My Issue With ESPN Right Now 

Jake Yono 

JY Journalsim

7/26/23

In the US, we all know of ESPN. The entertainment, sports, and programming network we all love was launched in 1979. Since then, it has been the leading sports network, my favorite sports network, and its flagship and #1 show, “SportsCenter”. On SportsCenter, they talk about everything going on in the United States sports world, and it is the most programmed show on ESPN, as its first show started in 1979. But in this period, I will not be supporting them, and here's why. 

On May 18th of 2021, on the Title IX 50th anniversary, ESPN promised that they would broadcast more Women’s sports the same as men's (ESPN Title IX Article). I understand now that in the summer, the only major sport is baseball, which always dominates the broadcast. They also are talking about NFL free agency because that is a huge deal, as the National Football League is the biggest sport in America. I believe ESPN tries to make all the money possible, and they want as many people to watch the broadcast as possible, so they’re playing what the people want to see for their whole broadcast. 

My point here is that right now, the FIFA Women’s World Cup is on, and I have not seen ESPN broadcasting it. If they even care about this Women’s World Cup, they put the USWNT on there one time, and it was for less than 30 seconds. ESPN only promotes the Women’s sports that they broadcast (to gain a higher profit). These sports include NCAA women’s sports and the WNBA. It’s not like the women’s World Cup isn’t broadcast in America because it’s on FOX and FS1. To conclude, I believe if a sport is broadcasted in the US and people are talking about it in the US, it should be on the biggest sports news show in the nation. If that’s not common sense, I don’t know what it is.

I think ESPN should give 1/162 MLB games every day, and NFL free agency which they talk about every day a break and start talking about the FIFA Women’s World Cup because the United States is in it and is playing in their second group stage game tonight against the Netherlands at 9:00 ET, women are playing in it (which they promised to broadcast more women), it’s broadcasted in the US, and it’s talked about by lots fans in the US. My final statement is that I believe ESPN knows about this World Cup and what’s going on in it, but like other companies, they would rather show sports they broadcast to gain a higher profit.