Growing up in Texas, Friday night football is something that is engraved in your brain at an early age. When it is not football season, most people are just counting down the days until it is or discussing how the team for this upcoming year is looking. Whether you grew up in Texas or not, sports are embedded into American culture. Individuals flock to see which team will be the next Super Bowl Champion or who will make it to the NCAA Final Four. However, there is a new fan base that is slowly beginning to make a name for themselves, women.
Over the years, women have continued to make strides in the world of sports. The first ever woman coach in the NBA just led the San Antonio Spurs to a title in the Las Vegas summer tournament. The Arizona Cardinals recently added a woman to their coaching staff, making her the first ever female coach in the NFL. According to an article in the New York Times, the NFL estimates that 45 percent of it's fan base are females. So, why do many men still refuse to see women as equals when it comes to cheering on their favorite sports team?
Society teaches boys and girls at a young age that acting "like a girl" is an insult. They are taught that it is embarrassing to hit, run or play like a girl. The truth is, many girls are not taught at a young age who Troy Aikman is or how many home runs Babe Ruth hit. So, they learn on their own. I cannot name every basketball team in the NBA or list all of the Houston Texans starting players. However, I would much rather watch Sunday Night Football than six seasons of One Tree Hill. It is heartbreaking when girls want to play a sport that society does not deem appropriate for them. Do we all want to be considered "one of the boys"? No. Trust me, I thoroughly enjoy wearing high heels and putting on make-up. Most of the time all we want is a chance, just like everyone else.
As the sales of female sports paraphernalia, the number of female sports fans and the amount of women actively involved in fantasy leagues and sports brackets increase, this is the time for sports leagues to change their marketing tactics. Sports ads are consistently geared towards men. That trend has a lot to do with the fact that a majority of sports leagues leadership is dominated by men and let's face it, that has always been their target audience. Not only is it important for society to recognize women as a legitimate fan base but, for sports leagues to continue to be successful and increase revenue, a change in marketing might be necessary.
Female sports fans are not going anywhere anytime soon. So, next time you think watching sports is "just for the guys", think again.
