I spent about 15 years as a sports reporter. I’d like to say things are
getting better for women in the field, but there’s a lot of room for
improvement.
I was
a sports reporter for about 15 years. I spent about ten years in television,
where I worked for five TV stations – anchoring and reporting – and about five
years as a print journalist. I mention this because I pay attention to media
sports positions, having given a large chunk of my life to that world.
Back
when I wormed my way into the sports world, there were few other women. In my
daily interactions, I almost never dealt with others of my gender. But, as more
women joined the ranks, I truly believed that eventually the field would become
more welcoming.
Sadly,
that hasn’t happened.
Some
of you may be thinking, “Gosh, Anne. You’re wrong. There are women
sportscasters all over the place.”
Well,
technically there are more women working in sports media today, perhaps because
there are so many more broadcast outlets when compared to the days when most
towns had just three TV stations and cable and the Internet didn’t exist. A
handful of women have even had the opportunity to share their expertise in the
booth, doing play-by-play and color commentary. But the numbers are dismal when
compared to all the sportscasting jobs out there.
Kate Scott has done
play-by-play for the Pac-12 network. In The Ringer article
“Where Are All the Women in Play-by-Play Broadcasting?”, Scott called the lack
of women in the field a numbers game.
Most sportscasting jobs, especially the ones in color and play-by-play, are still held by men.
“If
there’s 10 guys applying for a job, and one woman, there’s more of a
possibility that a guy’s going to get hired, just strictly because of the
numbers of it,” Scott said. “Plus, many of the people in charge are men, who
may be more likely to hire other men for the job. And on top of all of that,
women need to have champions in order to succeed in these roles, or people
willing to take the risk. Hiring a woman to call a sports broadcast still goes
against the industry norms and often requires taking a chance on an unknown.
But recently, albeit slowly, that’s starting to change.”
When women do get a shot
at the booth, it’s most often to call games where the participants are women.
Most
often, the women called on to work in the booth are covering sports with female
athletes. I’m not complaining here, just stating a fact. The logic seems to be
that since women play basketball, for example, giving them a shot in the hoops
booth isn’t that great a stretch. But women who call baseball, football, or ice
hockey – especially at the male professional level – remain a rarity.
And when networks do
decide to give women a chance, a closer look reveals they don’t have much faith
in the viewing public’s willingness to listen. Remember the Thursday Night Football game when Hannah Storm and
Andrea Kremer – two women who’ve been in the field for decades – became the
first female team to call an NFL game? Nice! I thought! It’s about time. But
then I discovered that that broadcast was an alternative feed, one that viewers
had to select instead of the “normal” booth team that featured Joe Buck and
Troy Aikman. That clearly showed that the folks in charge aren’t quite sure the
viewing public can handle women in the booth.
Sideline reporters like Erin Andrews are often asked to be nothing more
than a pretty face.
That leads us to the
most useless job in sportscasting, one which, perhaps not surprisingly, is
often held by women: sideline reporting. There is absolutely no reason, in my
opinion, for this job to even exist. Sideline reporters rarely talk about
anything but injuries. It would make more sense to have a medical professional
manning the sidelines than a sports reporter. “Now let’s go down to Nurse
Becky on the field!” And I’ve watched entire games where the
guys in the booth only go to the sideline reporter a couple of times. So,
what’s the point? I sense the position was created just so the networks can
brag about how inclusive they are. “Look! Wow! We’re letting a woman step onto
the field. Aren’t we great!”
Here’s
the thing. Sports broadcasting is not rocket science. So, can we move along here?
Open those doors and give some women a chance.
Really,
what would it hurt?
Here is a brief peek at Anne's latest release.
Bud Richardville is inducted into the Army as the United States prepares for the invasion of Europe in 1943. A chance comment has Bud assigned to the Graves Registration Service where his unit is tasked with locating, identifying, and burying the dead. Bud ships out, leaving behind his new wife, Lorraine, a mysterious woman who has stolen his heart but whose secretive nature and shadowy past leave many unanswered questions. When Bud and his men hit the beach at Normandy, they are immediately thrust into the horrors of what working in a graves unit entails. Bud is beaten down by the gruesome demands of his job and losses in his personal life, but then he meets Eva, an optimistic soul who despite the war can see a positive future. Will Eva’s love be enough to save him?
Praise for Your Forgotten Sons
“Although a defty crafted work of original fiction, “Your Forgotten Sons” by Anne Montgomery is inspired by a true story. An original and inherently interesting read from start to finish, “Your Forgotten Sons” will prove to be an immediate and enduringly appreciated pick.” Midwest Book Review
“This was a quick, riveting read that really challenged me to think differently about our servicemen and women, especially those who take on the jobs that don’t get heroically depicted in the media or news…I really highly recommend this book to anyone that is looking for a different take on American history. I left it with a newfound appreciation for the unsung heroes.” Bekah C NetGalley
“This is the truth. It’s gritty and painful and bittersweet – and true. When you think you’ve read every perspective of WWII, along comes Bud to break your heart.” Bridgett Siter Former Military Reporter
“Anne Montgomery writes a strong story and I was hooked from the first page. It had a great concept and I enjoyed that this was inspired by a true story…It was written perfectly and I was invested in the story. Anne Montgomery has a great writing style and left me wanting to read more.” – Kathryn McLeer NetGalley
Anne Montgomery has worked as a television sportscaster, newspaper and magazine writer, teacher, amateur baseball umpire, and high school football referee. She worked at WRBL‐TV in Columbus, Georgia, WROC‐TV in Rochester, New York, KTSP‐TV in Phoenix, Arizona, ESPN in Bristol, Connecticut, where she anchored the Emmy and ACE award‐winning SportsCenter, and ASPN-TV as the studio host for the NBA’s Phoenix Suns. Montgomery has been a freelance and staff writer for six publications, writing sports, features, movie reviews, and archeological pieces.
When she can, Anne indulges in her passions: rock collecting, scuba diving, football refereeing, and playing her guitar.
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