Hollywood icon Whoopi Goldberg has turned her childhood frustration into a revolutionary media venture with the launch of the All Women’s Sports Network (AWSN), a 24/7 international television channel exclusively dedicated to women’s athletics.
The EGOT-winning actress and comedian, celebrated for her roles in Sister Act and The Color Purple, revealed the deeply personal inspiration behind the network during an emotional appearance on The Tonight Show:
“They’d tell me, ‘Oh, hi little girl’ while my brother got to play every sport,” Goldberg recalled, her voice tinged with the same indignation that fueled this 16-year passion project. “Brilliant athletics shouldn’t care about gender.”
Developed in partnership with Jungo TV, AWSN promises unprecedented coverage of women’s sports across 65 countries, with initial broadcasts already reaching Asian markets.
The network’s programming slate includes:
– UEFA Women’s Nations League football
– WTA Tour tennis tournaments
– FIBA 3×3 Women’s Basketball Series
– Emerging high school and collegiate talents
“If women are playing it, we’re showing it,” declared Goldberg, emphasizing the channel’s commitment to comprehensive coverage often denied to female athletes.
The launch comes on the heels of growing global interest in women’s sports, with the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup setting viewership records.
Breaking Barriers Beyond the Screen
More than just a broadcast venture, AWSN aims to reshape cultural perceptions. Goldberg envisions the network as a developmental pipeline: “We’re starting with young athletes so we can grow with them,” she explained, highlighting plans for documentary series and athlete profiles that will humanize women’s sports narratives.
The initiative has drawn praise from sports equality advocates. “This isn’t just about airtime, it’s about validating women’s athletics as premium content worthy of investment,” noted Dr. Nicole LaVoi, director of the Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport.
With distribution talks underway in Europe and Africa, AWSN represents the most significant dedicated platform for women’s sports since the 1997 launch of WNBA.
As the network goes live, its founder’s childhood grievance has transformed into a rallying cry. “Now when girls turn on the TV,” Goldberg smiled, “they’ll see someone like them being celebrated as the brilliant athletes they are.”
