A Longitudinal Analysis of espnW: Almost 10 Years of Challenging Hegemonic Masculinity

Abstract

As the primary multiplatform business of ESPN, Inc., espnW claims to engage and inspire women through sports with inside access to female athletes, sports leagues, important events, and trends in sports ‘life/style’ through content on digital, television, radio, in films, at events, on educational platforms, and in social media. The purpose of this analysis is to present longitudinal data on 1,881 photographs and 1,966 articles from the espnW website for four time periods in the first 8 years of espnW’s existence to show how espnW shapes the media narrative of female athletes. espnW consistently presents female athletes as serious competitors.