the strongest thread

a forum for women's sport

Have you heard of Hoops.com.au?

This is that, but focused on the intersection of sport, community and justice. It centres the WNBL.

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CODE Sports describes itself as Australia’s home for deeper sports coverage.

They are, they assert, the destination for fans to follow their favourite teams and leagues. They have got us covered — from breaking news on big-name players to in-depth interviews, analysis, match reviews and coverage from grassroots to pro sports.

There are five sports listed in the main tabs on their website. Hovering over any of them brings a range of options.

For AFL, there are twenty-four links: eighteen of which, all including each club’s icon, are the men’s teams; four categorise, without icons, other male AFL divisions such as local footy and state leagues; and two, also without icons, are for the AFLW.

The NRL is almost identical: seventeen all with club icons for each of the men’s teams, six for other male divisions, one for the NRLW.

The cricket, from a brief glance, appears more even: WBBL, BBL, and then various links for domestic and international competitions.

The netball is there, with Super Netball and the Diamonds. 

The basketball is, too: the NBL and the NBA. 

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I contacted the editor of CODE. I wrote:

I hope you are having a lovely morning. My name is Saraid Taylor and I am currently contracted in the AFLW, though have had six years in WNBL programs. 

I am just wondering whether it is an oversight, on the CODE website under the category of “basketball”, that effectively only half the sport has been included? There is so much current momentum in women’s sport it is jarring to see such a physicalised example of inequality.

I attached a photograph as proof, thanked him for his time, expressed the hope I had not been too much of an obnoxious punk and said I looked forward to hearing back.

The editor replied eleven days later saying:

Hi Saraid, 

Thanks very much for flagging this.

I met with our head of product today and we’re going to go through our entire directory next week to ensure all women's and men's leagues we cover are represented.

I sent the email in August. It is now December. On the CODE website, the NBL and NBA are still the only professional basketball leagues that are visibly displayed under the ‘Basketball’ banner.