ESPN To Lead Fifty/50 Initiative In Celebration of Title IX Anniversary

March 18, 2022 

In recognition of International Women's Day last week, multinational sports entertainment brand ESPN announced programming for a June 2022 initiative to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the landmark Title IX legislation passing in the US. Releasing across The Walt Disney Company, the celebratory content will focus on the intersection of women, sports, culture and the fight for equality told in multiple formats, including long-form reporting, documentary storytelling, podcasts, features, and digital and social platforms. 

This Fifty/50 campaign commemorates the 1972 federal civil rights law that prohibits gender-based discrimination in ‘any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance’ and ultimately gave women and girls equal opportunities in sport and other areas. Despite ongoing legal attempts to diminish its power, Title IX continues to provide these protections today.

Although the majority of the programming will appear in June, the first round started airing March 17 with ABC-owned television stations showcasing 50 inspiring stories of pioneering women known for breaking barriers. ABC serves as the flagship property of Walt Disney television and the 50 stories was a joint collaboration between the station group’s newsrooms, race and culture content team and multiplatform lifestyle network, Localish.

Title IX passed on June 23, 1972, and states that no one in the US will be excluded from programs or denied the proper benefits for programs ‘on the basis of sex’. Berniece Sandler, known as the godmother of legislation, stated that “Title IX is probably the most important law passed for women and girls in Congress since [white] women obtained the right to vote in 1920.”

“This initiative is an incredible undertaking by our team to provide a 360-degree view of the journey of women in sports and to underscore our commitment to telling women’s stories,” said Jimmy Pitaro, Chairman, ESPN and Sports Content. “Whether it is our commitment to a rich package of live women’s sports highlighting the stories of female athletes across our platforms, the many talented women working in front of the camera, or the diverse teams behind the content we create, our commitment to elevating women in sports is unwavering.” 

Disney has a dedicated Fifty/50 channel at its Walt Disney World Resort, which will run the commemorative content in June. Debra OConnell, president of Networks for Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution, stated: "We are proud of the joint collaboration across our networks to bring to life so many remarkable stories about the women who have broken countless barriers.” Notable upcoming content includes: 

• ‘37 Words’ directed by Dawn Porter and Nicole Newnham will premiere on June 21 and 28. This four-part documentary series depicts the hard-fought battle of equal rights in education and athletics, and the impacts of Title IX that continue to resonate today. 
• 30 for 30, ‘Dream On’ directed by Kristen Lappas will premiere on June 15. This three-part documentary will tell the story of how the gold medal win by the United States women’s Olympic team in 1996 cemented the birth of the WNBA and inspired future generations. 
• ‘Fifty/50 Shorts’ will include five short films presented by W.Studios and Google that will highlight diverse stories of women in sports featuring women directors and producers. These films form part of Google’s commitment to increase visibility and coverage of women’s sports, and will premiere on June 1. 
• ‘Our America: Fifty/50’ presented by ABC owned television stations and Localish will air on June 23. This collection of eight short documentaries will profile young women and girls associated with the Women Sports Foundation and espnW’s Sports 4 Life Program who are working to level the playing field through athletics and activism.

In addition to funding sports programming for girls across the country, Fifty/50 will capture the stories of girls who are using the power of sport to create better futures. Fifty/50 is presented by Champion and Google. 

ESPN and Beyond Sport are co-founders of the Return to Play Fund.