Gender on the Ballot shared last spring that roughly a dozen publishers have introduced new, specialized coverage plans for women’s sports following a “breakout year” for female athletes in 2024: USA Today launched a new content vertical on women’s sports called USA Today Studio IX that features content, news, and events. The program includes coverage about professional women’s sports leagues like the WNBA and WTA, along with collegiate and high school sports and the Olympics. Women’s sports have become an opportunity for media companies to expand their business as interest in these programs skyrockets: Sports Illustrated’s SI Women’s Games will bring together elite athletes this fall from around the globe to compete in flag football, judo and wrestling, volleyball, gymnastics, basketball and tennis. The Athletic and Yahoo Sports worked together last fall to launch a hub for women’s sports coverage on Yahoo Sports’ website and app.

Amidst the much-deserved attention on the hundreds of thousands of outstanding women athletes, the Women & Politics Institute is hosting Christine Brennan, award-winning author of On Her Game: Caitlin Clark and the Revolution in Women’s Sports on Wednesday, September 24th at 6 pm in Room 301 of Kerwin Hall. She’ll be joined by Katie Benoit, AU Deputy Athletics Director, and Molly Driscoll, AU women’s basketball player. WPI Executive Director Betsy Fischer Martin will moderate. Details and registration are here.

Clark’s meteoric rise and barrier-breaking achievements illuminate the impact and synergy of women’s sports and sound public policy. Fifty years ago, the ground-breaking law called Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (“Title IX” for short), “opened the floodgates for girls and women to play sports…to learn how to win, and, even more important, learn how to lose at a young age; to teach girls and women about teamwork, sportsmanship, leadership, and physical fitness.*”

Recognizing that her success also provides her with a platform, Clark has encouraged voting and civic participation. For more information about this and other WPI events, academics and programs, visit the Women & Politics Institute here.

*Christine Brennan, author, On Her Game: Caitlin Clark and the Revolution in Women’s Sports