Fans and Sideline Reporters

Since I started this project I try to keep my eye out for examples of women in sports media that I can blog about. I was witness to one in Norman, Oklahoma this past weekend. On Saturday, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State faced off in their yearly “Bedlam” matchup. I was working the sidelines as a producer for the ESPN Radio sideline reporter Ian Fitzsimmons, who is male. The game was also being broadcast on ESPN television so they had a sideline reporter there as well, which was Maria Taylor, who is female.

The sideline areas at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium are very narrow and the fans are right on top of you. As I walked around to the different sides of the field with Ian, not many people said anything to him. If they did it was more of a hello, or asking who he was. As Maria walked around the sidelines, she received different kinds of comments. She received “cat calls” from numerous male fans. They shouted comments like “what are you doing after the game,” or “you can come interview me” which doesn’t sound terrible just reading, but if you heard the tone, you would think differently. These comments weren’t coming only from the student section. It was from men of all ages.

It didn’t affect Maria, she paid no attention to them and went about doing her job, but this is just another example of an issue that women in sports media have to deal with that men do not have to face. I know it’s a football game and people get rowdy, especially when the alcohol starts flowing, but there is no need for people to yell at someone trying to do their job. I would be willing to bet this wasn’t the only or first time this has happened to Maria either.

(Narrow sidelines at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium)

(Maria Taylor interviewing Oklahoma QB Landry Jones post game)