out with friends before.

From my perspective, I want to see women in the industry writing the stories, commentating and sharing their experiences. These are the women who have dedicated their lives to being successful in the industry and we want to hear their stories.

I commend espnW in their efforts to reach that untapped source. You know what, if Dial has to market towards men by putting soap in a masculine color bottle, then ESPN can create a site for female sport fans. This is a great step forward and only good things can come from this!

What are your thoughts? 

http://espn.go.com/espnw/

McBride, K. (2022, December 22). Can a sports network known for its male brand serve the female fan?

         Poynter Review Project. Retrieved from http://www.poynter.org/