Wanita merupakan lebih dari setengah populasi AS, tetapi mereka masih berjuang untuk mendapatkan kesetaraan di dunia olahraga, di mana diskriminasi berbasis gender masih sering terjadi. Baru-baru ini, kita melihat contoh yang sangat umum dan menyakitkan, selama Bulan Sejarah Wanita, tentang ketidaksetaraan yang mencolok dalam perlakuan terhadap atlet wanita dan pria di Turnamen Bola Basket NCAA. Sulit untuk memahami bagaimana kelalaian untuk menyediakan peralatan dan fasilitas yang layak bagi para atlet pelajar wanita - terutama selama turnamen terbesar dalam olahraga mereka - masih bisa terjadi hingga saat ini. Sayangnya, tampaknya seksisme dalam olahraga sudah tertanam sejak anak-anak kita masih berada di dunia olahraga. Ketidaksetaraan ini juga dilembagakan-dari cara kita mendefinisikan apa yang memenuhi syarat sebagai olahraga hingga citra yang digunakan untuk merepresentasikan atlet perempuan, kesenjangan fasilitas, dan dukungan untuk atlet perempuan.
As superstar athlete and World Cup champion Megan Rapinoe testified to Congress, โOne cannot simply outperform inequality or be excellent enough to escape discrimination of any kind.โ As a mother of a son and a daughter, this inequality hit very close to home just last week. Up until two weeks ago, in my state of California, all youth sports, which were prohibited for nearly a year, were permitted to return. All sports, that is, except for one female-dominated sport: cheer. While my son was able to get back on the field and enjoy his sport, I, alongside many other concerned parents, had to continue to advocate at the state level for equity for cheer athletes. We were successful, but why did we even have to fight for recognition and equal treatment for these athletes? Women and girls in sports should not be an afterthought.
It is disheartening to see that the fight for equality for womenโs sports continues beyond grade school, as collegiate athletes in the NCAA Womenโs Basketball Tournament recently experienced firsthand. Like many of you, I recently saw the viral video from University of Oregon sophomore forward Sedona Prince showing the weight room facilities provided for the female players at the basketball tournament compared with the facilities provided for the men. The women’s weight room consisted of a single set of dumbbells and some yoga mats, while the men’s weight room was stocked with state-of-the-art training equipment, rows of weights, and workout machines. Her TikTok video was further socialized on Instagram and Twitter and now has more than 20 million views.
Kemarahan pun muncul dengan cepat, karena banyak orang dengan cepat mengkritik ketidakadilan yang terang-terangan terhadap para atlet wanita ini, tetapi merek-merek tersebut melangkah lebih cepat lagi. Tidak hanya protes untuk memperbaiki situasi yang datang dari selebriti, jurnalis olahraga, dan penggemar, tetapi perusahaan juga ikut ambil bagian. Merek-merek kebugaran dan ritel seperti Orange Theory, Dick's Sporting Goods, dan Tonal merespons untuk mendukung para atlet wanita (yang memiliki pengaruh kuat di media sosial) dengan memberikan peralatan keesokan harinya dan menawarkan untuk menyediakan fasilitas latihan yang sesuai. Tak lama kemudian, NCAA mengakui kesalahan besar dalam penilaian ini dan memasang ruang angkat beban wanita yang berfungsi penuh disertai dengan permintaan maaf.
These brands understand the power of the moment and of female athletes. Research from Nielsen Sports illustrates the power female athletes hold as social media endorsers. Fans like to buy products and services that their favorite athletes endorse on social media. When brands partner with athletes to embrace their power and advocate for equity, they can enact change as well as accountability in sports institutions. Thatโs a winning play for brandsโfully embracing the power of female athletes, while proactively building equity in women’s sports and not just in response to a crisis.
There are several fundamental truths here that brands need to embrace: social media is powerful; female athletes are powerful influencers; and consumers are asking more from brands when it comes to social responsibility. For example, a global Nielsen Fan Insights study reveals that 47.5% of respondents have a greater interest in brands that have been socially responsible and “do good.” The good news is that some brands are taking notice and recalibrating business and marketing models to meet consumersโ changing needs in a new era of sports sponsorship. The brands stepping in to act on the values they espouse as an organization are a perfect example. Brands, including leagues, teams, owners, and even school districts, must address changing consumer and social demands and their female athletesโ needs by operating with equity in women’s sports.
Lebih banyak peluang menghasilkan lebih banyak audiens
The weight room in San Antonio isnโt the only place where we need to see change. While weโre seeing progress in how women are represented on television in scripted content, we have not seen the same visibility in womenโs sports. This isnโt for lack of womenโs sporting events or even viewer interest, but rather the relative lack of access to womenโs team sporting events being broadcast and promoted on TV compared with menโs events. We know this needs to change, but it is a catch 22. Far fewer womenโs sports are being broadcast, and when they are, games are often carried on difficult to find, smaller outlets, and are under-promoted, naturally resulting in smaller audiences. This overall lack of investment and promotion on television negatively affects audience draw, and therefore ROI for advertisers and sponsors. This lower brand investment is being used to justify disparities in resources for womenโs sports. And the cycle continues.
Kabar baiknya adalah bahwa tampaknya ada perubahan dalam gelombang. Cakupan untuk Turnamen Bola Basket Putri NCAA tahun ini adalah salah satu yang terluas dalam sejarahnya berkat cakupan ESPN yang semakin luas-sebuah langkah yang sejauh ini telah melipatgandakan jangkauan penonton putaran pertama turnamen putri dibandingkan dengan yang terjadi pada tahun 2019.
Along with the gripping game play, the increase in reach is most likely attributed to the number of games actually being aired. Round 1 of the tournament in 2019 was exclusively broadcast on ESPN2, which aired just nine game windows. This yearโs NCAA women’s games have been on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU, and every single one of the 32 games has been aired in round 1. When audiences have access to women’s sports, they tune in. Female athletes deserve the facilities, equipment and support they need to thrive. While the menโs tournament has seen multi-network coverage since 2011, the women’s tournament is finally seeing increased coverage, with 2021 marking the first time the womenโs tournament has been on network TVโand not just on cableโin decades. Because that viewing opportunity exists, more people are watching. It is time womenโs sports get the investment, coverage and support they deserve. Advertisers should take note: A growing fan base means a bigger audience.
Sudah hampir 50 tahun sejak undang-undang Title IX memberikan kesempatan yang sama kepada wanita untuk berolahraga. Namun, undang-undang ini juga mengamanatkan perlakuan yang sama bagi atlet pelajar wanita dan pria, mulai dari peralatan hingga fasilitas kompetisi, publisitas, promosi, dan banyak lagi. Dengan semakin banyaknya merek yang memperjuangkan kesetaraan untuk olahraga wanita dan atlet wanita menjadi lebih berpengaruh sebagai pendukung merek, saya berharap kita akan melihat lebih sedikit kesenjangan dalam hal waktu bermain, fasilitas, kemitraan merek, dan liputan olahraga wanita di layar kaca. Dan bagi atlet wanita di masa depan, kesetaraan untuk olahraga wanita akan menjadi hal yang luar biasa.
