Sky Sports has abruptly discontinued its newly launched TikTok platform dedicated to women’s sports, named Halo, just days after its debut. The channel, introduced at the Sky-sponsored TikTok awards, aimed to engage female sports fans but faced significant backlash, leading to its swift deactivation.
The initiative was marketed as the “lil sis” of Sky Sports UK, designed to entertain and engage new, young, female sports enthusiasts. However, the platform was met with criticism from across the gender spectrum, prompting Sky Sports to issue an apology. A solitary black text tile on the account read, “Our intention for Halo was to create a space alongside our existing social channels for new, young, female fans. We’ve listened. We didn’t get it right. As a result, we’re stopping all activity on this account. We’re learning and remain as committed as ever to creating spaces where fans feel included and inspired.”
Backlash and Criticism
The content on Halo combined trendy pop culture references with sports videos, featuring neon pink captions and text boxes discussing “hot girl walks” and matcha. This approach was criticized for trivializing women’s sports. Sydney-based sports broadcaster Georgie Heath described her initial reaction to the account as “very strange,” likening it to a “gossip meme page.”
“It’s sort of as if someone has just sat down in a boardroom and typed into ChatGPT ‘things that girls who like women’s sport also like,'” Heath remarked. “You almost feel like it’s going to be, the next post, ‘here’s the diet of this person or … if you want to wear pink on game day, this is how best to do that’.”
Heath questioned the necessity of creating a separate platform that felt like an “abscess on the side of sports,” emphasizing the need for more authentic representation.
Right Idea, Wrong Approach
Despite the misstep, Heath acknowledged the potential in traditional media reflecting on their sports content, particularly as female audiences remain a largely untapped market. Data from Ipsos in September revealed that men in Australia spent over five times more time consuming sports content online than women.
Heath expressed a desire for more in-depth content, such as behind-the-scenes interviews with players and coaches, which could attract broader audiences. Her own experience with player profiles demonstrated their effectiveness in engaging non-cricket fans.
“You learn about their journey and the random routine that they do before a match and then it sort of adds to that narrative that you can bring into women’s sport,” she explained.
Future Directions for Women’s Sports Content
Heath suggested that broadcasters should draw inspiration from existing social media platforms of women’s sports teams, capturing genuine moments rather than manufacturing humor. Kristen Gott, a sports journalism graduate, also found the channel disappointing, emphasizing the need for more consistent and educational coverage of women’s sports.
“I’m probably as girly as they come,” Gott said. “I love makeup and Barbie and matcha and all that stuff, but I watch sport for the same reason as men do — for the sport.”
Gott highlighted the importance of educational content that breaks down sports rules and terminology, which could enhance understanding and appreciation among new fans.
“I’ve grown up in cricket and I know I only really learned what square leg and what leg byes were this year,” she admitted. “I would love to go on my ‘for you’ page and see cool modern viral interactive content that’s engaging, but not in a way that’s dumbing sport content down.”
As Sky Sports reevaluates its strategy, the incident underscores the challenges and opportunities in effectively engaging female sports audiences. The media giant’s commitment to learning from this experience could pave the way for more inclusive and inspiring sports content in the future.
