The female co-hosts of “CNN This Morning” pushed back against their fellow co-host, Don Lemon, for saying that people are more interested in men’s sports than women’s.
Lemon responded to a report that the United States Women’s National Team (USWNT) earned more money from the men’s 2022 FIFA World Cup than from its previous two women’s tournaments. Lemon argued that if the mens’ team makes more money, they should receive more money because the public expresses more interest in the men’s division.
“The men’s team makes more money, if they make more money, then they should get more money,” Lemon said. “The men’s team makes more money because people have more interest.”
Co-host Poppy Harlow blamed Big Tech and the media for not investing enough in women’s sports for people to take interest.
“You guys, I am not sexist,” Lemon continued. “I grew up the only boy in a family of all women. I understand what you’re saying. But not everybody, honestly, has the same skill, not everybody has the same interest in the sport and I think women should be paid more, I do. But if the men—” (RELATED: Don Lemon, Jean-Pierre Spar On What The White House Knew Before Mar-A-Lago Raid)
“You’re right that not everybody has the same skills because the women have better skills,” co-host and former Daily Caller reporter Kaitlan Collins interjected.
Harlow and Collins immediately pushed back when Lemon added that women would not achieve their recent victories if they competed against the men. The argument continued after repeating his previous argument that people take less interest in women’s sports.
“Just go to a sport’s bar, guys, am I wrong?” Lemon said. “Or you just don’t want to say anything. But I go to a sports bar, if there’s a women’s basketball game on, I’m just being honest…”
“Which is on-air less,” Harlow argued.
“People will say, can you flip it to the guys, I don’t want to watch this. I’m just telling you. I’m not saying it’s right,” Lemon continued.
CNN senior data reporter Harry Enten argued the women’s fan base has climbed in recent years. Lemon argued that while women should have a pay raise, the men are “entitled” to more money because they rake in more profit.
“But I don’t think you’re looking at the root of the issue, which is why are people more interested in the men’s sports which is because—”
“Because it’s more interesting to watch,” Lemon interrupted. “That was a joke, I didn’t mean that.”
Enten argued that a sports game is not more interesting and “exciting” simply because it makes more money. Lemon said it is “exciting” and that his previous statement was a joke.