Before the Depression stadiums were built by using private funds, some of these stadiums include: Wrigley Field, Tiger Stadium, Yankee Stadium, and Fenway Park (“Sports Pork”, 3). All of these parks are very memorable for lots of reasons, mostly the players that played and or play there. Why when these stadiums were built were they a fraction of the cost that it is to build a stadium today? In the 1980’s America was spending about 1.5 billion on new stadiums; in the 1990’s it spent 11 billion (“Walls Come”, 2). Furthermore, in 1967 the cost to build the Kingdome was 67 million, in 1999 the cost to build Safeco Field was 517.6 million. On top of the cost difference, not only was the Kingdome multi purpose but also it held more people. The capacity of the Kingdome for baseball seating was 59,166; the seating at the new Safeco Field is 46,621. Although the Kingdome was starting to fall apart, it was decades away from its useful life (“Walls Come”, 2). In fact, in 1994 tiles fell from the ceiling and the cost to fix was 70 million, which was done. It is possible that one could argue that Seattle was in need of a new stadium. To build a stadium and have an estimated price is one thing, but having tons of extras added on that are going to have the cost overrun by 100 million dollars is a little ridiculous.
Many other cities are also either building new stadiums or contemplating it, 46 major league stadiums and arenas have been built or renovated for teams and 49 more are under construction or in the planning stages (“Debating”, 1). Of the 10 highest valued Major League Baseball teams, 6 moved into new stadiums in the 1990’s.
The Lack of Women’s Sports Coverage
The Lack of Women’s Sports Coverage
Can women’s sports establish itself as a topic of on-going media and journalism curiosity? Currently TV stations do minimal coverage of women’s sports, while newspapers and magazines do just a little bit better. In a recent interview with Gary Webb, a sports writer for The Spectrum, he says that “the people have demonstrated that there is an audience that loves hearing about women athletes. After all, they are somebody’s kids, sisters, and moms”. I learned that these sports writers love to cover women’s games, especially girls highschool basketball games. Gary said that he would rather watch a Parowan-Beaver girls game over the boys anyday. Karen Winegar, staff writer for the The Star Tribune of Minnesota said., “Portrayal of female athletes is improving, but despite increasing interest and participation, their sports are getting no more coverage than they got five years ago” (1A ). Women’s sports participation will surely continue to grow in the future, so the media and journalists better be prepared to increase their coverage accordingly.
Throughout history, women have had to struggle for equality in all elements of our society, but no where have they had a more difficult time than in the area of athletics. Sports is a right of passage that has always been grafted to boys and men. The time has come for our society to accept women athletes and give them the attention they deserve.
Professional women’s sports haven’t been around too long, although it does have an extensive history and root system. In 1865, Vasser became one of the first women colleges in the United States. Within the safe boundaries of campus and away from the curious eyes of men, w…
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