Need help tracking sports across multiple platforms or (look away, kids) watching the games? without it To pay for the new service, contact your local female sports fan. They are guaranteed to be well trained in the dark arts of streaming.
Fans who follow Caitlin Clark, who was drafted No. 1 overall on Monday, to the Indiana Fever will have to find her on seven different channels for the first seven games. At least three of these (ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2) are all part of the Disney family, while other services (Prime Video, WNBA League Pass, Ion, and NBA TV) are spread out further apart.
Increased broadcaster investment in women's sport is giving the game a chance to shine, but only if you know where to look. There are also growing calls for more time and attention, especially given the gains ESPN has made in boosting women's basketball.
After Scottie Scheffler's four-stroke victory at the Masters and the drama of the NBA's final day, ace channel flippers got their most exciting moment in sports Sunday. On Sunday night in Utica, New York, the best women's hockey players from the United States and Canada ran down the ice in search of an overtime gold medal winner. Canada's Daniel Serdachny scored the final goal, sealing a 6-5 victory and leveling his rivals with 18 wins apiece in the world championship contest.
“That was probably the craziest game I've ever been a part of,” 30-year-old Canadian goalie Anne-Rénée Desbiens said shortly after the final horn.
Considering this game will be broadcast on the NHL Network, viewership numbers will be tough to come by. NHL Network is not rated by Nielsen and is often only available with sports add-on cable packages (unless you know someone), so its reach is limited. Part of the feed is also from his TSN north of the border, which is why you heard Desbian make the above quote instead of US fans getting an American voice.
It wasn't hard to find some viewers dissatisfied with the content, even if it was similar to what has aired in the past. It's the type of compromise setup that female sports fans have become accustomed to but never fully embraced.
“Fans have a new expectation that they want to be able to easily find their favorite sport,” said Jayna Hefford, Women's Professional Hockey League SVP, Hockey Operations (seven-time world champion) in an interview. He spoke at “They're starting to get used to the increased visibility of the game, and without it, it feels like they're missing it.”
This year, USA Hockey produced a six-part behind-the-scenes documentary about the national team, providing even more access to passionate fans. The show first aired on NHL Network, but the organization hopes to make the entire show available online as well. However, today's viewers are unlikely to be completely satisfied for a long time.
“USA Hockey needs a completely different media plan,” said Brant Feldman, founder of American Group Management, which represents players on both sides of Sunday's battle. “This is not a blow to the NHL Network, but we need to broadcast the Women's World Championship and U-18s on a network that is easier for women's sports fans to find.”
The new PWHL helped prove the sport's potential, setting attendance records in its first season while broadcasting games for free through YouTube. When the playoffs begin in May, there is a possibility of an even higher score. Athletes and advocates worked for years to get this business off the ground. Then the guards from Iowa came.
“I would have to say it's the Caitlin Clark effect,” said Jamie Hirsch, a PWHL broadcaster in New York who also hosted the IIHF World broadcast on NHL Network. “[She] Make all women's sports even more famous. ”
The timing for the extra attention for women's hockey comes at a good time, as it gives women's hockey an easy way to showcase high-level production and give fans an easy way to watch it. The competitive and professional atmosphere of the PWHL also enhanced the quality of play in Utica, Hirsch said. That momentum will only increase as the league resumes this week.
The theory that putting women's sport on a bigger stage will lead to increased interest, which in turn will lead to a bigger stage for the game in a positive feedback loop, is proving true. It is also proving to be incomplete. Because the quality of the actual product delivered is also a factor, and its improvements are also incorporated into the same cycle to further progress. The game itself is also getting better.
Clark will have to wait a month to prove she can shine at the professional level, but in the meantime her progress toward recognition in women's sports will continue unabated. The spotlight will shift next to gymnastics when the NCAA Championships return to ABC on Saturday.
Last year, it was watched by 1.02 million viewers, a Disney record. This time around, Oklahoma will likely end the season undefeated and aim for their third straight championship.
“In my opinion, if we can get a deal done, they're going to be looked at as the greatest college team of all time,” ESPN commentator John Roethlisberger said on Monday's media preview call.
None of the record-setting attention or all-time highs should be considered mere coincidences. This weekend, the balance beam will also be located 125 centimeters above the mat. But the hurdles are rising.
“The thrill of victory or the agony of defeat is not made any more thrilling or less painful by the gender of the athlete you're watching,” Roethlisberger said. “It's been a great piece of work for a long time and it still is. It's great that everyone can see it.”
