Short and to the Point: Howard Megdal on WNBA, covering women’s sports, being an advocate, and more

Host Jessica Kleinschmidt interviews Founder of The IX and The Next, Howard Megdal. Jessica and Howard discuss a wide range of topics including Howard’s book “Rare Gems: How Four Generations of Women Women Paved the Way For the WNBA,” the danger of covering women’s sports differently than men’s sports, why it’s important to study the history of women’s sports, and more.

Here’s the full breakdown.

• 1:29: Welcome Howard to Short and to the Point
• 1:42: Writing “Rare Gems”
• 4:15: Rachel Banham writing the foreword
• 5:54: Banham being perceptive about the world around her
• 6:59: Banham knowing about the responsibilities
• 8:28: Being an advocate for women’s sports
• 11:48: Being singled out for being “too critical” in women’s sports
• 13:11: Trying to cover women’s sports like men’s sports
• 15:50: Institutional barriers and societal issues in women’s sports
• 22:04: How to watch women’s sports
• 24:49: People coming from men’s sports to cover women’s sports
• 30:56: Where is the WNBA now and where is it going?
• 35:48: Athletes having compelling stories off the court or field
• 39:12: Lindsay Whalen going from hockey to basketball
• 46:02: How to purchase “Rare Gems”

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