The Olympic Games have always played a critical role in the history of women's sports from both a positive and negative perspective. When women runners collapsed at the end of long distance races earlier this century, it set women's distance running back for decades. But, it was only fitting that the televising of the Olympic Games in the 1950's brought women's sports from obscurity into widespread public awareness through exposure of the extraordinary abilities of the first female athlete heros such as Donna deVarona, Olga Korbut and Wilma Rudolph. America went from no knowledge of women's participation to widespread public awareness of a few genuine female athlete heros. The 1996 Olympic Games created two new benchmarks: (1) the realization that women's performances could dominate the Games and (2) the most prestigious sporting event in the world could equally value the talents of men and women athletes. The 1996 Olympic Games represents the achievement of critical mass in the development of women's sports.
The Olympic Games also sent other important messages to the public. First, Title IX, the federal law prohibiting sex discrimination in all educational programs, including athletics, was validated on the world stage. The message was received loud and clear. If female athletes are given the chance to play and supported in the same way as male athletes, then they will perform at the same level.
Second, the 1996 Games represented the first time that network television programmed the largest sports events in the world to appeal to a predominantly female audience and produced ratings that validated that decision. Sports is no longer considered a male domain from both the participant and spectator perspective.
Third, the 1996 Games represented the first time corporate advertisers embraced the female athlete as endorsers of product and stars of commercial advertisements. The sports world, long used to portraying women in a supporting role as cheerleaders, as sex objects to please a predominantly male audience, or high fashion twiggies, took a 180 degree turn and portrayed women as muscular, strong, confident and competitive serious athletes. Corporate advertisers and event organizers not only took women seriously, they gave women the same respect and exposure as male athletes.
The huge commitment of corporate America to women in the Olympics demonstrated that corporations are positioning themselves to embrace the active women's market. They are making the same all-out investment in women's sports as they have in men's because the women's market is just as big and they want women's sports to deliver the same results. Corporations know that budget dabbling and one-shot deals won't do it. Women's sports needs continuity of investment, year round commitment and a sound television strategy that emphasizes exposure and market saturation. In the launch/development period, all out commitment is absolutely essential for long-term return. This Olympics represents the launch of a new era of corporate support for women's sports.
Fourth, the 1996 Games demonstrated a rejection of stereotypical sports for women. Prior to this Olympiad, television coverage and Olympic events favored those sports that conformed to the traditional feminine image of appropriate movement activity. Gymnastics, running, diving, equestrian, and swimming was okay, but not team sports. The 1996 Games embraced women's team sports - soccer and softball in particular. And more barriers are scheduled to fall in future Games as women in non-traditional sports from ice hockey to weight lifting and the pole vault are given the chance to play in the world's most prestigious celebration of sports.
Just as the 1973 Billie Jean King v. Bobby Riggs tennis match signaled the intent of women to challenge barriers to their participation, the 1996 Games signaled the full and unqualified acceptance of women into the world of big-time sports. Although there is still much work to be done - 27 countries did not bring any women to the Games and women represent only one-third of the Olympic participants - the question has shifted from, "Will female athletes ever receive the same respect and opportunities as male athletes?" to "When will all countries and the Games achieve equality?"