�Could this be the end? Examining the impact of COVID 19 on Title IX��IAHPEDS Virtual Roundtable Discussion Program�November 14, 2020�

Courtney L. Flowers, Associate professor of Sport Management

Blake Bailey, Graduate Student

Ke’Shareon Ford, Graduate Student

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Introduction

• The coronavirus pandemic will inevitably change the landscape of college sports, but what impact will this have on gender equity in college sports?

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• Many college athletic programs were forced into managing an unprecedented financial burden.

The impact of COVID 19 on Title IX

• Coupled with this new financial burden, many colleges continue to struggle with Title IX compliance.

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Review of literature

• Birrell & Richter (1987) cited that Title IX has been an more of an ideology for Equity in women in sports. Although it has provided indisputable progress in gender equity in college sports.  ​

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• Most notably participation opportunities for women and girls have increased by 560% at the college level (WSF, 2017).​

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Review of literature

• Young people’s perceptions of gender equity in sport illustrates that while attitudes toward female sport involvement have become generally more favorable, there is also continuing evidence of sex differences. (Hardin & Whiteside, 2009; Hardin et al., 2014)

Review of literature

• Brown, Ruel, and Medley-Rath (2011) suggested that sex differences in support for gender equality in sport begin early in age.

Review of literature

• In a study, Hardin, Whiteside, and Ash (2014) cited athletic administrators acknowledged the importance gender equality and Title IX, but few reported that women’s sports deserve more resources.

Review of literature

• Interest and exposure based explanations may affect how men and women view gender equality in sport.
• In a study conducted by Mikulyuk, Braddock Ii, & Milner(2016). they found women reported Title IX was in need of stricter enforcement. Contrarily, men reported Title IX as equitable. �

Review of literature

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• Sex-based perceptual gaps given the continued underrepresentation of females in sports at multiple institutional levels are troubling (Acosta & Carpenter, 2012; National Women’s Law Center, 2011).

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• COVID 19 adds an additional layer of complexity for Title IX compliance given it’s use in cutting women’s sports and Olympic college athletic programs (Flowers, 2020).

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Review of literature

• Keith (2020, November 9). Oklahoma Baptist University, an NCAA Division II school announced they were cutting of 7 varsity athletics programs at the end of the 2020-2021 academic year, including men’s and women’s swimming and diving.
• The OBU Athletics Department has been asked to reduce its annual operating budget by approximately $3 million.”

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Problem

• Historically, college athletics has used Title IX as a catalyst to support its mis-management of funds. Hence, Title IX is typically cited when athletic administrators cut women’s sports and Olympic sports.
• For example, University of New Mexico’s, athletic director Eddie Nuñez stated Title IX was a “driving force” in eliminating sports for the Lobos (Dellenger and Forde, 2020)
• In 2018, UNM cut men’s soccer, men’s and women’s skiing and beach volleyball.

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Purpose of the Study

• The purpose of this study is to explore dimensions of attitudes toward women’s sports.
• Additionally, to explore the impact of COVID 19 on Title IX gender equity compliance.

Research Question

• Is there a correlation between attitudes toward women’s sports and gender equity (Title IX compliance)?
• Is there a relationship between sport participation which impacts decisions to cut women’s college sports programs?
• Is there a relationship between sport association which impacts decisions to women’s college sports programs?

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Method

• The Attitudes toward Women’s Sports (ATWS) Scale was developed based on the Two-Component Model of Attitude (Bagozzi & Brunkrant, 1979).
• Graduate students enrolled in Sport Management programs at five regionally based institutions will be randomly sampled.

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Discussion

1. Do you feel that gender drives personal opinions of Title IX and gender equity in sports?
2. Do you feel that athletic identity impacts one’s perception of value of women’s sports?
3. What impact does sports socialization have on one’s ideals of cutting women’s sports.
4. As a future Sport administrator what impact do you feel that COVID 19 make Title IX and gender equity more impactful in college sports or provide more barriers?

Conclusions

• Research states women are more likely than men to believe that Title IX is in need of stricter enforcement. Additionally, men are significantly more likely than women to believe that Title IX is in need of no change Mikulyuk, Braddock Ii, & Milner(2016).

References

• Acosta, R.V., & Carpenter, L.J. (2008). Women in Intercollegiate Sport: A longitudinal, national study, thirty one year update. Retrieved July 25, 2012 from www.acostacarpenter.org
• Ajzen, I. (1989). Attitude Structure and Behavior. In A.R. Pratkanis, S.J. Breckler, & A.G. Greenwald (Eds.), Attitude structure and function (p. 241-274). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. Publishers.
• Cunningham, G.B. & Kwon, H. (2003). The Theory of Planned Behavior and Intentions to Attend a Sport Event. Sport Management Review, 6(2), p. 127-145.
• Dellenger, R. and Forde P. (2020, June 11). A Collegiate Model in Crisis: The Crippling Impact of Schools Cutting Sports. Retrieved from, https://www.si.com/college/2020/06/11/college-sports-program-cuts-ncaa-olympics
• Ferreira, M., & Armstrong, K.L. (2004). An exploratory examination of attributes influencing students’ decisions to attend college sport events. Sport Marketing Quarterly, 13, p. 194-208.
• Funk, D.C., & Pastore, D.L. (2000). Equating Attitudes to Allegiance: The usefulness of selected attitudinal information in segmenting loyalty to professional sports teams. Sport Marketing Quarterly, 9(4), p. 175-184.
• Mattalk Online (2020). COVID-19 Era Dropped or Suspended Sports. Retrieved from, http://almanac.mattalkonline.com/covid-19-era-dropped-sports/ 
• Mikulyuk, A., Braddock Ii, J.H., & Milner, A.N. (2016). “Equality or Equity? Sex Differences in Attitudes toward Females’ Sports Opportunity and Title IX.” Retrieved from, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/309211717
• Mumcu, C. (2013). Evaluating Attitudes toward Women's Sports: A scale development and validation study. Retrieved from, https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/educ_hess_etds/35
• U.S. Department of Education (2012). National Center for Education Statistics. NCES 2012-045, Indicator 47.

Questions

• Courtney L. Flowers

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• Email: Courtney.Flowers@tsu.edu

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• Social media: Twitter/Instagram @Dr_CFlowers