To broadcast from TV sports booths like the Big Guys. [Photo: ESPN's Erin Andrews] "This is the most misogynist part of society," says one, wary of offending her bosses. "It's the last bastion of acceptable sexism." Another adds, "I truly believe you could put Pam Oliver [of Fox], Suzy Kolber [and] Michele Tafoya [of ESPN], Lesley Visser and Andrea Kremer in a booth and they'd completely hold their own. But they've never, ever been given a chance." In the unequal playing field that is TV sports, these women say, a physically unattractive man (say, John Madden or Howard Cosell) can thrive, but an unattractive woman has no chance. At the same time, while a female sportscaster of a certain age can kiss her TV career goodbye, a man of similar age is lauded for his maturity and experience. Paul Farhi Wash Post
But play-by-play is still out of bounds for babes stuck on the sidelines on Any Given Sunday. What do you think? Should sportsbabes be allowed in the booths? The way I see it the Girls Not Allowed is fan-driven. Heaven Can Wait?
Maybe Condoleezza Rice could pave the way by calling NFL games? She knows the game and could speak on it with authority. But making the leap from sideline bunny to the booth would be tougher. The difficult thing is to convey fluid knowledge with a sense of drama. A female broadcaster needs to have a voice that can do this, and let's face it, no one else of either sex could do it like Cosell. Madden won a Super Bowl and has a personality that comes across on camera, so the looks are irrelevant.
ReplyDeleteBottom line, a woman with a colourful personality and voice to match could do it...Camille Paglia?
I don't think it would take very long at all for us to get used to seeing women in the booths giving the play-by-plays, even not-so-hot women of whatever age. We got used to seeing the unattractive males and easily accepted that because we are generally paying attention to the game. Put another way, we guys (and gals, I suppose) are not usually turned on or off by the men sitting in announcing booths, so what would it matter if a woman was doing a good job of announcing the event?
ReplyDeleteNow, for the time-outs and intermissions when there's no game excitement to watch, that's when fan-driven eye candy might play a roll in keeping us tuned-in through the commercials.
Camille Paglia? Very funny, RM. Al, you make some solid points. Are there any sportsbabes on the air today who could make the transition from sidelines to booth? Seriously.
ReplyDeletePersonally I would nominate Hillary Clinton to smash through this glass ceiling. I'm certain the argument could be made that she would be ready to broadcast on "day one" in any sport.
ReplyDeleteESPN's Pam Ward has been doing play-by-play on D1 college football for years. She is excellent, always well prepared, articulate and knows the game inside and out.
ReplyDeleteShe would be the perfect choice to replace some of the good-ole-boys currently announcing the nationally televised game on Sat. night.
ESPN seems reluctant to break up the stag party in the booth.
TH I have to agree with you about getting women into the booth. Some fresh blood is needed from the septgenarians who were coaches decades ago. All that analysis is BS. Show me the game! One reason I often watch the video of the game on TV while listeing to the play by play on the radio feed. The radio people actually have to paint the picture while the TV guys are on an imbilical cord to the tech truck.
ReplyDeleteLeave the side lines to the half covered Cheerleaders and get the girls up in the booth!
ReplyDeleteFunny, Bobcat. And Hillary'll take those 3 a.m. calls from drugged-out jocks.
ReplyDeleteLet's start rallying around Pam Ward!
Jim Bohannon sends me an email to remind us all that: 8/3/93: First woman to PBP major league baseball: Gayle "whatever happened to" Gardner, NBC.
ReplyDelete10/19/06: First woman to PBP golf, Kelly Tilghman, Golf Channel.
It's so good to see you posting again!