Navigating Gender Roles From the Sports Sidelines: Gender Schemas and Industry Expectations of Female Sideline Reporters

Using gender schema theory as a primary theoretical framework, in-depth interviews were conducted with current and former female sideline reporters ( N = 17) to provide qualitative insights related to the expectations of their role in the sports-media ecosystem, perceptions about hierarchical gender structures in sports reporting, and the increasing importance of relationship building in the profession. The study determined that a female sideline reporter’s self-perceived contributions to a broadcast can contrast with her interactions with fans, who, interviewees contend, can perpetuate appearance double standards. Interviews also revealed that airtime is not commensurate with broadcast impact because they routinely relay information to producers before and during games, and their daily workload often resembles that of a newspaper sportswriter. Qualitative interviews also determined that gender inequities still exist in sports-media broadcast crews who, in rare cases, have used diminutive terms when talking to female colleagues. In addition, cultivating strong connections with other women in the field and with sources was articulated as useful for maintaining morale and improving storytelling capabilities. The theoretical and professional implications of these findings are discussed.