Dear Sports Radio Hosts,

Let me start by saying that I LOVE sports radio.  I listen to your programs every morning and on my way home from work.  I listen to sports radio more than I actually watch sports, which I’ll admit is weird.

So please, understand that I am coming to you as a fan (as opposed to a crazy, ranting feminist) when I tell you that your coverage of women’s sports doesn’t make you sound like an educated analyst; it makes you sound like a valued member of Ron Burgundy’s news team.

I hear your ads for male virility drugs and dad friendly divorce lawyers and I understand that I am a minority listener.  I would never ask you to give women’s sports an equal share of your air time.  In fact, I’m not even writing to ask you to report on women’s sports more.  I’m actually asking you to mention them LESS.

It seems like there are only two acceptable ways to approach the topic of women’s sports in your industry.  You can,

1) Comment on how they are inferior to men’s sports, or
2) Comment on how hot and/or un-hot the athletes are

They say no press is bad press, but if I was a professional athlete, I think I’d pass on either option.

When the UCONN women’s basketball team was making its historic run for ninety consecutive wins, I was fascinated by how many of you felt that the only angle of the story worth discussing was the insignificance of their achievement compared to the UCLA men’s team that went for eighty-eight wins in the 70’s.  After all, you scoffed, men’s basketball is FAR more competitive than women’s basketball.

I’m not debating whose streak was more significant; I think it’s silly to compare the dominance of any two teams that never competed in the same league, let alone the same decade.  I’m just disappointed that you chose to mention it at all.  Do female college athletes really need to be cut down a notch?  The Huskies still weren’t even selling out their stadium; I don’t think John Wooden was in danger of losing his legacy.  It would have been nice if you just didn’t acknowledge it, and let the people who genuinely cared enjoy their accomplishment.

The other day, one of you went on a totally unprovoked rant to justify your decision not to include any females in your “Greatest Athlete of All Time” poll:

“People may fight me on this, but women are just never going to be as strong, athletic or talented as men, so you’re never going to be able to compare them.”

I’m not debating the athleticism of women versus men.  When I was six, my mom told me that no matter how hard she works, the strongest woman in the world will never be as strong as the strongest man, and I was crushed.  Since then I have come to terms with my genetic disadvantages.  But seriously, your poll already included Michael Phelps, Tiger Woods and Bo Jackson; was a meaningful comparison possible even before throwing a woman into the mix?  Pretty sure Serena Williams would destroy Tiger Woods at tennis.  More importantly, was it really necessary to belittle female athletes to your mostly male audience rather than just quietly omitting them from the poll?

You are not “edgy” because you call women’s sports boring or point out that I can’t jump as high as my brother.  People have been saying this stuff for years.  If you really think they’re irrelevant, why bring them up at all?

Unfortunately, when you do give a female athlete props, it seems that working in a comment about her physical appearance is a requirement.  The other day, in what I’m sure was meant to be a supportive gesture, one of you mentioned that you found women’s international soccer appealing because it was “sexy”.

Don’t get me wrong, I understand.  I watch soccer and beach volleyball on occasion, and I’m not going to pretend it’s 100% related to my interest in the game.  I get that it’s possible to respect an athlete and also be super glad her uniform shows a lot of leg.  But seriously guys, don’t tell me that the only thing that made the World Cup watchable was Hope Solo.  She’s not that cute.  And if that is the only thing you find worth mentioning, then don’t.

Similarly offensive and unnecessary is commenting on how unattractive a female athlete is.  You guys talk about Eli and Peyton every day without ever mentioning that there may be some serious inbreeding going on in the Manning family.  You can compliment a NCAA basketball giantess for her ball skills without immediately asserting that you’d never tap that really tall ass.

You can enjoy watching a female athlete without wanting to bone her and that totally doesn’t make you gay.

To summarize, if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.  I’d rather you pretend that women don’t even play sports than hear you make a comment that implies that you’re still really pissed about Title IX, or judge a female athlete’s success based on her ability to make it into the Olympians issue of Playboy.

I’m never going to engage in a debate with you about whether or not women’s sports are compelling.  I think that’s just a matter of opinion. Sure, I bristle slightly when you say you can’t get excited about the Women’s World Cup, then spend the next two hours of your show dissecting the action-packed NFL lockout and all the fishing our linebackers have been doing in the off-season.  But I’d never ask you to watch something you’ve already decided to hate.

I also wonder though, if a guy could watch a WNBA game without fear of his college roommate catching him and calling him a homo, would he?  Could women’s sports really be THAT much less interesting than PGA Bowling, Poker, Triple Crown horse racing, or anything else that ESPN 2 broadcasts in the wee hours?  If guys like you didn’t make other guys feel like the only acceptable reaction toward women’s sports is outrage or an erection, would some of them be able to platonically enjoy it?

I’m not going to debate that either.  I mean, I certainly don’t watch the WNBA.  But women’s sports are working hard to get their own little group of followers, and in my opinion, will only benefit from making distinct identities and markets for themselves apart from their male counterparts.  You guys aren’t helping by talking about it.  And as a female athlete, I think I would rather be completely unknown to your listeners than have one of you say on your show:

“Blue had a decent game this weekend, but man, that tight fit rugby jersey sure wasn’t doing the love handles any favors.”

I stressed all summer about the possibility of no Chargers football come August and I listened intently to the opinion of every legal expert you brought in to quell my fears.  I will continue to tune in to hear you talk about all my favorite NFL, NBA and MLB teams and your E! Entertainment-like coverage of the lives of their athletes.  You do a great job with mainstream, male sports.  So please, don’t mention women’s sports.  We’re doing just fine – better, in fact – without you.

Sincerely,

Marea