Rewriting the playbook at the intersection of sports, streaming and media

International Women's Day is a moment to reflect not only on the hard-fought progress made toward gender equity, but also on today's initiatives that will shape industries for decades to come. In sports, the demand for parity and inclusivity has never been louder. The rapid rise of leagues like the PWHL and the growing momentum behind women's sports properties such as Tempo signal a clear shift. Audiences are calling for broader representation on the field, on screen and in the boardroom.

At the same time, streaming is transforming sports media as a whole. With the Canadian sports streaming market projected to reach $56.7 billion USD by 2030, this category is a defining pillar across the entire sports ecosystem. 

Despite the momentum of women in sports, leadership in sports media has historically and continues to skew male. To build an industry and ecosystem that is inclusive now and for future generations, decision makers should be representative of the population itself. These are the voices that will shape the future of entertainment, from the content we consume to how and where we consume it.

The Equity Imperative

Television and streaming media are woven into the fabric of everyday life, influencing culture, and more. For sports media specifically, this can translate to the leagues, teams and athletes that are and audiences have access to. The impact cannot be understated.

To build an ecosystem that is inclusive today and resilient tomorrow, leadership must be more representative of the population itself. A growing body of research from McKinsey & Company and Statistics Canada shows that diverse leadership teams outperform their peers. Diverse leadership brings more varied insight, challenges the status quo, and creates a breeding ground for innovative thinking.

Representation Across The Board

Sports streaming is a deeply interconnected, technology-driven ecosystem combining content strategy, distribution, product development, marketing, advertising, data analytics and more. Each function influences the next. To foster advancement and future-proof, women must have a seat at the table at every level, making decisions across all elements of the streaming ecosystem. Every team and function contributes to the final product that reaches and influences consumers.

Representation at the decision-making level ultimately influences representation in media. Without diverse voices guiding those choices, organizations risk creating outputs that serve limited cohorts and fail to reflect the broader population.

Rewriting The Playbook

Sports media long followed an established playbook, with well-worn industry entry points, relationship-driven networks and leadership pipelines that tended to replicate themselves over time. Evolving that model requires intentional action and policy.

The work should begin well before women reach the executive level. We can do more to help young women enter and grow in media at earlier stages of their careers. To increase the presence of women in leadership roles, we must nurture curiosity and resilience from an early age. Young girls should be encouraged to explore, experiment, and face uncertainty with confidence. By fostering environments where they feel empowered to take risks and see setbacks as growth opportunities, we can build the skills, mindset, and courage needed for tomorrow's leaders.

We can also support women beyond mentorship by offering higher-stakes responsibilities. Too often, women are burdened with modest tasks that limit their ability to focus on larger, impactful work. Companies need to ensure women have the space and support to apply themselves to significant challenges. Emerging leaders build confidence and gain valuable exposure by being trusted with meaningful projects that expand their scope and visibility. 

This needs to be paired with creating an inclusive culture, promoting compensation parity, and offering clear paths to leadership. By prioritizing these efforts, the industry can create a more equitable environment that allows women to thrive in leadership roles. Growth accelerates when individuals are given the opportunity to stretch, contribute to consequential decisions, and take ownership of results.

Shaping The Future of Sports Media 

When it comes to shaping the future of media and entertainment, the stakes could not be higher. Decision makers have the ability to impact culture by determining the content we watch, and the types of talent represented. 

While only a single moment in time, International Women's Day is a reminder that there is more work to do. To future-proof sports media and streaming, women must be defining the rules at every stage, rather than simply following them. 

Breaking the playbook is not about symbolism. It's about building an industry that truly reflects the audience it serves.