On April 1, 2018, Jenny Nguyen and her friends watched the NCAA women’s basketball final between Notre Dame and Mississippi State. In the corner of a Portland, Ore., bar, Nguyen and her friends held their breaths as the game, tied at 58-58 in the fourth quarter, rolled into its final seconds.
Nguyen was excited to see that Portland’s Sports Bra would be showing only women’s sports from now on. She believes that this move will help support and empower female athletes. “It’s so important for young girls to see strong women playing sports,” she said. “It shows them that they can do anything they set their minds to.”
The idea for the Sports Bra came about when founder Lindsey Kerman was working on a project for her master’s degree in sports marketing. She wanted to create a product that could help promote and celebrate women’s athletics.
The Sports Bra has already garnered a lot of attention, with over 10,000 people signing up to be notified when it becomes available. And it seems there is a real need for such a product, as many women feel alienated by traditional sports media.
Portland’s Sports Bra is committed to providing equal coverage of men’s and women’s sports, but believes that there is a need for more visibility of women’s sports. “We want to create an environment where women’s sports are given the attention they deserve,” said owner Johnathan Smith. “We hope that by focusing on women’s sports, we can inspire the next generation of athletes.” This is in response to the growing demand for more female-focused programming. “We want to be able to provide our viewers with the best possible experience and we feel that this is the best way to do that,” said a spokesperson for the channel.
The move has been met with mixed reactions, with some people praising the decision and others calling it sexist.
“It’s about time a channel like this existed,” said one supporter. “There are so many talented female athletes out there who don’t get the recognition they deserve.”
Others, however, were critical of the decision. “Why does everything have to be segregated by gender?” asked one critic. “Can’t we just have one channel that shows all sports?”
There has been a growing demand for more female-focused programming, and as a response, Portland’s Sports Bra will only show women’s sports. This decision has been met with mixed reactions, with some people praising it and others calling it sexist. Some supporters feel that it is about time a channel like this exists, as there are many talented female athletes who don’t get the recognition they deserve. Others, however, are critical of the decision and believe that everything should be integrated by gender. Can’t we just have one channel that shows all sports?
So, whether you’re a fan of the WNBA, NWSL or any other women’s sport, be sure to tune in to the Sports Bra when it launches later this year. It’s sure to be a hit with Portlanders and beyond!
