The Media Coverage of the FAWSL: A Girl Thing?

Abstract

Reports and features on women’s sport make up just 5% of media coverage; and studies have regularly come to the same conclusion: the media shows far fewer women than men in a sporting context, and though women’s participation in sport has grown, this has not been reflected in an equal expansion of media coverage. This chapter explores how FAWSL players view the media coverage they receive, and shows that players themselves take responsibility for raising their profile, often via social media, and they report that they are very aware of the importance of promoting a positive image not just to secure their own media profiles and to attract more fans to the sport but a desire to inspire young women.