Youth, Appearance, and Emotion: Commentator Framing of the 2009 Softball College World Series

Previous research has established that sports, particularly team sports, are portrayed in media coverage as inappropriate for women. Using qualitative content analysis, the researchers analyzed commentary from 10 games of the 2009 Softball College World Series and found that commentators attributed player performance to appearance and emotional control, reinforcing the sex-inappropriateness of women's sports. These findings are consistent with previous research but are still somewhat surprising given the growth of women's sports, including collegiate softball.