The one-and-only Whoopi Goldberg is launching the All Women’s Sports Network (AWSN). In case you couldn’t guess, this is a women-only sports network Goldberg launched in partnership with Commonspirit, a Chicago-based, non-profit hospital and healthcare system.
Although she needs no introduction, Whoopi Goldberg is a successful American actor, comedian, author, and television personality. Very talented, very clever. With her television prowess, we are sure the AWSN will be a hit. It is thrilling to see women’s sport gaining more of the recognition and spotlight it deserves.
AWSN will cover all women’s sports. As Goldberg says on The Tonight Show, Starring Jimmy Fallon, ‘If a woman is playing it, we’re showing it.” Here are some of the key details we know so far, listed on Sports Media:
- AWSN will be available in 65 countries
- The network will show action from properties such as the Uefa Women’s Nations League, the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Tour and the International Basketball Federation (Fiba) 3×3 Women’s Series
- Channel is currently distributed by Etisalat’s eLife streaming service in the Middle East, as well as by India’s JioTV and Philippines-based platform Jungo Pinoy
- Goldberg has partnered with Chicago-based hospital chain CommonSpirit
Goldberg first had the idea to launch a women-only sports network 16 years ago. On The Tonight Show, Goldberg explained that as a kid, she always wanted to participate in sports. Unfortunately, like many girls, Goldberg did not receive the same encouragement and validation directed at young boys in sports. Goldberg explained:
“Ever since I was a little kid, I always wanted to play sports. My brother could play. He played baseball, he played softball, he played basketball, he played everything, and they would say, ‘Oh, hi little girl.’
“It always pissed me off. So, for years, I’ve been talking to people and saying, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if we could go around the world, start getting young athletes in high school so that we can grow with them and grow up with them?”
“I feel like that will help us show that athletics — when they’re done brilliantly — it doesn’t matter who’s doing it. We don’t really have that relationship to women’s sports.”
Goldberg isn’t the only woman who can relate to feeling discouraged from sports due to gender. The media has sidelined female sports for too long. This is especially evident given that the 2024 Olympics were the first gender-equal games…and how long have the Olympics been around?
If you wonder how badly we need more focus on women’s sports in the media, let’s look at some statistics. In the United States, a USC/Purdue University study found that 95% of all TV sports coverage was men’s sports while only 5% was women’s. In the United Kingdom, it’s much the same. Reportedly, coverage of women’s sports accounts for less than a seventh of the total sports coverage across mainstream media channels nationwide. It is clear that despite an increase in recognition and viewership of women’s sports, we still have a long way to go until full equality. This is why it is so essential when powerhouses like Goldberg vocalise these topics.
The announcement of a totally women-focused sports network will mean so much to girls and women everywhere. We must encourage women, especially our schoolgirls, to participate in not only sports, but anything they want. A massive part of gender equality is allowing women to have the same opportunities as men, and when it comes to sports, there’s still a long way to go. Hopefully we can see more action following the launch of AWSN.