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Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Lionesses and Red Roses join forces to call for more women's sport on TV
Almost half of Brits wish there were more women's sport coverage on TV, according to new research. This is despite viewership and fandom of women's sports skyrocketing in recent years, thanks to sporting success for England's national teams and increased coverage on TV. Advertisement This uptick sees many fans frequently tuning in, with over a quarter (27%) actively seeking out women's sport weekly. While one in five (20%) of 18–34-year-olds do so every day, according to recent research by LG. This rings particularly true in the capital, with Londoners the most committed as two in five (40%) seek out female sports content weekly. The younger generations are the most loyal fans and want to see even more from their favourite sportswomen, with almost three quarters (72%) of 25–34-year-olds sharing they wish women's sport was more widely covered on TV. For those over 45, their kids are taking an educational role in women's sport engagement. Nearly a quarter (22%) claim that their children introduced them to women's sport for the first time. Advertisement To discuss the upcoming summer of sport, former England goalkeeper and media pundit, Rachel Brown-Finnis, sat down with two of England's most loved sporting teams, the Lionesses and Red Roses. Lioness captain Leah Williamson and teammates, Anna Moorhouse and Jess Carter, were joined by Red Roses, Ellie Kildunne, Sadia Kabeya and Lucy Packer, to reflect on some of the nation's most memorable sporting TV moments and the importance of visibility. Sharing her thoughts on the value of visibility, Leah Williamson said: 'I think it's so important that the boys see us, and they see it as normal that we're on the telly and that we're doing the same thing that they want to do.' While goalkeeper, Anna Moorhouse, added: 'It's just great to have everything more accessible. When I was growing up, you couldn't really watch it on TV, women's sport, it was once in a blue moon, now it's every weekend.' Advertisement Presented by Brown-Finnis, in partnership with LG, the group reflected on the development and support that has shaped women's football and rugby into the globally watched sports they are today. Red Roses full-back Ellie Kildunne commented: 'As a Red Roses team, we're playing and they're inspired by us. It's really cool and its definitely just the start, I think there's so much more we can do to grow.' Fan support from across the country will be inspiring the Red Roses and the Lionesses this summer and Brown-Finnis agrees, saying: 'We will be cheering on the Red Roses this summer, we'll be cheering on the Lionesses – good luck for an amazing summer of sport.' Rachel Brown-Finnis is relishing a summer of women's sport (imagecomms) James Thomas, senior product manager for Media Solutions at LG Electronics UK, added: 'It was great to catch up with members of the Lionesses and Red Roses at St George's Park recently, as part of our ongoing partnership with The FA and the RFU. LG's All In Pledge encourages people to engage and watch women's sport, whilst helping the nation get closer to the action with LG OLED TVs. Advertisement 'Watching women's sports helps grow the game and inspires new players to pick up the sport themselves, as watching changes everything.' Red Roses player Sadia Kabeya knows how important watching women's sports is for future players and said: 'The uptake over the past couple of years has been amazing. I never watched rugby growing up and some of these girls are coming because they've seen it on TV…and that being the reason people are taking up the sport is really cool.' Jess Carter said: 'It's incredible now that you can watch so much women's sport on TV. Luckily, I've been able to get on it and hopefully other people have been enjoying watching myself and my team play' Members of the two England women's teams caught up with LG at St George's Park recently as part of the leading TV manufacturer's ongoing partnership with The FA and the RFU. The LG All In Pledge encourages people to engage and watch women's sport. Together we can grow support through fandom and audience numbers to inspire new players to pick up the sport themselves, as watching changes everything. For more information, go to
New York Times
30-05-2025
- General
- New York Times
Ons Jabeur criticizes double standards in women's tennis after French Open night slot controversy
Three-time Grand Slam finalist Ons Jabeur has criticized double standards in the coverage and showcasing of women's tennis, writing on social media that 'the women's game has been writing its own legacy loudly, brilliantly, and for far too long without full recognition.' In a post on X Fri. May 30, Jabeur outlined the stark differences in the perception of success and dominance in the men's and women's games, discussing the chasm between how the two are talked about. Advertisement 'A lot of amazing athletes have been told the same things over and over,' she wrote. 'That no one watches. That no one cares. That women's sport doesn't 'move people.' 'Judgment comes quickly often from those who've never even watched a full match. One empty stadium is held up as proof. The packed ones? Conveniently ignored.' You don't have to agree , just read with an open heart❤️ — Ons Jabeur (@Ons_Jabeur) May 30, 2025 A 6-0, 6-0 win for a woman is called 'boring. Too easy,' she wrote. 'When a man does it? That's 'dominance.' 'Strength.' 'Unstoppable.'' Jabeur also echoed a line from four-time French Open champion Iga Świątek earlier this year, when she wrote of women's players: 'If they celebrate, they're dramatic. Too emotional. If they don't, they're cold. Too distant.' Świątek wrote in a post on social media in March that: 'When I'm highly focused and don't show many emotions on court, I'm called a robot, my attitude labeled as inhuman. Now that I'm more expressive, showing feelings or struggling internally, I'm suddenly labeled immature or hysterical.' Jabeur, a former world No. 2 now down at No. 36, has last year and this year spoken about the court scheduling at the French Open, where not a single women's match has been given the primetime night session slot on Court Philippe-Chatrier, the biggest stadium. 'I hope whoever is making the decision (on scheduling), I don't think they have daughters, because I don't think they want to treat their daughters like this,' she said in a news conference Tuesday. 'It's a bit ironic. They don't show women's sport, they don't show women's tennis, and then they (say), 'Yeah, but mostly they watch men.' Of course they watch men more because you show men more. Everything goes together.' In her social media post, Jabeur went on to outline the qualities of some of the stars of the women's game, most of whom remain at Roland Garros and none of whom will get the platform of the night session slot on Court Philippe-Chatrier. On the same day as Jabeur's post, the Roland Garros tournament director Amélie Mauresmo reiterated her stance from previous years that the decision to put men's matches in the night session rather than women's was solely based on the fact that the former are best of five sets as opposed to best of three. 'It's the length of the matches, not the level they reach,' Mauresmo said, arguing that their shorter durations meant that putting a woman's match on risked leaving spectators shortchanged. Advertisement This was the context for Jabeur's message, which she posted on X the same afternoon. Following Mauresmo's comments, a WTA spokesperson said in a statement: 'The WTA encourages all combined tournaments to provide a balanced match schedule that showcases the best of both women's and men's tennis – and in premium scheduling slots. 'The current generation and depth of talent in women's tennis is extraordinary, and fans deserve and also expect the opportunity to witness the elite performance, athleticism and excitement of these top-tier matchups on the sport's biggest stages.' Jabeur was eliminated in the French Open first round Tuesday by Magdalena Fręch. She will now focus on the grass-court season and preparing for Wimbledon, where she is a two-time finalist.
