More than just fans: How women are reshaping baseball on and off the field

Women make up a significant portion of baseball fans, with 39% of attendees or viewers being female, and franchises have taken notice by offering special events and camps for women. The number of women working in baseball has also grown, with Kim Ng becoming the first female general manager of an MLB team in 2020. As of 2023, women hold 30% of central office professional staff and 27% of team senior administration jobs, and 43 women hold coaching and managerial jobs across the major and minor league levels. Despite this progress, women who play baseball often face cultural and societal barriers, particularly in the US, where baseball is seen as a male-dominated sport. Women have been playing baseball in the US since the 1860s, with the first professional women's team, the Dolly Vardens, forming in 1867. The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League was established in 1943, but it folded in 1954 and women's participation in baseball dwindled. In the 1970s, girls who wanted to play baseball were often encouraged to play softball instead, which became the accepted sport for girls and women. Today, there are efforts to increase opportunities for girls and women to play baseball, including the establishment of organizations such as Baseball for All and DC Girls Baseball. The US has a national women's baseball team that competes in the Women's Baseball World Cup, but it receives limited media attention and resources. A new professional women's baseball league is planned to start in 2026, which could mark a significant step forward for women's baseball in the US. The growth of women's baseball is a testament to the dedication and perseverance of female players and advocates who are working to challenge cultural norms and create more opportunities for women in the sport.