Jordan Jarrett-Bryan shares his insightful thoughts on women's football, its remarkable journey, and its role in advancing equality and representation.

"I'll be a liar if I said that I'd always followed women's football," Jordan Jarrett-Bryan, founder of Blakademik Productions and a well-known journalist and broadcaster, expresses at the launch of Veo’s “Play For More: 50 Years of Hurt” campaign in London.

He attributes this to a lack of exposure and some ignorance. However, over the past decade, Jordan's connection with the sport deepened significantly. A crucial part of this transformation was Jordan's role at Channel 4, where he champions equality and representation. Coupled with football's status as the national sport in England, the growth of the women's games became undeniable, as did the commercial success they achieved.

As the visionary behind Blakademik, a platform dedicated to celebrating black culture and narratives, Jordan’s perspective offers a unique lens through which to explore the evolving landscape of women's football and the broader implications of the ongoing drive for inclusivity.

Being a sports broadcaster goes beyond gender distinctions. "I also feel it is part of my job as a sports broadcaster to make sure that we deliver the best sports stories. I don’t care if it’s about men or women," he expresses.

This ethos led him to appreciate the watershed moment when England won the Euros. Success, he notes, has a unique way of drawing people in and challenging preconceptions. Skeptics of women's football had to confront the reality that these athletes are indeed truly remarkable. “People migrate toward winners. People who have been skeptical about women's football are actually being challenged now and say, ‘Actually, they are really good.’”

A recurrent theme in Jordan's discourse is the need to shift perspectives. He passionately advocates for appreciating women's football on its own merits rather than comparing it to the men's game. "It's really important to stop comparing the men's game to the women's game," he urges. Judging women's football based on male standards, he emphasizes, is an unfair yardstick.

“Stop looking at it through the prism of men's football. If you see it like that, you will always think it’s inferior. If you see it for what it is, you'll see actually this is really, really fun, enjoyable, and competitive. When I’m watching women's football, I don't think of it as women's football. I think of it as it is football played by women. A lot don’t watch women's football because they watch it through the prism of men's football. But it’s two different things.”

Jordan's commitment to representation extends beyond sports. Blakademik, he explains, was established to redress media imbalances. It strives to ensure diverse voices are heard both on-screen and behind the scenes. The platform seeks to redefine norms and pave the way for future generations, where seeing individuals like Jordan in news and sports broadcasting becomes the norm, not the exception.

Discussing Veo's campaign and Blakademik's mission, Jordan emphasizes the importance of action in creating change. While the immediate transformation may not be evident, the impact over time can reshape industries. He envisions a future where women's football flourishes and black representation is more prominent, both on the field and in the media.

“What Veo is doing with this campaign and what we do at Blakademik is ultimately about action. It might not change things right now, but in 10 years, you might see more women playing football and more black representation on television”.

Jordan calls for widespread support for campaigns like "Play For More: 50 Years of Hurt" and urges everyone to consider the lasting legacy – far beyond the excitement of the 2023 World Cup. The enduring impact lies in the societal shifts they catalyze, fostering inclusivity and championing the talent and passion that women's football brings to the forefront.

The true testament of success resides in the lasting transformation that champions diversity, dismantles biases, and embraces women's football for the remarkable sport it is.

“Hopefully, many people will get behind the campaign and the legacy of the campaign. The World Cup is great, but in two months' time, everyone has forgotten about it,” Jordan concludes.