When one thinks of watching sports in their free time, the thought is most often grouped with the image of a gathering of males, holding beverages and munching on snacks around the television. Why is this simple hobby consistently and continually dominated by that of boys and men? When was it determined that watching sports is primarily under the male domain of pastimes? The purpose of this discussion is not to shame men for their love of watching sports, nor is it a cry for a feminist movement into the world of sport-watching, but rather to simply ask why.

Sports has been relatively male-dominated ever since its creation and only recently has the feminine gender been properly included. Yet, when it comes to watching sports women tend to not be nearly as apt to watch nor participate in cheering animatedly. Although this is most often true for the general population, there is little sound data to prove so. The article Sports Culture Among Undergraduates: A Study of Student Athletes and Students at the University of Michigan addresses this and consists of various surveys, including hours per week watching televised sports. Although intervals in the gaps differed, the data remained relatively constant; male athletes topped the ratings, then male non-athletes, followed by female athletes and finally, female non-athletes.

“Once the ability to play competitive and physical sports diminishes to the point of no return, males tend to enjoy watching athletes do the very thing that meant so much to them in their own young lives,” CHS teacher and sports fan Brian Nehring said. “So, watching sports with one’s own gender becomes a significant bonding experience. It goes beyond the act of viewing a specific sport.”

Even with the alternate view presented by Nehring, girls also play sports in their youth so why is this still an issue? Drew Higgins, writer for the The Carletonian at Carleton College, brings up an interesting point in his article Climbing Through the Glass Ceiling, pointing out that most often sports are male-dominated for two reasons: physique and culture. Although Higgins advocates for gender equality, he admits that certain sports (i.e. football) are tailored for male body type, and no matter how much equality between genders is achieved, women cannot overall be as good at certain sports as men simply due to genetic makeup. Higgins states that although various sports are more tuned for male body types and others for female, there are other sports that blur those lines. Climbing is one of them. So why is it that despite the accessibility for both genders in this sport, climbing is still male-dominated? Culture. Climbing arose in popularity during the 1900s and was deemed dangerous, therefore a male sport, and these beginning roots have been carried into present day. Despite this, and the supposed lessening of female interest in watching such sports, a CHS student athlete has other thoughts.

“I personally like to watch sports. It’s great to see the best of the best compete against each other; in my house, my mom is a huge sports fan so she got my sisters and I into watching all sporting events,” senior softball player Katie Kempton said.

Nehring has similar thoughts regarding watching sports and feels that the watching of such events brings people together, rather than dividing them apart.

“Personally, the gender of the viewer is less important to me than their engagement in the game. Sports transcends gender and brings people together for the greater good of us all,” Nehring said.

Readers that were expecting a firm, simple answer to the question presented at the beginning of the article, I am sorry to disappoint but this is all mere speculation based on fact that simply cannot have a clear and concise answer, not today. The purpose of this article is also not to disregard those females that do love to watch sports in their own pastime and are thoroughly invested, again, it is to question why there are not more so. The overall conclusion drawn seems to be that watching sports as a pastime is male dominated due to physical limits, culture carried over from the past and the reminiscence of youth.