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TED Talks Daily

The flourishing future of women's sports | Kate Johnson

with Kate Johnson

Published October 13, 2025
View Show Notes

About This Episode

Olympic medalist and sports marketing executive Kate Johnson explains how algorithms and historical media coverage have made women's sports far less discoverable than men's, despite rapid growth in popularity and economic potential. She details how this lack of visibility feeds a vicious cycle of underinvestment, affects young girls' participation in sports, and weakens the pipeline for female leaders. Johnson highlights emerging solutions from brands, media platforms, athletes, fans, and AI tools, and calls on listeners to actively support and create content around women's sports to help level the playing field.

Topics Covered

Women in sports Gender equality in sports Sports equity and access Sports fandom Olympic Games Social media and online platforms Streaming media industry Artificial intelligence Content creation Leadership and management

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Quick Takeaways

  • Algorithms serve sports content based on decades of male-dominated coverage, making women's sports far less discoverable in everyday feeds.
  • Historically there have been about 19 stories about men's sports published for every 1 about women's sports, skewing the "library" algorithms draw from.
  • Media rights for women's events are dramatically undervalued compared to men's, even when audiences are approaching parity, reinforcing underinvestment.
  • Girls drop out of sports at twice the rate of boys by age 14, which damages the future pipeline of female leaders given the strong link between sport and leadership.
  • New media players, brands, athletes, and fans are creating and distributing more women's sports content, helping to correct visibility gaps.
  • Companies like Visa, Netflix, and Google are experimenting with new sponsorship and rights models that treat women's sports as standalone, valuable properties.
  • Athletes and fans acting as content creators can make women's sports more visible and relatable than traditional media alone.
  • AI tools can dramatically speed up creation and distribution of sports content, potentially accelerating coverage of women's sports.
  • Individual choices-what we watch, follow, like, and buy-directly influence the data algorithms use and the economic incentives around women's sports.
  • Reimagining the future of women's sports as something we actively build to be seen requires coordinated action from brands, media, athletes, fans, and everyday consumers.

Podcast Notes

Show introduction and context on the rise of women's sports

Host introduces TED Talks Daily and today's topic

Elise Hu identifies the show as TED Talks Daily and explains its mission to bring new ideas to spark curiosity every day[2:19]
• She briefly reminds listeners that she is the host, Elise Hu
Host frames the current surge in popularity of women's sports[2:23]
• She notes that women's sports are finally experiencing a huge surge in popularity around the world
• She cites record-breaking viewership and attendance across sports, along with significant revenue growth
Persistent imbalance in coverage despite growth[2:34]
• Elise points out that social media algorithms are still skewed largely toward covering men's sports
• She contrasts the growth in women's sports with the ongoing imbalance in what people see in their feeds

Introduction of Kate Johnson and the focus of her talk

Host describes Kate Johnson's background and role[2:45]
• Kate Johnson is introduced as an Olympic medalist and world champion rower
• Elise notes that Kate now leads global marketing strategy for sports and entertainment at Google
Focus of Kate's talk[2:45]
• Elise says Kate will unpack how and why women's sports are still underrepresented in coverage despite their growth
• The talk will explore why it's time to get serious about leveling the playing field for women's sports

Kate Johnson's Olympic experience and rapid technological change

Olympics as a lens on societal and technological change

Kate explains how the Olympics mark changes in the world[3:13]
• She says the Olympics have always served as a touch point for her to reflect on how quickly the world changes
• Every four years, the Summer Olympics shine a massive spotlight on how much technology evolves between Games

Contrasting 2004 with today's digital landscape

Kate asks the audience to picture the year 2004[3:29]
• She reminds listeners that in 2004 there were no iPhones
• She notes that "The Facebook" as it was originally known was just emerging on college campuses
• YouTube did not yet exist at that time
Her own experience at the Athens 2004 Olympics[3:42]
• Kate competed at the Athens 2004 Olympics in women's rowing
• She jokes that it might as well have been the ancient Olympics as far as technology is concerned
• She was still using a flip phone at that time
• She sent friends and family email updates from the Games using her Hotmail account and dial-up internet

Winning an Olympic medal before social media

Kate recalls her medal-winning moment and lack of instant sharing tools[4:09]
• She asks listeners to imagine what it was like to win the first U.S. Olympic medal in her event in 20 years
• Instead of instantly sharing the news via Instagram or TikTok, she and her teammates had to wait
• They were dependent on Olympic broadcasters and journalists to decide whether to cover their story
• Their story was in the hands of others to tell or ignore
Shift to on-demand information today[4:40]
• Kate notes that 20 years later everything has changed with instant access to sports scores and news on phones
• She emphasizes how incredible it is to have information at our fingertips the moment it happens

From search to discoverability: how algorithms shape what fans see

Difference between actively searching and stumbling upon content

Kate outlines two ways we get information online[4:40]
• She distinguishes between seeking out specific information and stumbling upon content
• She describes the stumbling process: scrolling a social feed, seeing something eye-catching, clicking, and going "down the rabbit hole"

Defining discoverability in marketing

Kate introduces the marketing term for stumbling upon content[5:00]
• She calls this stumbling upon process "discoverability"
• For sports, discoverability is the magic that fuels existing fans and captures new ones by pulling them in

Role of algorithms in shaping sports discoverability

Algorithms determine which sports stories surface[6:26]
• Kate notes that it's easier than ever to search for sports news on Instagram, TikTok, or Google
• However, the content that fans discover is served up by algorithms
• These algorithms use historical data, fan interactions, and what's trending
• She points out that these inputs mainly skew toward men's sports
Consequences for women's sports in daily feeds[5:41]
• Despite incredible talent, heated rivalries, and growing popularity, women's sports remain largely invisible in daily content feeds
• Kate emphasizes that this invisibility has real-world implications

Gendered data, algorithms as librarians, and factual omissions

Algorithms compared to librarians in massive digital libraries

Kate uses a library metaphor for technology platforms[6:29]
• She asks listeners to think of technology platforms as massive digital libraries
• Algorithms are likened to librarians that organize, index, and catalog information
• The crucial limitation: they can only recommend based on what's already on the shelves

Historical content imbalance: 19 to 1 ratio

Kate quantifies the gender skew in sports stories[6:26]
• For many decades, and only until very recently, there have been 19 stories about men's sports for every 1 story about women's sports
• She repeats the ratio "19 to 1" to underline the magnitude of the imbalance

Example of a gender-ambiguous query: all-time international goal scorer

Common assumptions about who holds the record[6:38]
• Kate poses a question to the audience: if she asks a technology platform who has scored the most goals for their country in international football, who shows up?
• She notes that many people would think of Cristiano Ronaldo or possibly Lionel Messi
Facts about Ronaldo and the actual record holder[6:51]
• Kate states that as of recently, Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 141 goals for Portugal
• She clarifies that giving Ronaldo as the answer to the query is factually wrong
• The correct answer is Christine Sinclair of Canada with 190 goals
• Kate emphasizes that this is more than a simple mistake; it is a symptom of a bigger problem

How gendered language in content leads to biased answers

Word matching issues within algorithms[7:19]
• Kate explains that these gender-ambiguous queries come down to word-matching issues within algorithms
• When journalists and content creators consistently gender-qualify women's sports but not men's, the algorithms produce imperfect responses
Why the "wrong" answer still satisfies many users[7:37]
• For people trying to settle the Messi versus Ronaldo debate, an answer that returns a male player "works" for their purposes
• Kate notes that for the majority typing such queries, that is the information they are expecting
Impact of factual omission of women[7:43]
• She stresses that omitting women in these answers and in daily feeds negatively affects athletes who earned those distinctions
• It also harms fans who are actively looking for this information

The vicious cycle of underinvestment in women's sports

Definition and overview of the vicious cycle

Kate introduces the concept of a vicious cycle of underinvestment[8:05]
• She explains that lack of visibility in coverage contributes to what is often called the vicious cycle of underinvestment

FIFA Women's World Cup media rights undervaluation

Gianni Infantino's criticism of broadcasters[8:12]
• Kate cites 2023, when FIFA President Gianni Infantino criticized traditional broadcast networks
• He said they were offering up to 100 times less for women's rights than for men's
• This undervaluation persisted even as the 2023 Women's World Cup tournament approached half the audience of the men's tournament

NCAA men's vs. women's basketball rights fees

Stark contrast in media rights fees[8:35]
• In the United States, the NCAA men's basketball tournament earns $1.1 billion per year in media rights fees
• Kate says this is 17 times more than the estimated value of the women's tournament
• She notes that this gap exists even as the last three women's finals on average are approaching parity with the men's

Undervaluing women's sports fans as an economic miss

Kate argues that low rights fees undervalue fans, not just games[8:51]
• She insists that these costs don't just undervalue women's sports, they undervalue the women's sports fan
• She calls this a huge miss in the bigger economic picture
Profile of women's sports fans[9:16]
• Kate explains that compared to men's sports fans, fans of women's sports are younger
• They are generally more tech savvy
• They are also more loyal to brands that sponsor women's sports
Short-sightedness of current gatekeepers[9:20]
• Kate argues that in a world where men's sports are everywhere and women's are harder to find, media rights holders and gatekeepers are failing athletes and fans
• She singles out that they are especially failing girls

Impact on girls' participation and the female leadership pipeline

Girls' dropout rate from sports

Kate highlights a troubling statistic about girls in sports[9:35]
• Despite the surge in women's sports, girls are still dropping out of sports at twice the rate of boys by age 14
Role of visibility in girls' aspirations[10:16]
• If girls cannot see compelling content of female athletes excelling in sport and life, it is harder for them to see sport as a pathway for themselves
• Kate poses the question: if they can't see it, how can they dream of becoming it?

Personal impact of sport on Kate's life and leadership

Kate credits sports with shaping her as a person and leader[10:16]
• She says she would not be the person or leader she is today without the lessons she learned as an athlete
• She lists traits learned from sport: grit, determination, teamwork, accountability, and resilience
• She emphasizes that these traits have had a significant impact on the rest of her life

Connection between girls in sports and women who lead

Correlation between playing sports and leadership roles[10:24]
• Kate states there is a direct correlation between girls who grow up playing sports and women who become leaders
Statistics on C-suite women and global CEOs[10:24]
• She cites that 94% of C-suite women grew up playing sports
• Yet only 6% of global CEOs are female
• She concludes that when girls drop out of sports, a significant pipeline for future female leadership suffers

Positive momentum: new media players and brands reimagining women's sports

Good news: growth of women's sports and new contributors

Kate acknowledges encouraging trends[11:08]
• She says there is good news: women's sports are growing
• Growth is driven by contributions of new media players that are reimagining the sports landscape for women's sports
Range of actors driving change[11:19]
• Kate names brands that understand the value of women's sports and are leaning in
• She includes athletes and fans who work as content creators behind the scenes
• She adds that "you and me" are also part of this shift

Visa and unbundling women's sponsorship rights

Visa's standalone sponsorship of UEFA women's football[11:14]
• Kate notes that brands and media rights holders who see the value of women's sports audiences are reimagining traditional sports rights models
• She cites Visa becoming the first ever standalone sponsor of UEFA women's football
• Visa worked with UEFA to unbundle women's sponsorship rights from what was traditionally sold as a bundle with the men's rights

Netflix securing rights to FIFA Women's World Cups

Streaming platforms experimenting with women's sports rights[12:03]
• Kate mentions that streaming platform Netflix secured exclusive rights in the U.S. and Canada for the next two FIFA Women's World Cups

Google and media partners working to improve women's sports discoverability

Google's dual approach to bias: queries and content supply

Kate describes Google's efforts to tackle bias from both sides[11:37]
• She says Google is getting smarter at responding to gender-ambiguous queries
• At the same time, Google is working with content teams to increase the volume of women's sports stories
Partnerships with clubs and leagues[11:49]
• Kate lists collaborations with clubs like Arsenal and Liverpool's women's clubs
• She mentions creating more stories around women's cricket across India
• She includes the WNBA and the National Women's Soccer League as partners for content creation
Work with broader media outlets[12:07]
• Google's search products are improving women's sports discoverability
• In parallel, Google is working with media partners such as ESPN, The Athletic, and British Vogue to increase coverage of women's sports

Athletes and fans as content creators reshaping visibility

Athletes and fans building their own audiences

Kate highlights athletes and fans as critical to new models[12:13]
• She notes that athletes and fans are building their own audiences using social media
• They are creating brands that live far beyond the field of play

US rugby player Alona Mar as an example

How Alona Mar turned herself into a media channel[12:42]
• Kate cites U.S. rugby player Alona Mar, who blew up on social media during the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympics
• Alona shared hilarious behind-the-scenes glimpses of athlete life in the Olympic Village
• She effectively became her own media channel, connecting with audiences directly
• Kate says Alona made herself and women's rugby more visible and relatable than traditional media ever could

Canadian fan creator Logan Hackett (Sports with Logues)

Explaining and simplifying women's sports for new fans[13:02]
• Kate mentions Canadian creator and fan Logan Hackett, also known as Sports with Logues
• Logan breaks down complex plays, rules, and controversies
• Her work makes women's sports easier to understand and more accessible to new fans

The emerging role of AI in accelerating women's sports coverage

Kate's view on AI's potential and risks

Acknowledging concerns about low-quality AI content[13:24]
• Kate notes that "AI slop" is a real thing
Productive uses of AI tools in the right hands[13:15]
• She argues that when used well, tools like Gemini and ChatGPT can help anyone create thoughtful, production-level content
• These tools can also help distribute content at scale

Example: Sean Callinan's Sports Geek Rapid Rundown podcast

Using AI to curate and produce sports business news[13:33]
• Kate cites podcast host Sean Callinan, whose Sports Geek Rapid Rundown podcast uses AI to curate business news of the day
• His podcast creates daily episodes on a variety of topics in his own AI-generated voice
• She notes that he turns these episodes out with incredible speed and efficiency
Broader impact of AI and user behavior[13:46]
• Kate says the real impact will come from all of us through our likes, shares, follows, and the athletes we track
• All these interactions contribute to the library of women's sports content

Call to action: how brands, fans, and individuals can level the playing field

Challenge to go beyond what the algorithm serves

Kate urges active rather than passive consumption[15:20]
• She challenges listeners to go further than just accepting what algorithms serve them
• She suggests following athletes that intrigue you
• She invites people to try telling athletes' stories as content creators themselves, even on a small scale

Specific actions for brands and consumers

Suggestions for brands[14:54]
• Kate encourages brands to consider investing in women's sports media or becoming sponsors
Suggestions for consumers[15:08]
• She urges consumers to buy from brands that sponsor women's sports
• She reiterates that all these actions matter

Reframing "you cannot be what you cannot see"

Turning a warning into a call to action[14:36]
• Kate notes that for too long, "you cannot be what you cannot see" has been a quiet barrier
• She proposes flipping it from a warning into a call to action
Kate reflects on her own Olympic moment and unseen impact[14:41]
• She wonders who she might have reached if she could have instantly shared her proudest Olympic moments back then
• She imagines what boardroom a young athlete she could have inspired might be sitting in today

Collective responsibility to build a visible future for women's sports

Who needs to be involved[15:18]
• Kate says leveling the playing field for women's sports will take contributions from brands, media rights holders, athletes, fans, and everyday people
Vision of a deliberately built, visible future[15:13]
• When we choose to reimagine the future of women's sports, we open the door to possibility
• She urges reimagining women's sports not as something we have to work hard to find, but as something we deliberately and collectively build to be seen
• She closes the talk by thanking the audience

Host outro and production credits

Context on where Kate spoke and TED curation

Elise identifies the event[16:02]
• She notes that the talk was Kate Johnson speaking at TED Sports Indianapolis in 2025
Mention of TED's curation guidelines[15:39]
• Elise tells listeners that if they are curious about TED's curation, they can find out more at TED.com/curationguidelines

Credits for the TED Talks Daily production team

Fact-checking credit[15:46]
• She says the episode was fact-checked by the TED Sports Research Team
Production and editing team acknowledgments[15:51]
• Elise lists team members involved in producing and editing the episode: Martha Estefanos, Oliver Friedman, Brian Green, Lucy Little, and Tanzika Sangmarnivong
Additional support and sign-off[15:56]
• She mentions additional support from Emma Taubner and Daniela Balarezo
• Elise signs off by saying she'll be back tomorrow with a fresh idea and thanks listeners for listening

Lessons Learned

Actionable insights and wisdom you can apply to your business, career, and personal life.

1

Algorithms and information systems can only work with the data they are given, so if historical data is biased or incomplete, the outputs will reinforce that bias unless people deliberately change what is created and consumed.

Reflection Questions:

  • • Where in your own information diet are you passively accepting what algorithms surface instead of actively seeking out more diverse or overlooked sources?
  • • How could you adjust your content creation or sharing habits to ensure that important but underrepresented topics in your field become more visible?
  • • What is one concrete step you can take this week to add better "data" into the systems you use, whether by following new voices, publishing something yourself, or supporting more balanced coverage?
2

Visibility shapes aspiration: when people, especially young girls, regularly see role models succeeding in a domain, they are more likely to imagine and pursue those paths themselves.

Reflection Questions:

  • • What careers or life paths did you not even consider when you were younger because you rarely saw anyone like you doing them?
  • • How might you intentionally highlight and celebrate diverse role models in your organization, family, or community so others can "see" new possibilities?
  • • What is one small action you could take this month-such as mentoring, sharing a story, or showcasing someone else's work-to make a positive example more visible?
3

Markets and opportunities are often undervalued when decision-makers rely on outdated assumptions instead of current audience data, so looking closely at who is showing up and how they behave can reveal overlooked value.

Reflection Questions:

  • • Where in your work or industry might there be a group of highly engaged, loyal users or customers that leadership is underestimating or ignoring?
  • • How could you gather or present data about an overlooked audience to challenge assumptions and make a stronger case for investment?
  • • What is one area of your business, project, or community where you could re-examine the numbers to discover hidden demand or potential?
4

Accessible digital tools and platforms empower individuals-athletes, fans, and creators-to build their own audiences and narratives rather than waiting for traditional gatekeepers to grant visibility.

Reflection Questions:

  • • In what area of your life or work are you still waiting for permission or recognition from gatekeepers instead of using available tools to tell your own story?
  • • How might you experiment with low-cost content creation-writing, video, audio, or social posts-to share a perspective or niche you care about?
  • • What specific platform or format could you try in the next two weeks to start building a direct connection with the people you most want to reach?
5

Individual choices-what you watch, follow, endorse, and buy-collectively create powerful signals that shape future investment, media coverage, and cultural priorities.

Reflection Questions:

  • • If someone looked only at your recent viewing, following, and purchasing habits, what would they conclude you are telling the market to value?
  • • How could you better align your everyday clicks, follows, and purchases with the outcomes and communities you say you want to support?
  • • What is one habit you can change this week-such as following certain creators, watching specific events, or choosing particular brands-to send a clearer signal about what you want to see more of in the world?

Episode Summary - Notes by Hayden

The flourishing future of women's sports | Kate Johnson
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