U.S. comedian, movie star, and women’s talk show host Whoopi Goldberg will start the first global women’s sports channel. She dropped in at The Tonight Show recently to announce her plans. She told Jimmy Fallon that the channel is called All Women’s Sports Network (AWSN). It will feature both live and past women’s sports from across the world. This will include sports such as tennis, cricket, basketball, and soccer. Whoopi said that if a woman is playing it, the channel will be showing it.
Launching soon in the US
AWSN has already launched in Asia, the Middle East, and India. It will eventually be available 24/7 in 65 different countries. It will be able to reach more than two billion people.
What Goldberg was excited to tell Jimmy Fallon is that AWSN is growing fast and will be launching soon in the U.S. With the popularity of watching sports and sports betting in the U.S., there is likely to be a lot of interest in the channel. Americans love nothing better than watching sports and they can now watch live games and place bets legally in many states.
The channel will feature some of the largest leagues in the world such as the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA).
Partnership
AWSN is partnering with CommonSpiritHealth to launch the network. The Chicago-based nonprofit offers healthcare services to women. It has an expansive network that positions it to meet the changing needs of diverse communities. Improving the health of the people it serves, especially the most vulnerable, is its mission. It believes in building a healthier tomorrow.
An idea that’s found its time
Whoopi revealed that she had been thinking about this idea for about 16 years, but it’s only now that there is interest in it. She wanted to play sports as a kid like her brother. He played many sports but she was overlooked as a young girl. Now she wants to transform the relationship people have with women’s sports.
For years she has been talking to people about going around the world to encourage young athletes in high school. Goldberg also shared the idea of having collectible cards to spotlight young athletes. She said that when athletics are done brilliantly, it doesn’t matter who’s doing it.
Professional women’s sports slowly gaining traction
Professional women’s sports have slowly gained traction over the past few years. There are more professional women’s teams and lucrative sponsorships for them. Overall viewership of women’s sports is breaking records. In 2024, new sports leagues launched for women’s soccer, hockey, and volleyball. A Women’s Pro Baseball League is planning to launch in 2026. Ratings for women Olympic athletes soared.
Deloitte expects women’s sports to earn more than $1.2 billion in 2024. Soccer and basketball are among the highest projected earning sports for 2024.
Women’s sports are capturing the imagination of fans, many drawn from previously untapped demographics. Younger, community-orientated followers provide opportunities for online engagement. Many fans today watch YouTube videos featuring athletes performing great feats.
Room for improvement
Despite progress, there is still plenty of room for improvement. Media outlets and sports networks often limit the promotion of women’s sporting events. Sponsorships aren’t as readily available for women as for men. The number of sponsorships may have risen by about 22% in 2024 but there is definitely room for improvement. A lack of sponsorships limits the earning capacity of women.
Rectifying the imbalance
Whoopi Goldberg is getting in at the right time to help rectify the imbalance in women’s sports representation. She is a force to be reckoned with and has long been a public supporter of women’s sports. She hopes that the project will help to support women’s sports to the extent that they are viewed as equal to men’s sports. Some of Whoopi Goldberg’s best movies include Ghost, The Color Purple, Sister Act, Boys on the Side, and Clara’s Heart. She is currently starring as Miss Hanigan in the Broadway musical Annie. As a comedian, movie star, and talk show host, she has shown her many talents. Now she will use her talents to give women’s sports the boost they deserve.