TRSM hosts women in sport business leadership panel ahead of first ever all-female NBA broadcast
The Ted Rogers School of Management hosted a “Women in Sport Business Leadership” virtual panel conversation ahead of the first ever all-female broadcast in NBA history.
The event featured a panel of women sport business leaders and broadcasters from Bell Media and Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE) including Amy Audibert (Television Color Analyst, Raptors 905, Analyst for TSN 1050 Raptors broadcasts), Meghan McPeak (Play by Play broadcaster, Monumental Sports and Entertainment), Nathalie Cook (Vice President TSN and RDS), Rebecca Ross (Senior Director, Content, Broadcast and Distribution at MLSE) and Savanna Hamilton (Host and Producer at MLSE).
The panel, moderated by Dr. Cheri Bradish, Director of Sport Initiatives for the Ted Rogers School and the Director of the Future of Sport Lab, focused on the significance of the all-female broadcast and what this opportunity means to women working in the sport industry.
Allyship and representation were two of the key themes discussed on the panel. “As broadcasters, we have a responsibility to reflect our viewers and this is part of our commitment to do better,” said Cook.
Broadcasters McPeak and Audibert highlighted what impact the broadcast could potentially have on the sport business and media industry, commenting how the platform will give women and girls something to aspire to, opening opportunities for women and women from a variety of diverse backgrounds in particular, both in front of camera and behind the scenes.
The biggest takeaway from the panel was that this all-female broadcast is just the ‘first step’ with respect to equity, diversity and inclusion considerations for sport business and media. Ross noted that the potential for change takes time and broadcasters and sport organizations need to take important steps towards achieving the goal of having more opportunities for women in the industry.
Broadcast impact
Speaking to the significance of the upcoming Toronto Raptors game: “this broadcast is a celebratory action of being the first step in a much bigger picture and conversations” said Hamilton.
The panelists expressed the need for greater female representation and inclusion in sport broadcasting and sport business across all sport platforms and called for a greater commitment to creating more opportunities for women in the sport industry.
Audibert says that she is “proud of being able to show [her and her co-workers] stuff during a national game and to be the first to participate in an all-female NBA broadcast.” McPeak added that she is hoping that people “enjoy the game for what it is and allow [the broadcast team] the space to do their jobs.”
“I’m excited to do this with women that I respect and support and I hope that this chemistry and talent will shine through during the broadcast,” noted McPeak.
The All-Female Broadcast of the Toronto Raptors v. Denver Nuggets Game airs at 7pm EST on March 24, 2021, exclusively on TSN.