“We The Media” of female sports

 

"We The Media" by Dan Gillmor / Photo credit: wethemedia.oreilly.com

This blog post is part of my ongoing weekly series discussing the role of social media and female athletics. My latest reading is We The Media, by Dan Gillmor, who will be joining my class via Skype tonight.

 

 

In short, Dan Gillmor’s book is “important,” and is one that every female athlete sports fan should read. Why? Because he’s 100 percent spot on, and his call to action it’s our only hope for survival.

Gillmor wrote his book in 2004 and then printed it in paperback in 2006, long before the worst economic climates in recent history hit our country, a climate in which journalists from around the world are now suffering, particularly in the women’s sports world, where, as Mechelle Voepel puts it, “Pretty much nothing is ever “safe.””

Look at how Dan’s predictions relate to the the female athletic industry - our one comprehensive magazine died at the end of 2002 because it wasn’t profiting. Not only that, but incredibly talented journalists are taking buyouts and are now living in some shaded area between a freelance writer and a professional blogger, and paid far less than they deserve.

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WNBA’s economic struggles

The economy isn’t just hurting the everyday blue- collar workers, it’s also hurting the future of professional women’s basketball.
It was brought to my attention by a friend to take a look at an article released on ESPN.com today, in regards to the economy and its hindrance on the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA).

The basis of the article talked about the Atlanta Dream’s ( who have first pick) interest in two players who will be playing tonight for the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball National Championship, Connecticut’s, Renee Montgomery and Louisville’s, Angel McCoughtry, it also brought up some interesting points about the economic difficulties facing women’s professional basketball.

With the draft this upcoming Thursday, April 9th, there is a major concern if most of the draft picks will even make the roster of their prospected teams, due to lack of funding. According to the article the league had to cut back on the number of players allowed to make the roster per club down to 11 from 13 last year. Also the number of athletes allowed to participate in training camp is down from 18 to 15 from last season.

“There’s a chance that even half of the players taken in the first round may not even make a team,” Meadors said. “It’s very sad.”

Sad indeed.

The bad economic times have also urged the league to cut out its pre-draft camp. While last year all of the first round picks played in the league, this season may be tougher for rookies, with the amount of available veterans as a result of the folding of the Houston Comets in December, some coaches might opt to go with a vet over a rookie.

However, there are other options for these players like playing overseas. But the situation is still unfortunate for all of these women to be so deserving of their success but have to be held back due too limited finances.The establishment of the WNBA was a huge milestone in the race for equality in women’s sports,its existence is crucial. I am hoping the league will be able to hold on until an economic turnaround.

Coaching, athletic programs and budget issues…Yikes!

Talk about a difficult task. With the economy basically falling apart and with the daily reports saying the end is nowhere to be seen, everyone in this country has to be feeling some effects. I myself, am one of those people feeling the pinch.

As a Division III basketball coach with a fairly small budget to start with, the imploding economy is really no help! Our recruiting budget was slashed to nearly ziltch, travel plans/funds were drastically cut, and the overall morale of my school has been declining for months. It’s tough to recruit in such times, but even more difficult to recruit with no budget.

I can imagine I am not alone in my feelings of angst and frustration with money contraints, so what are the smaller colleges and universities to do? Why are the extracurricular activities the first to go? How about cutting out those university 101 courses that allow all freshmen to hate life and learning about their school?

That should provide some much-needed funds towards athletics. Or, how about cutting the salaries of the over-paid professors that never darken their classroom’s doorway so their TA’s can teach? Such a world will never exist…