Amelia Parreira is a journalism junior and Mustang News sports columnist. These views do not necessarily reflect the opinion or editorial coverage of Mustang News.
Amelia Parreira
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Every four summers, the world comes together for four weeks to watch soccer players from all over the world compete for the sport’s highest honor — the World Cup — hoping and praying in joy and in tears that the most desired team will walk away from the final match as the next champion.
Every October, America tunes in to experience the intensity, sometimes even mind torture, of baseball’s World Series. Then once more in February for football’s Super Bowl. And again in the springtime for the NBA Finals.
No matter what time of year it is, I always manage to find people out there in the midst of a good sports discussion. However, I noticed a pattern in all these discussions: None of them are ever centered on women’s sports.
Now, I have to admit that I myself have never particularly paid much attention to women’s sports. But now I think to myself, why haven’t I?
The bigger question is why women’s sports are overshadowed while men’s sports are overpraised. Why does the nature of our culture do so little to bring about equality in the athletic world?
These questions first crossed my mind during the Cal Poly soccer season. As I attended each women’s soccer match, I noticed how few people attended to watch, especially during the Sunday games. At first it didn’t really bother me too much because I figured that many people had other things to do on an early Sunday afternoon — until the Blue-Green Rivalry matches kicked off.
Games against Cal Poly rival UC Santa Barbara are among the most popular events in San Luis Obispo. In fact, the men’s soccer rival match sold out within the first few days of ticket sales. That’s right — more than 11,000 seats in Alex G. Spanos Stadium were filled on Nov. 2. However, the women’s soccer team held its rival match just one week before, where spectators filled barely half of the stadium.
This left me more confused than anything else. Women’s soccer finished the season with a home record of 5-4, which just about equaled the men’s home record of 5-4-2. So why did the women’s team receive less recognition than the men’s at its own home?
This is only one of many examples involving this same problem. ESPN created a separate channel known as ESPNW dedicated only to women’s sports in order to keep ratings up on their two main channels, ESPN and ESPN2. Not only does this isolate women’s teams from the men’s teams, but the women’s channel does not even come with basic cable. You have to get this channel separately, making it less available for all viewers. Why can’t they just make it easier by letting the women’s teams air alongside the men’s teams on one network?
The lack of recognition for women’s sports teams is an issue that has continued far too long. It is time for a change. Instead of separation, we need coexistence. All teams should have the opportunity to air alongside one another instead of undergoing segregation by networks. All athletes should have the chance to be recognized for their talents and potentials, regardless of their gender.
This change starts with us, as students, faculty and the world’s next generation. So, ladies and gentlemen, the next time you plan on attending a basketball game, a soccer game or whichever sporting event grabs your attention, show an equal amount of support for both the men’s and women’s teams. Change up your style. Show your Mustangs that you are there for them, all of them.