Women commentating sports

[Maximoff]

Yesterday was a historical day in Sweden. For the first time in Swedish television history there was a female commentator commenting men's football. 

 

 

Now, I usually see Sweden as being a very progressive and feminist country, but I was shocked to find that this hasn't occurred before. 

I was wondering how it is in your countries? Are there many women commentating men's team sports? 

 

 

[Agaith]

The BBC over here in Britain has some female commentators for men's football, they comment during the BBC's final score programme not sure when they first started though. It was a surprise at first but I think it's refreshing that more female commentators are breaking through to comment on programmes like this

[TetRefine]

I'll admit, I get really annoyed when they have women commentating men's sports. Its not because they are bad, but because its just so out of place. 

[Maximoff]

I think they had a woman commenting men's handball match once and she got spammed on her twitter account with people writing "Go comment your own sport, woman." etc. 

[PrivateTim]

I don't mind women commenting on sports they played, especially they played at a high level. Cheryl Miller is great at basketball commentary, Brandi Chastain is great on soccer, but women in American football just sound unnatural because they don't have the credibility of a Troy Aikman, Tony Boselli or Phil Simms et al..

[harcallard]

I think there is nothing wrong with Women commentators... but as TetRefine stated.. I think that they are out of place when they are commentators for College football games...

[Krista]

I believe if they know the sport and are enthusiastic then they should cover the sports they love, male or female.  We definitely don't mind men when they are commentating women's games.  I believe the staff on ESPN do it really well, some of my favorite commentators are women.

[TetRefine]

I don't mind women commenting on sports they played, especially they played at a high level. Cheryl Miller is great at basketball commentary, Brandi Chastain is great on soccer, but women in American football just sound unnatural because they don't have the credibility of a Troy Aikman, Tony Boselli or Phil Simms et al..

 

Exactly. 

[FrenchCanadian]

In Quebec we do have a couple of very good sports journalists.

 

In terms of specific commentator, it seems it's more ex-atletes commenting on their old sport. 

[BlueSoxSWJ]

I don't mind women commenting on sports they played, especially they played at a high level. Cheryl Miller is great at basketball commentary, Brandi Chastain is great on soccer, but women in American football just sound unnatural because they don't have the credibility of a Troy Aikman, Tony Boselli or Phil Simms et al..

 

I'm sorry, but I believe that everyone, ex-player or not, male or female, gay or straight, has an equal right to have his or her point railroaded by Joe Buck's complete inability to shut the f*** up and let the expert talk.

[Krista]

I don't mind women commenting on sports they played, especially they played at a high level. Cheryl Miller is great at basketball commentary, Brandi Chastain is great on soccer, but women in American football just sound unnatural because they don't have the credibility of a Troy Aikman, Tony Boselli or Phil Simms et al..

 

Sports are pretty straight forward.. and I'm sure women could read or have followed the history of the sports they "cannot" play.. and gain or have the "credibility" by not being able to play in the mainstream male sports.

[PrivateTim]

I believe if they know the sport and are enthusiastic then they should cover the sports they love, male or female.  We definitely don't mind men when they are commentating women's games.  I believe the staff on ESPN do it really well, some of my favorite commentators are women.

 

It isn't men commenting on "women's games", John McEnroe can comment very knowledgeably and credibly on the Ladies' Singles Championship, just as Martina Navratilova could on the Gentleman' Singles Championship.

 

It is sports that are exclusive to one gender.

 

Michael Phelps would have zero credibility with me in commenting on Synchronized Swimming (which isn't a sport to begin with).

 

Sports are pretty straight forward.. and I'm sure women could read or have followed the history of the sports they "cannot" play.. and gain or have the "credibility" by not being able to play in the mainstream male sports.

 

Sports are not pretty straight forward, especially at the highest levels. There are all kinds subtleties and nuances and unwritten rules that the uninitiated, those who have not played at that highest level, just don't understand no matter how much you read books or watch tapes or talk to those who have played it, they just will not get. It is why all the NFL broadcast teams pair the play by play (someone who doesn't need any special or insides knowledge) with a former NFL player.

[sat8997]

It is why all the NFL broadcast teams pair the play by play (someone who doesn't need any special or insides knowledge) with a former NFL player.

 

Really? And here I thought they did that so the entire broadcast wouldn't primarily consist of the former NFL player shouting "Dude!! Did you see that?"

Edited March 18, 2013 by sat8997