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Media coverage is the biggest gap in women’s sports coverage, and Ally Bank is at the forefront of helping bridge that gap.
Women’s sports are on the rise — slowly but surely.
As a feminist who pushes for equality, especially across sports, I had no idea how out of touch I was until I caught three events in one day.
Last Sunday, Ally Bank invited me to Washington, D.C., to watch a female sports equinox, three professional events happening on the same day in various parts of the area. I saw my first Solheim Cup, my first D.C. Spirit soccer game and my first in-person WNBA game against the Washington Majestics versus the Atlanta Dream.
I have argued multiple times about the equality of men’s and women’s sports and why more people should become fans and watch the female side of the game.
After attending those events, I realized my arguments on equality were surface-level.
Stephanie Marciano, Ally Bank’s Head of Sports & Entertainment Marketing, explained what she feels is the largest discrepancy between men’s and women’s sports.
“The disparity in media is the single greatest barrier to the growth of the women’s game,” Marciano said in an exclusive interview with Playing Through.
“Unless you can watch games on T.V. and read about women’s sports 24/7, there’s no way it can catch up. So we will continue to scream from the rooftops that we’ve got to level the media equity across men’s and women’s sports.”
From the Solheim Cup to WNBA all in one Day
Seeing Team USA go head-to-head and win the Solheim Cup for the first time since 2017 was a bucket list item for me. It was probably my favorite part of the day.
An Ally athlete, Lilia Vu, came up clutch at the end to get the half-point the U.S. needed to win.
There were two things that she said stood out.
“It doesn’t feel like We’re big time,” Vu said in an exclusive with Playing Through. “We’re playing the game that we love — it happens to be our career.”
Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
These are some of the biggest names in women’s golf, and her statement that they do not feel big-time was eye-opening.
She also discussed how the fans at Solheim gave her something she never experienced in her career.
“There were so many fans…it was so loud. People were screaming my name,” Vu said. “I didn’t know what to do with myself. And I was like, ‘Whoa, everyone is screaming my name.’ I’ve never had this before.’”
There was a buzz at Robert Trent Golf Club. The atmosphere was electric, from riding the shuttle at 7:30 a.m. to getting onto the property. It is probably the best golf-related event I have been to covering this sport.
Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images
A women’s golf event showed me something I had not gotten at a men’s tournament.
The crowd noise was downright impressive. I never thought a women’s golf tournament would be that loud, but I was surprised.
This environment does not always happen, so for her parents to hear “LIL-IA, LIL-IA, LIL-IA” chants was something they dreamed for her. Fans showed up for the home team, and it was special.
“My mom, she’s so cute. She told me the next day that she almost got so emotional hearing everybody scream my name because you’ve never been in an atmosphere where everyone is riding and pushing hard for you, like your daughter. It was so cool,” Vu said.”
To think a 5-time LPGA winner has never had her name chanted like that shows another difference in men’s and women’s sports. It is what makes her proud to work with Ally.
“A lot of people talk the talk, but they don’t walk the walk,” Vu said about Ally versus other brands. “I know that Ally pushes us forward, and they’ve been doing so much, and I’m very honored to get up every day, put my visor on and represent them.”
After the Solheim Cup, the rest of the day’s events opened my eyes to how much women’s athletes have grown in the last few years.
Seeing Trinity Rodman and Casey Krueger, two of the Team USA Olympians on that squad, gave me a new respect for soccer. Those ladies are so aggressive. They made me a soccer fan.
However, that stadium had so many United D.C. emblems. Granted, they share the field, but it felt like the women were borrowing it. The team store was not open on a Sunday — that would not happen for a men’s game.
Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images
There was merchandise for sale, but it was limited, confusing me. I wanted a Rodman jersey, but I could not buy one. However, the team was so entertaining that I wanted to follow them to see how they finished their season.
The WNBA also gave me that kind of energy.
They had jerseys and other merchandise for sale at the event, but it felt like an afterthought.
The Washington Majestics also played in a gym smaller than my high school. I do not know if that is their regular gym, but it did not feel like a professional event.
Regardless of the extra stuff, the physical game was a blast and reminded me how much I loved women’s basketball.
Growing the women’s game to reach that 50/50 equality goal
Going to these three events also showed me that I do not do enough as a journalist to support the female side of the game, especially women’s golf.
Unfortunately, many of these sports get pushed aside and only get massive coverage for big games. It brought up media equity and
Ally Bank made a 50/50 pledge in 2022. This means they will spend equal amounts of money on men’s and women’s media.
“It’s essentially how we keep ourselves accountable and very transparent with the marketplace,” Marciano said. “When we started that pledge in May of 2022, 90 percent of our sports media was men’s sports, and 10 percent was women’s sports. That’s probably where most brands are today.”
Chatting with Marciano made me realize the small part I can do as a golf journalist.
It is not just about getting more people to the games and becoming fans because these teams have supporters. The journalists need to emphasize the women’s game more. Without coverage, it is hard for anyone to know what is happening in the sports world.
Writing and giving these ladies exposure will only get more people invested in their teams. Look at how popular the women were at the Olympics — they led Team USA with 67 of the group’s 126 medals.
Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images
Then there are the players putting women’s basketball on people’s radars—Caitlin Clark, A’ja Wilson, Angel Reese, Candace Parker, and so many more. The talent in the WNBA is plentiful, and it is incredible to see them finally getting some of the love they deserve.
Look at women’s golf and the strides they’ve made. World No. 1 Nelly Korda won six times in 2024, and everyone knows about it. Vu and Rose Zhang are two more. Then there is Charley Hull and her being unapologetically herself — these personalities draw in fans.
However, while there has been a lot of progress, it is slow, especially in the media realm.
This week, for example, the ladies are in Cincinnati for the Kroger Queen City’s Championship. Since the PGA Tour is off, they should be a priority, but instead, the men on the D.P. World Tour get the nod. The time difference for the BMW PGA Championship is perfect to play in the morning, but when it is the women’s allotted time, go live from the LPGA event.
The women were slotted for live coverage from 1-4 p.m. E.T. Thursday through Sunday. However, Friday saw the BMW PGA Championship go through a weather delay. Golf Channel extended the coverage, and the women lost out on 45-plus minutes of exposure.
At 4 p.m. on the dot, Golf Channel returned to men’s golf for the Korn Ferry Tour event. The women are competing at the highest stage in professional golf. There is no reason for them to get their coverage shut off, especially for anything less than the PGA Tour.
No offense to the Korn Ferry Tour because I respect them, but what Golf Channel did irked me.
Give fans more women’s coverage because that is how you get people interested. Women’s golf is not boring.
Journalists must help with the media gap between men’s and women’s sports, especially my fellow golf writers. Even if it does not garner the clicks that the men do, the women need coverage. We cannot continue to ignore them and expect them to be second-class athletes anymore.
It took going to this equinox to realize how little I knew about the lack of equality in the women’s game, but now that I have a better understanding, I want to give the LPGA as much attention as possible.
It is time to stop overlooking women and putting them on the back burner. Women’s sports can be profitable, and it’s time to put in the work. It’s 2024, for heaven’s sake. There is no excuse for anyone to dislike women’s sports, but it takes us all to bridge the gap.
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for S.B. Nation’s Playing Through. For more golf coverage, follow us @_PlayingThrough on all major social platforms. You can also follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @golf_girl_sl.
