50 Days of Title IX Coverage Begins June 4
Billie Jean King, Annika Sorenstam, Gabby Thomas and Scout Bassett Among Women Featured
Additional Title IX-Themed Content to be Presented Across Peacock, On Her Turf, SportsEngine and NBC Sports Audio
STAMFORD, Conn. – June 2, 2022 – NBC Sports celebrates the 50th anniversary of Title IX with 50 days of cross-platform content from June 4 - July 25, headlined by nine featured stories that showcase the success of various female athletes across multiple sports and highlight their achievements on and off the field of play.
The featured stories will include women from across sports and eras who have seen the impact of increased gender equality in sports, as well as speak to the progress that is still needed. The Title IX content will be featured across multiple NBC Sports platforms and businesses, including On Her Turf, SportsEngine, Peacock, NBC Sports Audio, and NBC Sports social and digital channels.
The content begins on Saturday with the launch of Title IX-themed hubs on On Her Turf and Peacock. Also on Saturday, a vignette voiced by Billie Jean King - who won her only French Open singles title 50 years ago in 1972 – will be featured within NBC Sports’ coverage of the women’s Roland-Garros tennis final (9 a.m. ET on NBC & Peacock).
Available Title IX content on Peacock includes “Becoming ANNIKA,” a documentary about legendary golfer Annika Sorenstam’s life and career, narrated by Academy Award-winning actress Hilary Swank. The program brings viewers on Sorenstam’s journey from her hometown golf course in Sweden to becoming one of the most prolific golfers in history. The film also touches on Annika’s personal life and her foundation work, providing women’s golf opportunities to girls at the junior, collegiate, and professional levels.
Title IX programming will also spotlight the stories of gymnastics and track & field athletes. As part of a historic summer of track and field, highlighted by the 2022 World Championships in Eugene, Oregon, NBC Sports will feature the stories of two-time Tokyo Olympic medalist Gabby Thomas, a Harvard graduate who is pursuing a Master’s degree from the University of Texas in public health, and Paralympian Scout Bassett, who will share her perspective on the lack of access athletes with disabilities still face despite the progress that has been made thanks to Title IX.
In The Sisterhood, an original series presented by On Her Turf, viewers can follow the odds-defying journey of a New York City cheerleading squad as they prepare to compete in the UCA National High School Cheerleading Championships.
“We are proud to be able to feature such diverse content across so many platforms as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Title IX,” said Rebecca Chatman, NBC Sports Vice President and Coordinating Producer. “From the Paralympics to golf to track and field, these are outstanding stories to tell and it’s a privilege to highlight them through the combined effort of so many across NBC Sports.”
In conjunction with SportsEngine, The Home of Youth Sports™, and On Her Turf, the Title IX-related coverage will spotlight the stories of women who have succeeded with the equal opportunity afforded by Title IX, and look ahead to the athletes who will continue to pave the way for the next 50 years.
Title IX, the landmark federal civil rights law which prohibits sex-based discrimination in any school or education program that receives funding from the federal government, was passed into law on June 23, 1972. Over the past 50 years, Title IX has granted expanding access and opportunities within sports and continues to have a lasting impact on female athletes today.
“The passing of Title IX was a landmark moment for equality and inclusivity in the world of sports,” said Damon Phillips, SVP Strategic Initiatives and Head of Diversity & Inclusion, NBC Sports. “We’re excited to celebrate the 50th anniversary by showcasing these great stories and to continue to promote equal opportunities across all sports through our year-round coverage of women’s sports.”
DIGITAL & SOCIAL
Peacock will host a hub for Title IX-related content. Featured content will also live on NBCSports.com/TitleIX and on NBC Sports social channels.
Additional Title IX-themed content featured across NBC Sports digital, social and audio platforms include vignettes featuring Billie Jean King, feature articles on the impact of Title IX on Olympic sports, and previously-produced NBC Sports content such as The ‘96 Effect on the 1996 U.S. Women’s National Team soccer, Golden: The Journey of USA’s Elite Gymnasts, and more.
NBC Sports Next’s SportsEngine, a youth sports club, league and team management platform, will host a Title IX and women’s sports hub at www.sportsengine.com/title-ix, which will include articles featuring GOLF Channel’s Paige Mackenzie, baseball pioneer Shirley Burkovich, and more. The hub will also include the SportsEngine directory of youth sports, which boasts over 100,000 organizations and programs in 80 sports for girls across all 50 states.
On Her Turf, NBC Sports’ women’s empowerment brand, will surround the campaign with social and digital content, celebrating those who paved the way for women in sports as well as current student athletes. The OHT blog will examine the impact of Title IX and assess where the legislation still has work to do. On Her Turf’s branding will also be incorporated throughout the campaign, capitalizing on the brand’s well-known female-focused identity.
AUDIO
In Their Court, an NBC News and NBC Sports original podcast, is hosted by Team USA Olympic medalist Ibtihaj Muhammad and explores Title IX through the rich history of women’s basketball 50 years after Title IX passed into law. Click here to listen to the series.
Hardwood HERstory, a new NBC Sports Audio podcast hosted by Zora Stephenson, tells six stories of women across all levels of basketball who, while often found in the shadows, have quietly and significantly changed the sport. Through interviews with these women, their families, and peers, we learn how they did it their way, often challenging gender limitations and inequities, forever changing basketball for the better. Click here to listen to the trailer, and the debut episode of the series drops on June 7.
--NBC SPORTS--
