“Sports Mythbusters” is a column by Sammie Yen about common stereotypes in and around sports culture.
If you’re a fan of basketball, you know the name Caitlin Clark.
The Iowa senior guard needs no introduction, but if you haven’t heard of her, she has become the leading face of college basketball, recently surpassing the NCAA Division 1 women’s all-time scoring record on February 15 and becoming the NCAA D1 all-time leading scorer on March 3.
After Clark broke these records, I, along with numerous other basketball enthusiasts, took to social media to consume and appreciate official edits, slow-motion replays and multimedia graphics of Caitlin Clark’s accomplishments. Just as I knew it would, the praise and recognition for Clark warmed my heart.
However, I couldn’t help but be slightly bothered by more pessimistic remarks. Under Instagram posts by the Big Ten simply celebrating Clark’s game marking her 3,685 career points (exceeding the 3,667-point record held by LSU’s “Pistol” Pete Maravich), people were not so supportive.
[theshoe_2004] wrote, “She broke the women’s record, not the men’s. Playing with [a] smaller ball, it’s obviously easier to make it into the same sized hoop the men use.”
Another user said, “Pete had a bigger ball, more competition, only played for 3 years, and he didn’t even have the 3-point line.”
Yet another faceless account commented, “Whoever made this post is [g]uaranteed a bitter feminist who can’t accept reality haha.”
It is futile to entertain or to engage with keyboard warriors. I know I shouldn’t. After all, this type of online contempt isn’t exclusive to women’s basketball. Whenever you dive into hot-button topics in sports like LeBron versus MJ, the role of politics, or betting and fixing games, strangers often turn vicious and tend to spew hatred from a computer.
But these comments under the post about Clark do not circulate a new narrative. In fact, those words and those sentiments speak to a larger discussion and attitude towards women’s sports and, more specifically, the quality of women’s sports compared to men’s sports.
Too many people believe the quality of female athletes is lacking. Too many people believe that the athletic ability in women’s sports just doesn’t stack up to that of men’s sports. Too many people believe women’s sports aren’t worth watching.
A 2021 Purdue study found that since 1989, coverage of women’s sports has received around 5% of airtime on network news channels, sometimes seeing small spikes around select major events. These quick segments are classified as “one-and-done” stories, as they are eclipsed by thorough male sports coverage, either in-season, out-of-season or comedic segments that are irrelevant to sports itself. There is a debate that women’s sports are televised less simply because there is less interest in the sport, but in order for there to be interest in the women’s sports, it has to be readily accessible. Unfortunately, it’s a cyclic process.
Additionally, mainstream media tends to focus on tangential aspects of these athletes’ lives. In postgame press conferences, questions may target weight, clothing or love life. This video shows the stark disparity in treatment when male athletes are asked questions typically posed to their female counterparts. These male athletes are uncomfortable and disrespected, and it’s only then do we start to see the absurdity directed towards women’s sports.
Another issue is the representation of female athletes. A 2019 article compared the depiction of Olympic athletes in Sports Illustrated and found that female athletes are portrayed in passive poses with emphasis on aesthetics. In this way, they’re not viewed as athletes. Conversely, male athletes are portrayed in action, exuding the very essence of strength. This distinction in appearance versus capability points to this diminished value of female athletes.
I believe people should watch women’s sports for the same reasons we love watching sports in general. There’s tension, heartbreak and intelligence. These are universal moments that resonate with everyone. Serena Williams has shown us the definition of a comeback. Simone Biles has shown us what true dominance looks like.
This incessant need for comparison is frustrating. Pete Maravich made history. Caitlin Clark is making history. Both players have pushed the boundaries of achievement in their respective eras. Both players’ journeys required masterful dedication and polished skill.
I don’t intend to force you to watch women’s sports. I am not trying to coerce you into turning on the WNBA or the USWNT as a quota. Similarly, I am not trying to villainize those of you who are avid fans of the NBA or the Premier League. Whichever leagues and teams you choose to watch are your personal prerogative.
But to those who vehemently ridicule and refuse to watch women’s sports in the name of superiority, I implore you to reexamine your prejudices.
“Sports Mythbusters” runs every other Friday.