The BBC Sports Review of the Year is often a marker for the highest moments of the year in sport, as seen through the eyes of the British sporting public but with a world view.
Last night was the most gender equal that there has ever been. That is not surprising given the advance in recognition for Women’s sport but it was perhaps a tipping point in how far that advance has come.
The Women’s Rugby Team who broke Irish hearts and won the Women’s World Cup in France won the team of the year award and five of those nominated for the main prize of the Sports Personality of the Year were Women.
It was in the detail though as much as the main awards that the sea change could be most clearly seen.
The review of the domestic soccer season gave as much credit to Liverpool and Arsenal winning the main Women’s soccer tournaments as Man City and Arsenal in the Men’s.
The Winter Olympics tribute and that to the Commonwealth Games were dominated by Women while in golf and even in darts as much time was given to the achievements of Charley Hull and Lisa Ashton as to Bubba Watson and Phil Taylor.
In actual sporting competition the Irish Women’s Cross Country team secured a bronze medal at the European Championships and Tracey Kennedy was elected Vice Chairman of the Cork GAA County Board, setting up her taking the top spot in three years time and making ever more real the prospect, perhaps inevitability of a women one day leading the GAA.
Watch this space in 2015 as Sport for Business continues to press for equality of recognition and parity of esteem with some of the biggest commercial names in Irish sport who have already taken the plunge and benefiting as a result.
