Whoopi Goldberg, the celebrated actor and comedian, has officially launched an all-women’s sports TV channel in the United States called the All Women’s Sports Network (AWSN). Co-founded with Jungo TV, the channel aims to create a dedicated platform to celebrate and highlight female athletes globally, showcasing their talent across numerous sports.
AWSN’s creation is a dream that has been 16 years in the making for Goldberg, who has long felt that women’s sports deserve more exposure and respect. Known for her memorable roles in films like Sarafina and Sister Act, Goldberg wanted to provide an avenue for women athletes that didn’t exist during her youth, a time when girls often faced obstacles in sports.
The inspiration behind AWSN stemmed from Goldberg’s own childhood experiences. She shared that as a young girl, she was often discouraged from sports while her brother could freely play. This disparity drove her to envision a network that would support young female athletes and show the world that athletic brilliance transcends gender.
She said:
“Ever since I was a little kid, I always wanted to play sports,” Goldberg said on The Tonight Show. “My brother could play. He played baseball, he played softball, he played basketball, he played everything And they would say, ‘Oh, hi little girl.’
“It always pissed me off. So, for years, I’ve been talking to people and saying, “Wouldn’t it be great if we could go around the world, start getting young athletes in high school so that we can grow with them and grow up with them?”
“I feel like that will help us show that athletics — when they’re done brilliantly — it doesn’t matter who’s doing it. We don’t really have that relationship with women’s sports.”
AWSN’s mission is to shift the public’s relationship with women’s sports by providing a stage where these athletes can be seen, recognized, and appreciated at every level. Goldberg expressed her hope that the network would encourage young girls to pursue sports and create a global community that respects women’s contributions to athletics.
The network is set to broadcast globally, aiming to reach audiences in 65 countries, with initial coverage already available in parts of Asia. This broad international reach highlights AWSN’s ambition to become a global powerhouse for women’s sports, accessible to a diverse audience worldwide.
Programming on AWSN will include competitions from major sports organizations like the UEFA Women’s Nations League, the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Tour, and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) 3×3 Women’s Series. This diverse lineup demonstrates AWSN’s commitment to covering a wide array of sports and offering fans a comprehensive view of women’s athletic achievements.
Goldberg emphasized AWSN’s core philosophy, stating, “If a woman is playing in it, we are showing it.” Her aim is to ensure that women athletes in all disciplines receive the visibility they deserve, from professional leagues to grassroots events, breaking new ground for sports media.
With AWSN now available, Goldberg’s long-standing vision has finally come to life, offering a new home for women’s sports. It’s a significant step forward in promoting equality in sports broadcasting, and Goldberg hopes that AWSN will inspire young female athletes and create a lasting impact on how women’s sports are viewed worldwide.
