It’s no secret that men’s sports have gotten more attention across the globe for centuries: more funding, full stadiums, and every fan ready to give their all.
Women’s sports have definitely grown over the past few decades, but still haven’t seen the same amount of attention as their male counterparts.
According to the Skyline Athletic Department, for the ‘22-’23 school year, overall there were 6,546 spectators for Skyline boys games and 3,644 for girls. For the 23-24 school year (to date: March 1, 2024), there have been 5,078 spectators for boys’ games, and 2,417 for girls. [Note: these statistics don’t include the small population that is granted guest passes.]
“I think the parents’ section is the same [for boys and girls basketball], but there is a lot bigger student section for boys,” said Vedha Kakarla (‘26). “The guys have just always been better known.”
Skyline’s @a2_nest, a student-run Instagram account, is one place where Skyline games are publicized, providing an amazing resource for students to figure out the themes, times, and locations of various Skyline sporting events.
However, the account primarily focuses on male sports. There are twice the amount of posts for boys’ events as there are for girls’: a 22 to 11 difference.
“I definitely think there is an increase in attendance at the [boys’] games but not exactly with interactions for the posts,” said Lilly Shannon (‘24), one of the students who runs the account. “I think all of the posts get a similar amount of likes/comments etc.”
Skyline Athletic Director Andre Criswell goes to the majority of girls and boys home games for Skyline. Criswell notes that there is a major difference in crowds numbers, but it depends on the sport. “Basketball … I think that’s one that’s a bit more overtly seen and you can actually see and witness the disparity between the two.”
It seems that the turnout for boys’ sports has more to do than just watching the game. The games are cultural events that bring the Skyline community together. “[Athletic Directors] know that there’s more draw for students to attend the communal sports if you will, such as football, basketball, and volleyball,” Criswell said. “However we, as the administrators and educators, really like for that to be all around and there to be this consistency throughout the entire athletic department and all the events.”
According to some of the students, the boys’ games are definitely more popular than the girls. “I think it’s pretty normalized for the majority of the school to go to the boys basketball games just like it would be during the fall for football,” said Cassie Gonzales (‘24), one of the captains for the girls varsity basketball. “It’s more of an event that everyone likes to show up for. For the girls it’s also again…like more normalized to see just family members and empty bleachers, which is a little sad but expected.”
Despite the difference in attendance, the girls’ basketball team has always been and will continue to be a place filled with excitement and encouraging teammates. “The girls’ basketball players have created a very positive atmosphere around our team and girls’ basketball program,” said Skyline Girls’ Varsity Basketball Coach Mike Lovelace. “We have had a lot of fun…We are excited about the finish to the end of the season and the future of the program.”
