Abstract
Traditional sports media marginalizes or ignores female athletes in their coverage despite increasing numbers of female participation in professional sports. However, in venues in which women and men compete in the same event, such as fighting sports, media coverage of female athletes increases dramatically. Focusing on fighting sports, including boxing, submission wrestling, kickboxing, and Mixed Martial Arts, this paper demonstrates that inclusive venues provide an avenue for female athletes to receive equitable promotion, media coverage, and sponsorship opportunities using data from ESPN, Neilson, the Fan Report, and other emerging sources. This paper further argues that transgender and nonbinary athletes could thrive in these environments in future sporting activities.
Presenters
L.A. JenningsAdjunct Professor, English Department; Media Studies and Communications Department, University of Denver, Colorado, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Sporting Cultures and Identities
KEYWORDS
Mixed Martial Arts, Women, Media, Sports Journalism
Digital Media
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