C (7:32)
This isn't just a mistake, it's a symptom of a bigger problem. And it's one example of many these gender ambiguous queries come down to word matching issues within the algorithms. When sports journalists, commentators, content creators consistently publish content that gender qualifies women's sports but not men's, we get an imperfect response. For the person looking to settle the Messi vs. Ronaldo debate, this answer works. And for the majority of people entering this query, this is what they're looking for. But the factual omission of women in these answers and in our daily content feeds, well, it negatively impacts the athletes who have worked very hard for the distinction, but also the fans who are looking for this information. This lack of visibility fuels what's often referred to as the vicious cycle of underinvestment. The vicious cycle of underinvestment. In 2023, for example, President of FIFA Gianni Infantino went on record criticizing many of the traditional broadcast networks for offering up to 100 times less for the women's rights, even as the 2023 World cup tournament approached half that of the men's tournament. The same thing's happening here in the United States with NCAA men's and women's basketball. The men's tournament earns $1.1 billion per year in media rights fees, 17 times more than the estimated value of the women's tournament, Even as the last three finals on average are approaching par. These costs, they don't just undervalue women's sports, they're undervaluing the women's sports fan, which is a huge miss in the bigger economic picture. It turns out compared to men's sports, fans of women's sports are younger, they're generally more tech savvy, and they're more loyal to brands who sponsor women's sports. But in a world where men's sports are everywhere and women's sports are harder to find, these short sighted media rights holders and gatekeepers, well, they're failing, certainly the athletes, but also the fan, and especially, and maybe more importantly, our girls. Which leads me to the real kicker. Despite the recent surge in women's sports, our girls are still dropping out of sport at twice the rate of boys by the age of 14. If they can't see incredible content of female athletes crushing it in sport and in life, it makes it harder for them to see sport as a pathway for themselves. If they can't see it, how can they ever dream of becoming it? I know without a doubt I would not be the person or leader I am today were it not for the lessons I learned as an athlete. The grit, the determination, the teamwork, the accountability, the resilience. All of it has had a significant impact on the rest of my life. And this makes sense. We know there's a direct correlation between girls who grew up playing sports becoming women who lead. But while 94% of C suite women grew up playing sports, only 6% of global CEOs are female. Which means when girls drop out of sports, a significant pipeline for future female leadership suffers. Now there is good news. Women's sports are growing. And it's thanks to the contributions of new media players that are reimagining the sports landscape. For women's sports brands who understand the value and are leaning in athletes, fans who are working as content creators behind the scenes and yes, even you and me, brands and media rights holders who understand the value of women's sports audiences, they're leaning in and they're reimagining traditional models around sports rights. Take Visa. They became the first ever standalone sponsor of UEFA women's football. They worked with UEFA to basically unbundle the women's sponsorship rights from what was traditionally sold as a bundle with the men's. Another interesting example this year came from streaming platform Netflix, who secured the exclusive rights in the US And Canada for the next two FIFA Women's World Cups. I'm proud to say that at Google we're tackling the bias challenge from both sides. We're getting smarter at responding to your gender ambiguous queries while at the same time working with content teams like Arsenal, Liverpool women's clubs, making sure that across India, women's cricket, the wnba, the National Women's Soccer League, we're creating more stories for the algorithmic Librarian to catalog and recommend. Our search products are getting better at women's sports discoverability and at the same time we're working with media partners at espn, the Athletic, even British Vogue increasing the coverage of women's sports Athletes and fans are also playing a critical role in reimagining new models. They're building their own audiences with social media, creating brands that live far beyond the field of play. Take US rugby player Ilona Mar. She blew up on social media during the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympics with her hilarious behind the scenes glimpses of athlete life in the Olympic Village. She became her own media channel, connecting with audiences and making herself and women's rugby more visible and more relatable than traditional media ever could. Canadian creator and fan Logan Hackett and AKA Sports with Loges is another awesome example. She breaks down complex plays, rules and controversies, making women's sports easier to understand and more accessible to new fans. More recently I've been paying attention to how AI is poised to accelerate all of this. While AI slop is a real thing in the right hands, tools like Gemini and ChatGPT can enable anyone to create thoughtful, production level, quality content and distribute it at scale. Take podcast host Sean Callanan, whose Sports Geek Rapid Rundown podcast uses AI to curate the business news of the day into daily episodes on a variety of topics, all in his own AI generated voice. He churns these out with incredible speed and efficiency, but the real impact that's going to come from all of us your likes, your shares, your follows, the athletes that you track, the sports that you follow. It all plays a significant role in contributing to the library of women's sports content. My challenge to you is go further. Go beyond what the algorithm serves. You follow athletes that intrigue you. Maybe try your hand at telling their story. As a content creator yourself, you even if on a small scale if you're a brand, consider investing in women's sports media or becoming a sponsor. If you're a consumer, buy brands who sponsor women's sports. It all matters. For too long, you cannot be what you cannot see has been a quiet barrier. But what if we flip that from a warning into a call to action? Had I been able to instantly share my proudest Olympic moments way back when, I wonder what young athlete I would have reached through the void and what boardroom she might be sitting in today. Leveling the playing field for women's sports is going to take all of us, from brands, media rights holders, athletes and fans to you and me. When we choose to reimagine the future of women's sports, we open the door to possibility. Let's reimagine the future of women's sports not as something we have to work hard to find, but is something we deliberately and collectively build to be seen. Thank you.
