ABSTRACT

Throughout our research, we asked women to talk about the NFL’s efforts to target them. Women’s first reactions were universally positive. They appreciate the NFL’s recognition that women love football. Shelly said, “I’m glad that they did [decide women are an audience] because we are.” Natalie echoed her sentiment saying, “It makes sense. It should have been done a long time ago.” Jamie commented, “I think the NFL especially has done a great job of marketing toward women. I think they’ve finally figured out that we’re a whole 50 percent of the population that they were kind of writing off.” With further reflection, however, the women often turned to aspects of the NFL’s marketing and programming that they found problematic. In particular, the women we interviewed felt the NFL failed to appreciate the depth of their fandom. The idea that women would be attracted to the sport by cute clothes and flashy jewelry or recipes and party-planning tips is insulting to women who consider themselves devoted fans. Natalie explained:

But I think at the end of the day, though, if you’re really … football has been around for a really long time; the NFL’s been around for a really long time, so if you have female fans, they probably would have been there. I don’t think [the NFL is] doing anything that, at least I can’t tell that they’re doing anything that, for a woman who’s never, or who rarely watches football would say, “My god, this is …” You know a pink jersey isn’t going to suddenly … I don’t know maybe a pink jersey will make somebody want to follow the NFL more, but just because you have more female sportscasters… . I don’t think what they’re doing is either effective, or, I don’t know, it’s also based on the assumption that women aren’t fans to some extent. And if they’re not fans I don’t know what [the NFL] is doing that they’re suddenly going to become fans. To become a football fan you need much more than pink jerseys and some female sportscasters. What it is I don’t know.

Interviewer: What about breast cancer awareness month?

I think it’s gimmicky. And I think it’s a little insulting too because it just … So, okay, this is one thing too, when I was younger along with the football players there were the cheerleaders. The way TV was you always saw the cheerleaders in their little outfits. Even when you go to sports games, when you go to games themselves they want to showcase their cheerleaders and they are very attractive women. So you know, you establish the tradition that women and football, women’s association with football is we’re the cheerleaders and the pretty blonde or brunette, the perky types so [exasperated sigh]. I guess I appreciate the effort but I guess part of me just doesn’t understand. I don’t feel like they understand women. None of it seems to make any sense to me I guess. In some senses it’s kind of the stereotypical thing. I mean you start letting women play football, put a woman on an NFL team, that’s a different story. I think that would generate female fans. Everything else just seems kind of superficial… . I don’t necessarily go buy my yogurt because they’re going to donate to breast cancer. At the end of the day, I have to like that yogurt. I’m not going to buy horrible tasting yogurt for that.