Olivia Dunne sounded the alarm about the lack of viewership in women’s gymnastics and suggested that the judges and the scoring system may be to blame.
Dunne fired off an uncharacteristic critical post on X about the state of the sport. It came as LSU was upset in an SEC matchup against Arkansas. The Tigers came into the meeting as the No. 2 squad in the country.
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LSU Tigers gymnast Olivia Dunne practices between events against the Florida Gators during the meet at Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center in Gainesville, Florida, on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024. (Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun)
“I am sitting here watching NCAA gymnastics and the empty seats are concerning. I care deeply about the growth in women’s sports especially in the NCAA,” she wrote. “If you want fans to enjoy the sport and increase viewership, you have to look at what makes the crowds go crazy! People understand what a perfect 10 is and want people who do things that look great to be rewarded.
“Too many deductions taken at a judge’s discretion feels the same as watching a basketball game that’s constantly interrupted with penalties or a football game with flags on every play. At some point it feels negative and loses the entertainment factor that draws the crowd in. The number of questions I am currently getting from fans about the scoring is significant enough for me to share this concern. I love the art and intricacy of gymnastics but let’s get more eyes on the sport!”
Dunne added that she may have a “unique” perspective on the matter given the fan base she cultivated outside the sport.
LSU Tigers gymnast Olivia Dunne warms up against the Florida Gators before the meet at Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center in Gainesville, Florida, on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024. (Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun)
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“This is not about LSU this is about the sport,” she wrote in a separate post. “I’m in my 5th year and I have an audience of casual fans so maybe I’m in a unique position to see what is happening with fans differently than people just looking at attendance numbers. Fans are confused.
“I also spend time raising money for female athletes and will always advocate for athletes. Making changes that can impact the entertainment value will affect athletes financially as well. Female sports in the NCAA have to focus on building crowd engagement to continue to get revenue support for the athletes.”
Gymnastics is not exactly the steadiest sport when it comes to its judges and points that are scored or deducted. The drama involving American Olympian Jordan Chiles at the Paris Games is a good example of that.
Olivia Dunne of the LSU Tigers looks on before a meet against the Florida Gators at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center on Feb. 23, 2024 in Gainesville, Florida. (James Gilbert/Getty Images)
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Awful Announcing noted that viewership on TV dropped for the national championships from 2023 to 2024 by more than 100,000.
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