Is There a Gender Gap Seen in the Stands?

At the School, there is a wide gap between the number of students who attend men’s sports versus women’s sports, particularly in basketball, soccer, and volleyball. As people might stereotype basketball and soccer as more of a men’s game, they can also stereotype volleyball as more of a women’s game. Do gender stereotypes have anything to do with the School’s sports games’ turnouts? 

According to a poll of 92 students, a solid majority of 67.3% of students have been to a men’s soccer game. Comparatively, 53.3% of students have been to at least one women’s soccer game. With 24.9% of students having been to five or more men’s soccer games, just 18.5% of students have been to five-plus women’s soccer games in the past.

 For men’s soccer, their games were generally right after school which facilitated many people’s ability to attend. One student wrote, “The scheduling made a big impact…I like the games that are right after school…I could go to a lot more soccer games…volleyball was at an awkward time like 5:30 or 7…what do I do before then?” There are far more men’s soccer home games right after school than women’s volleyball home games. In addition, countless students wrote that they had a lot of friends on men’s soccer, which is why they attended so many of their games.  

Likewise, with basketball, 58.6% of students have attended at least one men’s basketball game whereas a minority of only 44% of students have been to a women’s basketball game. Furthermore, 37% of students have been to three or more men’s basketball games while only 13% of students have gone to three-plus women’s games. 

When asked if there are differences between men’s and women’s sports turnout at the School, an anonymous student wrote, “Oh absolutely – especially between men’s basketball and women’s basketball. Not only is [women’s basketball] not broadcasted as much, but also everyone hypes up the men’s games more in general anyways.” 

However, with volleyball, there is an enormous gap between the number of students who attend women’s versus men’s games. Around 60.9% of students have been to a women’s volleyball game, with 26.1% of students having gone to five or more. In contrast,only 28.3% of students have attended a men’s volleyball game. Just 5% have gone to five-plus games. 

Brendan Blakeley, the School’s Director of Athletics,at the School shared his views about the matter. He states, “Way more people will go to women’s volleyball than men’s volleyball,” but with other sports “it’s hard to tell.” Additionally, another student wrote that they “attend more women’s volleyball [matches] because they are good.” 

There are clear differences in turnout numbers at the School between women’s and men’s sports games, but it varies with each sport. This difference in turnout raises the question: Do gendered perceptions of sports increase or decrease attendance? Either way, the School community can support and show up for all student athletes when possible.