Sky Sports has apologised and shut down its TikTok channel Sky Sports Halo, aimed at female sports fans, just days after its launch. The channel, described as the 'lil sis' of Sky Sports UK, faced widespread criticism from both men and women for its content.
The Halo account featured neon pink captions, pop culture references, and topics like 'hot girl walks' and matcha. It was launched at the Sky-sponsored TikTok awards but was deactivated over the weekend after a backlash that crossed gender lines.
In a statement, Sky Sports said: 'Our intention for Halo was to create a space alongside our existing social channels for new, young, female fans. We've listened. We didn't get it right. As a result, we're stopping all activity on this account.'
Sports broadcaster Georgie Heath criticised the channel, saying it made women's sport into 'a weird sort of gossip meme page'. She called for more in-depth content featuring players, coaches, and officials, rather than dumbing down the subject.
Sports journalism graduate Kristen Gott agreed, stating: 'I love makeup and Barbie and matcha and all that stuff, but I watch sport for the same reason as men do — for the sport.' She advocated for more consistent coverage and educational content about sports rules.
