Ninth International Conference on Sport & Society

Abstract

Much scholarship exists involving female journalists in traditional sports reporting, but no scholarship has explored such issues of pay, promotion, harassment and credibility in the workplace of female fantasy sports reporting. Members of the Fantasy Sports Writers of America were surveyed. The quantitative portion of the FSWA survey asked members which issues they found relevant, and the open-ended, qualitative portion offered members a forum for explaining their concerns. Results included little evidence of a pay gap for equal work but a significant difference in advancement. Many female fantasy journalists leave the industry after a decade and following parenthood. Respondents also noted credibility gaps and harassment. Two factors that have not been isolated as affecting retention or promotion were flex time and a lack of need for physical newsrooms, but those are two differences for fantasy journalists compared to traditional sports journalists. Nonetheless, female fantasy journalists face the same obstacles that female reporters covering traditional sports and news have faced throughout journalism history. This survey extends the theory of hegemonic masculinity to fantasy sports journalism.