Let's Discuss
Eyes Up Here
What's going on: Female athletes have spent years competing against more than just their opponents. They've also had to contend with slow-motion replays, camera angles, and social media clips that often focus on their bodies instead of their performances. Now, European Athletics (EA) and several major European broadcasters want to change that. The organizations issued new production guidelines that urge camera crews to avoid unnecessary close-ups of athletes' chests, butts, or crotches before, during, and after competition. (Hard to believe that has to be said, but here we are.) The recommendations come after repeated complaints from athletes that coverage can feel more voyeuristic than sports-focused, especially once broadcast footage is reposted online, where athletes say it often takes on a life of its own. In the 23-page report, British Olympic pole vaulter Holly Bradshaw shared that she’d received social media abuse firsthand “when slow-motion content of us competing is captured.”
Changing the angle: This isn't the first attempt to rethink how women's sports are captured. Ahead of the Paris Olympics, broadcasters were also encouraged to film men and women similarly to avoid sexualizing female athletes. This time, though, EA and the European Broadcasting Union have gone a step further by publishing a formal playbook for the media. The recommendations aren't enforceable, and there's no comparable public standard among major US broadcasters. But they do establish a shared definition of what respectful coverage looks like — something that's been missing from sports coverage to date. It's also backed by years of print media research that finds female athletes are more likely than men to be portrayed in ways that emphasize their appearance over their athletic achievements — a pattern researchers say reinforces gender stereotypes and can overshadow their accomplishments. As women's sports enter a new commercial era, if broadcasters want viewers to see them as the elite competitors they are, then the camera should, too.
Related: Why the ESPYs Were a Big Win for Women's Sports (Forbes)
Timeout...
Our Well Played co-hosts and friends of the show tackle listener Qs.
Hi, it’s Claire from Texas. I keep seeing the video of Tom Brady slapping Logan Paul, and I just need the TL;DR…
The “beef” between these two is (and isn’t) real. It all started a few months ago, when Tom Brady appeared on Logan Paul’s podcast to discuss the Fanatics Flag Football game they’d both be playing in back in March. Brady called the WWE (in which Paul competes) “cute,” but said that this is “real football” and a “real competition.” It sounds like Paul took those as fighting words. The tension hit a boiling point at Fanatics Fest, where Brady slapped Paul across the face on stage. I think the slap was real — and apparently so does Paul — but the drama is an act. Could this all be a lead-up to a WWE fight between Paul and Brady? Stranger things have happened.
PS: Need to sound off about your favorite athlete? Still don’t understand offsides? Call Well Played with your thoughts, questions, and concerns, at (828) 412-4825, and you might be featured in next week's episode. (Questions are lightly edited and condensed for clarity.)
FEATURED EXPERT:
Caroline Hendershot
Caroline Hendershot, reporter for the New York Jets and Well Played co-host, tackles listener Qs.
No Notes
Let's Discuss
Eyes Up Here
What's going on: Female athletes have spent years competing against more than just their opponents. They've also had to contend with slow-motion replays, camera angles, and social media clips that often focus on their bodies instead of their performances. Now, European Athletics (EA) and several major European broadcasters want to change that. The organizations issued new production guidelines that urge camera crews to avoid unnecessary close-ups of athletes' chests, butts, or crotches before, during, and after competition. (Hard to believe that has to be said, but here we are.) The recommendations come after repeated complaints from athletes that coverage can feel more voyeuristic than sports-focused, especially once broadcast footage is reposted online, where athletes say it often takes on a life of its own. In the 23-page report, British Olympic pole vaulter Holly Bradshaw shared that she’d received social media abuse firsthand “when slow-motion content of us competing is captured.”
Changing the angle: This isn't the first attempt to rethink how women's sports are captured. Ahead of the Paris Olympics, broadcasters were also encouraged to film men and women similarly to avoid sexualizing female athletes. This time, though, EA and the European Broadcasting Union have gone a step further by publishing a formal playbook for the media. The recommendations aren't enforceable, and there's no comparable public standard among major US broadcasters. But they do establish a shared definition of what respectful coverage looks like — something that's been missing from sports coverage to date. It's also backed by years of print media research that finds female athletes are more likely than men to be portrayed in ways that emphasize their appearance over their athletic achievements — a pattern researchers say reinforces gender stereotypes and can overshadow their accomplishments. As women's sports enter a new commercial era, if broadcasters want viewers to see them as the elite competitors they are, then the camera should, too.
Related: Why the ESPYs Were a Big Win for Women's Sports (Forbes)
Timeout...
Our Well Played co-hosts and friends of the show tackle listener Qs.
Hi, it’s Claire from Texas. I keep seeing the video of Tom Brady slapping Logan Paul, and I just need the TL;DR…
The “beef” between these two is (and isn’t) real. It all started a few months ago, when Tom Brady appeared on Logan Paul’s podcast to discuss the Fanatics Flag Football game they’d both be playing in back in March. Brady called the WWE (in which Paul competes) “cute,” but said that this is “real football” and a “real competition.” It sounds like Paul took those as fighting words. The tension hit a boiling point at Fanatics Fest, where Brady slapped Paul across the face on stage. I think the slap was real — and apparently so does Paul — but the drama is an act. Could this all be a lead-up to a WWE fight between Paul and Brady? Stranger things have happened.
PS: Need to sound off about your favorite athlete? Still don’t understand offsides? Call Well Played with your thoughts, questions, and concerns, at (828) 412-4825, and you might be featured in next week's episode. (Questions are lightly edited and condensed for clarity.)
FEATURED EXPERT:
Caroline Hendershot
Caroline Hendershot, reporter for the New York Jets and Well Played co-host, tackles listener Qs.
No Notes
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