Pervasively Offside: A Gendered Analysis of Sportscasting

Despite a growth in sports media, female sportscasters are often perceived with low credibility. Furthermore, though women have been included in sport-related broadcasts, they are seldom given the opportunity to exhibit credibility, a key ingredient toward establishing reputability. This conundrum is rooted in sexism and endorsements of sport as a male-congruent entity. The present study examines the influence of gender-norm endorsement and sexism on perceived sportscaster credibility with a sample of 544 individuals who watched a basketball debate between a male and a female sportscaster. . Results suggest that gendered behavior beliefs and sexist attitudes had a negative effect on perceived credibility of a female sportscaster; discrimination toward female sportscasters appears to be extensive. Results also suggest that though the female broadcaster was lauded for possessing trustworthy features, the male broadcaster was inherently perceived to have greater sport-related expertise, thus was more persuasive in this setting. The male broadcaster was also praised for using authoritative tactics to garner favorability, confirming traditionally accepted behaviors associated with men in power. Such findings provide evidence of double standards, which favor men and hinder women from gaining acceptance in the sport media network