Sports Writer Grant Wahl on the Future of Women's Soccer
Grant Wahl has covered soccer for nearly two decades for Sports Illustrated and is also now working for the Fox television network, the new rights holder for the men’s and women’s World Cups.
He came to Duke’s Forum for Scholars and Publics Tuesday for a wide-ranging conversation on, among other things, media coverage, soccer coaching, the role of a women’s domestic soccer league in the United States, and the way women’s soccer took hold in the United States during World Cups in 1999 and 2011.
Here is a sampling of the Twitter chatter that accompanied Wahl's talk:
Wahl: 1996 Olympics gold big. but dropped off map until 1999. No inkling that ’99 would be “transcendent event” #wsfutures
— Joshua Nadel (@jhnadel) April 7, 2015
Women’s soccer coverage had to be fought for for a long time - ’96 olympics started to change that. @GrantWahl #wsfutures
— Scholars & Publics (@DukeFSP) April 7, 2015
.@GrantWahl What women do you think could be successful @MLS coaches? #wsfutures
— Alexi Lalas (@AlexiLalas) April 7, 2015
tweeted question from @AlexiLalas what women could coach in MLS? Pia Sundhage stands out the most. @GrantWahl #wsfutures
— Joshua Nadel (@jhnadel) April 7, 2015
Hope Solo was caused us to look at women’s public and private role in sports more than any other female athlete. #wsfutures
— Meagan Bonnell (@meagabon) April 7, 2015
Wahl: "FIFA is doing some things (to grow women's soccer). They're not doing enough." #wsfutures
— Eric Ferreri (@EricFerreri) April 7, 2015
In response to Twitter question: Will there be a woman player as popular as Mia Hamm? @GrantWahl A: Alex Morgan. #wsfutures
— Scholars & Publics (@DukeFSP) April 7, 2015