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Women’s Sports Media Booms Before 2026 Milan‑Cortina Olympics, Adding Millions of Fans

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Historical Sexism Gives Way to Expanding Coverage Christine Brennan, the first president of the Association for Women in Sports Media, recalled male colleagues mocking her 1990s women’s‑sports reporting as “infuriating,” a stark contrast to today’s landscape where entire outlets are being launched for the Milan‑Cortina Games [1]. She highlighted that the industry’s growth reflects a broader cultural shift toward valuing women’s athletics. The article notes that this change is driven by both legacy journalists and new digital entrepreneurs.

New Platforms Capture Gen Z and Millennial Audiences Outlets such as TOGETHXR, The GIST, Just Women’s Sports, IX Sports, GOALS and Good Game with Sarah Spain have rapidly expanded, with The GIST reporting roughly one million newsletter subscribers—a 50 % increase over the past two years, primarily among Gen Z and millennial women [1]. Just Women’s Sports, founded by former soccer player Haley Rosen, now partners with Nike and Amazon Prime to deliver “serious” coverage. These platforms collectively aim to provide the same intensity of coverage traditionally reserved for men’s sports.

Athlete‑Founded Brands Drive Merchandise and Multimedia Growth TOGETHXR, launched in 2021 by four athletes including Olympic half‑pipe silver‑medalist Chloe Kim, has sold over $6 million in merchandise and reached more than four million users, a 17 % rise since 2024 [1]. The brand produces newsletters, docuseries and podcasts featuring stars like Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe, leveraging athlete influence to monetize content. Streaming partnerships and support from the Women’s Sports Foundation signal a “tipping point” for sustainable revenue streams.

Star Athletes and Social Media Amplify Visibility ESPN veteran Sarah Spain attributes the industry surge to social‑media momentum, the breakout popularity of WNBA star Caitlin Clark, and the U.S. women’s national soccer team’s global profile [1]. She argues that nuanced coverage during the Olympics will turn casual fans into “die‑hard” supporters. The article emphasizes that these cultural icons are essential for league success and long‑term audience growth.

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Timeline

1990s – Christine Brennan recalls that male colleagues “laughed” at her coverage of women’s sports, describing the reaction as “absolutely infuriating,” underscoring the entrenched sexism that shaped early women’s sports journalism. [2]

2018 – The International Olympic Committee bars NHL‑contracted players from the PyeongChang Games, marking the first time professional ice‑hockey athletes miss a Winter Olympics. [1]

2022 – COVID‑19 restrictions lead the IOC to exclude NHL players again from the Beijing Games, reinforcing the absence of top‑level North American talent in recent Winter Olympics. [1]

June 2022 – The IOC rejects the proposal to add women’s Nordic combined, responding with a terse “no” and offering no explanation, prompting athlete Annika Malacinski to spend eight hours in tears on a Munich‑Denver flight. [3]

Jan 14, 2026 – USA Bobsled and Skeleton announce a roster of eight to nine women, projected to be predominantly women of color, signaling a historic shift in representation for U.S. winter sports. [4]

Jan 14, 2026 – Black skeleton athlete Mystique Ro declares, “progress is real and champions exist,” underscoring the growing impact of athletes of color in winter disciplines. [4]

Jan 14, 2026 – Bobsledder Laila Edwards stresses, “representation matters,” emphasizing her role as a role model beyond the Olympic stage. [4]

Jan 31, 2026 – Milan‑Cortina 2026 will host a record 116 medal events, adding ski mountaineering and marking Italy’s third time hosting the Winter Games, while the IOC reports that women will compete in 53.4 % of events, the highest share ever. [1]

Jan 31, 2026 – UK Sport sets a target of four to eight medals for Team GB, and chef de mission Eve Muirhead says there is “an opportunity to get the most we ever have.” [1]

Jan 31, 2026 – IOC president Kirsty Coventry, the first female IOC president, pledges a “new normal” of spread‑out, sustainable Games, aiming to embed environmental standards in the Olympic model. [1]

Jan 31, 2026 – NHL‑contracted players return for the first time since the 2018 ban, with almost all 12 teams fielding athletes, reviving U.S. title hopes despite lingering venue‑readiness concerns. [1]

Feb 5, 2026 – Nordic combined remains the only Olympic sport without a women’s event at Milan‑Cortina, even as the IOC warns the discipline could be dropped from the 2030 Games due to low participation and TV viewership. [3]

Feb 5, 2026 – Female skiers stage a protest in Seefeld, Austria, raising poles in an “X” to spotlight the exclusion of women from Nordic combined, intensifying calls for gender parity. [3]

Feb 5, 2026 – Recent Olympic reforms introduce identical 50‑km mass‑start races for men and women, reflecting broader moves toward gender equality in winter sports. [3]

Feb 18, 2026 – Women’s sports media outlets explode in reach ahead of the Games: The GIST reports roughly 1 million newsletter subscribers—a 50 % increase over two years—while TOGETHXR serves over 4 million users, sells $6 million in merchandise, and produces podcasts featuring stars like Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe. [2]

Feb 18, 2026 – ESPN veteran Sarah Spain credits social‑media momentum, WNBA star Caitlin Clark, and the U.S. women’s soccer team for the surge, arguing that nuanced coverage will turn fans into “die‑hard” supporters of women’s sports. [2]

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