Sky Sports recently faced significant backlash after launching their new female-targeted TikTok channel, Halo. Fans labelled it as “sexist” and “patronising” towards women, who have worked so hard to be taken seriously in a male-dominated field. Within days, all content was removed, and a statement was issued.
Many fans were looking forward to the possibilities of this channel, expecting serious spotlight on female sports and a platform away from the male-dominated one to encourage and empower women. However, the first five posts out of eleven focused on male athletes and even their relationships. One post featured a men’s football game, with the caption “How the matcha + hot girl walk combo hits” in pink glowing text.
The account seemed to jump on the bandwagon of infantilising “girly” trends that we’ve seen recently, labelling things like “girl dinner” or “girl maths”. Sky Sports’ aims of luring in “new young female fans” with what they deem interesting completely missed the mark and failed existing fans’ expectations, instead making a mockery of women. Comedian Carey Marx said on GB News that “it had all the energy of a divorced dad, living alone, trying to decide what girls like”.
In their released statement, they claimed they are “committed as ever to creating spaces where fans feel included and inspire”, but they already have a platform with over 4.5 million followers. Why was there a need to create a separate channel? I question how many women were actually involved in the making of Halo.
Its tone-deaf, degrading approach to increasing female engagement, is not a solution but a surrender. Female sports have gained major recognition over the last ten years, as well as a significant increase in female fans. The audience is there.
In a survey, it reports women drop out of sports at a much higher rate due to social expectations, lack of investment, and quality of programmes. The page could have been used as a positive tool in finding more accessible ways to include women in the conversation about sport. Instead, the content was reduced to completely unrelated stereotypical trends that diminish existing female fans.
I find these decisions from Sky Sports ironic, as women are able to express themselves with a lot more variety and bravery than what this portrays. With the targeted audience being young girls, I find the message concerning and inherently damaging. With the rise of “red pill” content, we are seeing a troubling trend of belittling women.
It forces women to make a fuss and stand up once again to say this isn’t fair. And yet, there is still a response of “there is no pleasing you”. It is especially disappointing to see this from such a mainstream broadcaster such as Sky Sports.
They have obviously tried being progressive, but instead it’s condescending. These kinds of posts may not be in malice, but contribute towards the silent undermining of women, when all we ask for is to be taken seriously. This only sets us back.
Stop dumbing us down.