Women's sport is increasingly attracting the eye that it deserves.
Stadiums replenishThe television values for a lot of sports and athletes resembling Mary Fowler of the Matildas, the Triple Olympia gold medalist Jess Fox and the Star Cricket player Ellyse Perry turn into known names.
Despite this progress, an invisible threat threatens one which affects years of interest and dynamics.
This threat is the algorithm.
How sports consumption changes
Since more fans implement sports Digital platforms like YouTubeTikok, Instagram and increasingly with AI curated streaming services Like WSC sportsThe content you see isn’t chosen by editors, but by artificial intelligence (AI).
Algorithms which might be trained to maximise the commitment and profits resolve what appears in your feed, which is the subsequent video and which highlights are pushed in your screen.
But here is the issue: Algorithms prioritize content This is already popular.
That often means men's sport.
This creates what researchers call Echo chamber effectWhere users are shown more of what they’re already coping with, and fewer of what they don’t do.
This could be deeply problematic in sport.
For example, when a user clicks on highlights from the AFL men's competition, the algorithm replies by serving More Footy content of men.
Over the course of time, contents of ladies's competitions risk not since it is unworthy, but since it has not yet reached the identical level of commitment.
This isn’t a breakdown, but a structural mistake in the way in which digital platforms serve.
It already means women's sports underrepresented in traditional mediaFor many users on this AI-controlled ecosystem, risks turn into almost invisible to many users.
Generative AI tools resembling Chatgpt, Sora and others not only curate content, but in addition create them.
Consistent reports, fan comments, video summary and social contributions are be produced by machines. However, these systems are trained on historical data that’s overwhelming The sport likes.
The more content the algorithm creates, the more it reproduces the identical imbalance. What was once human bias is now automated and scaled over hundreds of thousands of screens.
This may sound abstract, but has real consequences.
Young fans who grew up in algorithmically curated content is less likely that girls's sports is not going to search for it. And if you happen to don't see it, you don’t form emotional bonds.
This has necessary effects on ticket sales, goods, viewer and sponsorship investments.
A tough fight
In short, visibility drives life capability. If women's sports turn into digitally invisible, the chance of not being financially sustainable.
A 2024 Studied in Victoria Shows only around 15% of the reporting on traditional sports media within the state. This reflects a study by the European Union 2019 in 22 countries which have found 85% of the reporting on print media is devoted to male athletes.
And while progress has been made, especially in events resembling the FIFA women's World Championship or the Olympic Games, regular, on a regular basis visibility stays a troublesome struggle.
AI threatens to tighten these historical differences. A 2024 study Found algorithms which were trained on historical data reproduce and even reinforce gender -specific preloads.
The systems that might democratize access to sports content can actually increase old inequalities.
What could be done?
We cannot switch off the algorithm. But we will take it accountable.
Platforms resembling YouTube, TikTok and Netflix needs to be obliged to subject independent algorithmic audits.
These would evaluate whether content suggestion engines systemically underrepresent the game of ladies and changes.
In Europe that Artificial intelligence lawOne of the primary comprehensive AI regulations on this planet requires transparency and supervision for high-risk AI applications. Australia and other countries should consider similar obligations for content platforms.
Sports organizations and transmitters must create deliberate ways in order that fans can discover women's sports, even in the event that they haven’t yet been busy.
This means curated playlists, stories and digital campaigns that flow out content outside the same old algorithmic bladder of the fan.
Platforms must reconcile personalization with diversity.
We also need higher media literacy, especially for younger goal groups. Fans needs to be encouraged to explore what served them, seek the sports channels of ladies and recognize when the algorithm strengthens close viewing habits.
Teaching this in schools, sports clubs and community programs could make a giant difference.
An opportunity for Australia
Australia is well placed to steer this transformation since the national teams for girls are competitive worldwide, our domestic leagues grow and the fans' appetite increases.
But this swing can fade without visibility. We must do not forget that algorithms not only reflect our preferences, but form them.
At a time when AI can determine what we see, the fight for attention becomes much more necessary.
If we would like women to thrive every week, we have now to be certain that it’s seen, heard, heard and appreciated within the digital rooms during which Fandom lives.
Because within the age of AI is what we don’t see, as powerful as what we do.
