Carrie Johnson

October 14, 2015

UWRT 1101
Taryn Dollings
Cheerleading Worlds 2015
April 25-27, 2015 Cheerleading Worlds was televised by ESPN, the composer of this
televised special. This competition was hosted by USASF (The United All Star Federation) who
hosts two competitions: Cheerleading Worlds and Dance Worlds. Each team that is selected to
go to these competitions must receive a bid from USASF in order to attend these international
competitions. Only the best teams from around the world are selected to attend these
competitions. Since Cheerleading Worlds 2015, along with previous years of this competition
were hosted on ESPN, a highly respected sports channel primarily for male viewers, there has
been an immense amount of controversy. The argument that most ESPN viewers have is that
cheerleading is not a sport; therefore, cheerleading should not be on ESPN. Competitive
cheerleading is, however, a sport because it is televised on ESPN and is more dangerous than any
other sport.
Cheerleading Worlds is televised once a year. This international competition takes place
at Disney World in Florida. The best teams from around the world that have won other
preliminary competitions, attend and compete in different categories to determine which team is
worthy of the international title. The categories are based on size and whether the team is coed or

all girl. Each category will have a first place winner and the best team in the competition will
win the overall, international title.
Before beginning the competition, teams warm up behind the scenes. This is similar to
warm ups that take place in football or soccer. Cheerleaders stretch and practice their routine.
Each station has an allotted time of practice. ESPN shows both behind the scenes and tells a
story about the team prior to the competition. By showing the team before the competition, it
shows the audience a relatable side of the cheerleading team. ESPN shows through warm ups
and the teams backstory how difficult cheerleading is as a sport and in life in general.
In all competitive cheer routines there are five categories that must be met. Teams are
required to have a dance, cheer, tumbling, synchronized jumps, and pyramid sections. All of
these skills must be performed in two minutes and thirty seconds to approved musical selections.
Teams can receive deductions for many mishaps during their routine such as dropping a stunt,
busting a tumbling pass, landing off of the mats, losing their bow, and many more minor
infractions.
ESPNs viewers are primarily male; therefore, typically they cater to the male
audience by televising a variety of mens sports such as football, soccer, golf, basketball,
lacrosse, tennis, and many more sports. There are, however, some exceptions where ESPNs
viewers are women. For example, of the 64% of people that watch NFL Football, 73% of men
watch NFL Football as opposed to 55% of women watching NFL. Although this is not an

immense difference in male to female viewer ratios, NFL football is the most popular sport on
ESPN.
In our society, in order to be masculine, it is often believed that men should watch, play
and enjoy sports. Women watch male sports, less than men, and also watch sports such as
womens volleyball, cheerleading, and womens soccer. Each sport that has been listed, each sex
may watch; however, women typically watch sports involving men and women but men typically
watch sports involving men.
One can observe that ESPN, the composer, is targeting male audiences simply based
upon the commercials that are televised on this channel. Commercials for products such as
Viagra and Cialis would not be relatable for women, as the product is for men. Commercials for
Mens Gillette Razor are also not relatable for women unless they are thinking of buying a male
a razor. Car commercials are often marketed for a specific audience and it can be observed that
the car commercials on ESPN are directed towards men. With dark cars, drivers that are men,
and incredible road tricks, ESPN car commercials are obviously composed for men.
When ESPN televises such commercials, they, as the composer, are recognizing that their
audience is primarily male. Although their audience is primarily male, they chose to televise
cheerleading on their sports networks, proving to their audience that cheerleading is a difficult
activity that ESPN considers a sport. If and when male audiences began to watch cheerleading,
perhaps they will gain a greater understanding for cheerleading and conclude that it is a sport.

ESPN has announced that cheerleading is a sport (and denounced) many times in the past
twenty years. Many scholars, sports professionals, and judges believe that competitive
cheerleading does not have all the required fields in order to be considered a varsity sport.
Recently, a Connecticut judge ruled that cheerleading is not a sport. Even though there were
upgrades in the difficulty of the sport this judge does not consider cheerleading a sport. Although
cheerleading is not currently considered a sport, it was deemed the most dangerous activity,
above football due to the amount of concussions and horrific injuries. Since cheerleading is a
higher risk activity than football, soccer, rugby, ect, it should be considered a sport.
Since ESPN named competitive cheerleading a sport and it was denounced because of
other studies and rulings, ESPN is attempting to prove that cheerleading is in fact a sport by
televising Cheerleading Worlds numerous years in a row along with other cheerleading
competitions. The channel that cheerleading is televised on is ESPNWWOS or ESPN Wide
World of Sports. There are many sports, along with cheerleading that are televised on this
channel such as football, basketball, soccer and many other male sports. Why would
cheerleading, if it is in fact not a sport, be on ESPNs Wide World of Sports channel? Cheer and
Dance even have their own category under sports on ESPNs website. ESPN does not directly
have to name cheerleading a sport; however, they imply through both their website and their
channel that cheerleading is a sport.
One can determine based upon ESPNs channel and website that ESPN considers
cheerleading a sport. As a composer, they are a very influential channel and this will help their
audience realize that cheerleading is a sport. ESPN implying that cheerleading is a sport is very

important because this is a very controversial topic and they are taking a stand against both their
majority views, which are males, and most of society.

Works Cited
1. "Study: Cheerleading, Not Football, Deemed Most Dangerous Sport." The
Independent Florida Alligator. Web. 14 Oct. 2015
2. "Cheer & Dance." Cheer and Dance Competition. Web. 14 Oct. 2015.
3.

"ESPN Sports Poll: Pro Football Remains Most Popular Spectator Sport." ESPN
Sports Poll: Pro Football Remains Most Popular Spectator Sport. Web. 25 Oct. 2015.

4. "Competitive Cheerleading Not a Sport, Connecticut Judge Rules - The Portland Press
Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram." The Portland Press Herald Maine Sunday
Telegram Competitive Cheerleading Not a Sport Connecticut Judge Rules Comments.
5 Mar. 2013. Web. 25 Oct. 2015.