Do you need me to explain the rules…
Female Sport Fan, A True Story
“Sports are for boys.” “It’s the boys club.” “No girls allowed.” These phrases haunt the minds of any female who loves sports, who wants to play (or growing up wanted to play) the “guy” sports, or the woman who simply just loves turning on a game or checking ESPN at the bar.
When I was young, my mom signed me up for the whiffle ball team because she knew I hated kickline. Little did she know that was going to be the start of being the only girl in the “locker room”. My dad taught my sister and I the rules of baseball, football and hockey and instilled in us who our teams were and why.
Winters were spent obsessing over the blue line, summers for the diamond, and Sundays… well, we just hoped that the Jets showed up.
Being a female fan is no easy task, you are always questioned if you actually understand the rules, asked which player do you have a crush on, or my absolute favorite -- did you pick your team based on their colors? We as women are never trusted to know the game and our opinions are always taken for granted.
As a woman who worked in sports for many years I saw this everyday. You would never ask a male, “Did you sleep with any of the players?” or immediately be assumed to be a cheerleader. But for me it was the first thing I had to face. It was no better within the office. I was never taken seriously. No matter how many articles were published or interviews completed, it never mattered.
When I was working for the New York Islanders, I spent most games in the press box. There you would find reporters, players, officials, all the top guys! I was helping the officials with stats and a player on the IR goes, “You’re asking this little thing!” The official responds, “She knows her stuff.” The player then responded, “Oh yea, okay sweetheart, what do you know about me?” Immediately, I break down his previous season and his current injury. I also gave him two scenarios that he could have done to avoid his upper body injury. We will just say he was white as a ghost and apologized.
Within the last 5 years there has been this metamorphosis, after the Me Too movement where sport broadcasting channels started bringing women on for color commentary. They weren’t there to be the pretty face, they were there to give actual stats and game points.
The female fan is logical and passionate, she knows more about the history of her team than the guy sitting next to her. She listens to the pre and post game show, and better yet she’s ACTUALLY paying attention.
When you’re at the ballpark look around you’ll see it, and hey, maybe even ask the female fan her opinion on that play. You might learn something…
Fans are fans no matter their gender, but female fans, we will always be loyal!
Article by Sarah Holzberg, Top Fan Rivalry Contributor