How Women Can Thrive in Sports Media: Overcoming Bias & Leading with Impact
There’s no denying it—sports media still remains a male-dominated industry. Despite meaningful progress and growing visibility, women in sports media, especially in the areas of journalism and broadcasting, still find that men control most of the storytelling and decision-making. According to Sage Journal, women currently make up only 15% of professional sports reporters; a sign that representation is improving, but true gender equity in sports journalism still remains out of reach and barriers for women entering sports media still exist.
Entering Sports Media as a Woman
Breaking into the sports media industry as a woman can feel like stepping into territory that wasn’t designed with you in mind. The rules, expectations, and leadership structures in your first broadcasting role may cause concerns or make you doubt your own credibility. Your experiences in journalism or digital sports content may present you with limited opportunities to lead, or you may be met with assumptions about your role in the room due to overarching gender bias in sports media.
But you’re not alone. And those same challenges can become your biggest assets: it’s your chance to stand out, rewrite outdated narratives, and bring the perspective only you can offer. It’s an opportunity to develop your communication skills, gain greater resilience and create a unique voice in the industry.
As someone who built a career in sports broadcasting and production, I learned early on that women must own and celebrate their expertise. So, whether you’re the only woman in the press box, producing content behind the scenes, or carving out your space as a digital voice in sports media—you don’t need to wait for permission to take the lead. My experience as one of the few women in sports media and entertainment showed me that my perspective wasn’t just important, it was necessary. Through my work as a sports media trainer, I’ve worked with women entering into sports broadcasting to help them gain the confidence to break barriers in the sports industry.
Overcoming Gender Bias in Sports Media
In sports media, bias doesn’t always look like a slammed door. More often, it shows up in subtle, but no less harmful, ways: being passed over for lead assignments, getting interrupted on-air, or having your expertise questioned in rooms you’ve earned your place in. These moments, though seemingly small on the surface, stack up over time and can leave you feeling pressured to prove yourself time and time again. For women in sports media, this can chip away at your confidence, limit your growth opportunities, and create invisible ceilings that are hard to pinpoint—but impossible to ignore.
That’s why part of my media coaching focuses on response strategies and ways of overcoming bias in the workplace in real time. Through communication coaching and mindset strategies, we’ll work on how to professionally assert yourself when challenged and reclaim space in the moment to protect your unique voice.
This isn’t just about surviving, it’s about women breaking barriers in sports by leading with clarity, credibility and self-respect. Own your power and know when and how to speak up. Remember, you’re not just defending your career—you’re signaling to everyone in the room that you’re not there to blend in. You’re there to lead and progress in sports broadcasting.
The Power of Self-Advocacy
To thrive in sports media careers, confidence coaching for women is just as important as on-air presence. Too many women get overlooked because they fail to correctly and confidently advocate for themselves in the competitive sports broadcasting industry.
From the very start, I work with clients in sports media to help them uncover powerful communication strategies and own their voice. For my female clients, this means creating a space where their voices are amplified, respected, and heard, especially in environments that don’t always offer that opportunity. Without a strong foundation of self-advocacy, too many women in sports leadership are underestimated, overlooked, or confined to
roles that limit their visibility and growth.
I’m dedicated to supporting and encouraging my female clients to use specific communication strategies that build their confidence and reinforce their professionalism.
I’ll look at ways to:
Speak up early and often
Set clear boundaries
Find the right mentors and allies
Take every opportunity and discover more
Self-advocacy isn’t just about getting ahead—it’s about showing up fully, owning your worth, and refusing to be kept on the sidelines. When women lead with confidence and conviction, they don’t just advance their own sports media careers—they shift the narrative, creating space and new possibilities for those who follow.
A Sports Media Trainer’s Perspective
Before building my own business as a sports media trainer, I spent years breaking ground in sports broadcasting as the first female producer at an all-sports radio station. I was the first to cover the intersection of sports and entertainment for CBS SportsLine and CNBC’s Great Stuff. I also worked in TV production at ABC Sports, CBS Sports, and ESPN—paving a path in spaces where female leadership in media was rare.
Those challenging experiences gave me a deep understanding of the dynamics women face and sparked my motivation to help women succeed in sports media using a combination of media training, communication skills and mindset coaching.
Today, as a CEO and sports media trainer, I help female clients develop the right skills, presence, and resilience they need to lead in a male-dominated space.
The Power of Mentorship for Female Sports Broadcasters
Mentorship for women in media is life-changing. As a sports media trainer, I don’t just help my clients sharpen their communication skills; I also serve as a mentor through an incredibly competitive industry. Mentorship provides a support system that helped me to overcome obstacles unique to being a woman in a male-dominated field.
Whether navigating gender bias in sports media or balancing high-pressure roles at a young age, having strong female role-models and inspirational figures shaped how I now show up as a mentor for other women. Mentoring women in the industry using media training means more than offering simple guidance—it’s about shaping the next generation of voices who will redefine how sports are covered worldwide. By creating a ripple effect of empowerment and women’s professional development, we help secure gender equality in sports and ensure a more diverse future of sports media.
Sports Mentorship in Motion
Many of the women I’ve worked with go on to become mentors themselves, creating a ripple effect that uplifts other women.
Former Division 1 college basketball player, NCAA Basketball Analyst for CBS Sports, and current Head of Basketball for Athletes Unlimited, Megan Perry, was a client I connected with when few women were entering sports broadcasting. With sports media training and preparation, she quickly rose into national sports media roles with confidence as a female sports broadcaster.
“As I began my own journey in the world of broadcasting media, Annie was patient, generous, and insightful. Her coaching style instilled confidence and turned weaknesses into strengths. With her guidance, I was able to navigate the sports broadcasting landscape and land my first opportunity to serve as on-air talent for a nationally televised game on CBS Sports Network,” says Megan.
In an industry where female representation matters, this cycle of support and empowerment fosters a more inclusive, confident, and capable generation of women in sports media. When women are coached and supported, they are equipped with the tools to speak up and lead effectively, they don’t just participate in the conversation—they help redefine it.
Mentorship for Women in Media
Another powerful example of sports media mentorship in action comes from NASCAR digital reporter and on-air host, Jessie Punch. I helped improve her broadcasting skills as she transitioned into the male-dominated motorsport industry.
Through our work together, Jessie learned how to go into each interview and on-air appearance with a strong, determined attitude that allowed her to grow into a leading on-air position.
“Annie was so kind to advise me when I was 22, inexperienced, and just getting started in the sports media industry. As I have grown in my career, Annie has continued to show her support and encouragement while also catering her coaching and advice to my growing skill set,” says Jessie.
Although the number of women in sports media is small, we can use this to our advantage and create close female sporting networks over time. These tight-knit bonds extend far beyond the workplace and can help open up doors for new career opportunities, partnerships, and life-long friendships to ensure women can thrive in sports media well into the future.
Applying My Life Lessons to Sports Media Training
Now, I bring the hard-earned lessons from my career in sports media to my work as a media coach. I help women to:
Develop the confidence to advocate for themselves,
Negotiate for more accomplished roles and lead with executive presence,
Improve their communication skills,
Build an on-camera persona and stand out with strategic storytelling,
Tell their story and own their authority in the industry.
Together, we’ll push back against the subtle forms of gender inequality in sports media and equip ourselves to lead the way with clarity and authority.
My mission is to empower women in the media and eliminate lingering self-doubt. With the right support and strategy through sports media coaching, I believe women can navigate and thrive in male-dominated spaces. I’ve seen firsthand how preparation and a strong sense of self can transform a career. By amplifying female voices and building lasting confidence, we create space for more inclusive, impactful leadership in sports media and beyond. When one woman breaks through, she opens the door for others to follow.
Women’s Voice in Sports Moving Forward
Women have made incredible strides in sports media, journalism and broadcasting. We now see women earning their place as analysts, CEOs, founders, and executives too. And this diversity in sports media isn’t just good for women, it’s also good for the audiences.
But thriving in this space takes more than just talent; it takes strategy, confidence, and resilience. As a professional media coach, I help women navigate this evolving landscape by building the skills and mindset they need to lead—whether in front of the camera or behind the scenes. The path to true gender parity is within reach, but progress depends on women continuing to show up, speak out, and support one another. With media training for female sports broadcasters, women can succeed in sports media and help redefine it.
Take the Lead as a Woman in Sports Media Today
If you’re ready to rise in the world of sports media, it starts with strengthening your voice, building strong connections, and sharpening your skills. For women, that means stepping into spaces where your perspective is heard and valued.
You don’t have to navigate this journey alone. As your media coach, I’ll help you break old barriers and make space for new voices—starting with yours.
Book a FREE discovery/strategy call with me today. Let’s take your sports media career to the next level.