Twitter is like the ability to have a conversation with the world and yesterday it felt like it was at the centre of the world of Women’s Sport.
The difference was that while we tweeted and shared with gusto, the conversation was happening in real time between real people in the tech-savvy surroundings of Twitter’s EMEA Headquarters in Dublin.
Sport for Business was there with some of Ireland’s top sportspeople and commentators as part of @TwitterDublin Conversations: #WomenInSport.
The event was in partnership with our friends at 20×20, and the aim was to help create a cultural shift in the perception of girls and women in sport.
Football legend Stephanie Roche, GAA Camogie player and footballer Rena Buckley, former Ireland international and Elite IRFU Rugby Referee, Joy Neville and GAA footballer Philly McMahon, among others, discussed issues around visibility, participation and coverage of women in sport, in front of an audience of 100 guests drawn from the worlds of media, sports and business.
One thing that struck me, as it has in the past at our own events promoting Women in Sport, is that there are not enough men in the room. Is it that we ‘self select’ ourselves out, that we don’t feel we have a right to be there, or that we are just not on the list?
Whatever the reason it is something that could be addressed as if we are just speaking to those who know that gender equality is right, then we are perhaps not quite speaking to the right people.
Anyway it was a great event.
“When something happens in the world, it happens on Twitter, and there is no better example than sports for creating those moments that bring people together on the platform,” said Twitter HR Lead and keen sports fan Anne Kiely.
“Ireland is a sporting nation with a rich culture of sportspeople and fans alike – and over the last few years, we’ve celebrated some of the best moments in women’s sports on the platform.”
“Last year, when Ireland found out that the Irish Women’s Hockey team was through to the final of the World Cup, Twitter exploded, with #HWC2018.”
“We are delighted to have some of Ireland’s top sporting heroes and commentators with us today to help increase coverage and participation for all #WomenInSport. With the imminent Women’s World Cup, fans are taking the discussion to Twitter, with Tweets about women’s football going up 200% since January and increasingly focusing on breaking gender barriers. Twitter is proud to partner and support the 20×20 campaign and work to create a cultural shift in our perception of girls and women in sport.”
Dee Forbes, Director General of RTÉ was there to commit the Public Service broadcaster to the support of Women in Sport.
Irish football star Stephanie Roche, spoke about her rise to global fame, how it impacted on her and the duty she felt in terms of promotion.
The conversation she had with Cliona Foley, as well as the panel discussion featuring Sinead O’Carroll from the Journal, Rena Buckley, Joy Neville, Philly McMahon and Gavin Cummiskey from the Irish Times, can be seen back here.
If you don’t have time to watch back in full, here are some of the highlights we captured, on Twitter of course…
84% of sports fans want to watch #Womeninsport But there will be 80% less media coverage of @FIFAWWC than @FIFAWorldCup. Not here though thanks to @RTEsport @SportTG4 and @TwitterSports of course. #CantSeeCantBe pic.twitter.com/k7agcUg6eN
— Sport for Business (@SportforBusines) May 21, 2019
61% of Women in Business credit involvement in sport as an important factor in their career. Getting your daughter out to training really, really matters #WomenInSport #CantSeeCantBe pic.twitter.com/F8q71AUs7V
— Sport for Business (@SportforBusines) May 21, 2019
This picture is more than four years old. “I was very quiet and shy but after being thrust in the spotlight I felt I had a duty to promote #WomenInSport” @StephanieRoche9 having the chats with @ponyyelof @TwitterDublin #CantSeeCantBe pic.twitter.com/fu0pW17a94
— Sport for Business (@SportforBusines) May 21, 2019
If you’re going to sponsor Men’s and Women’s teams, you have to commit. Just like @AIGIreland with @dublinladiesg and @DubGAAOfficial But more and more the Women’s team is deserving it’s own big deal. @LFC @ArsenalWFC Do it right. pic.twitter.com/Aqw2eCoYVw
— Sport for Business (@SportforBusines) May 21, 2019
It’s so important to normalise #WomenInSport No back slaps needed for being ‘great for playing.’ I asked my daughter is sport mainly for boys or girls. She replied. ‘It’s for both, it’s for me.’ No big deal. But we need to keep pressing. #CantSeeCantBe pic.twitter.com/mP2urhEYBG
— Sport for Business (@SportforBusines) May 21, 2019
“It doesn’t matter about the gender, the sexuality, the race or religion of the person. It’s about a job being done well” @JoyNevilleRef #WomenInSport #CantSeeCantBe panel with @SineadOCarroll @PhillyMcMahon @gavincomiskey16 and @RenaBucks pic.twitter.com/VDcGYJvjod
— Sport for Business (@SportforBusines) May 21, 2019
