Sky Sports has closed its new female-focused TikTok channel, Halo, following criticism that its content was “patronising” and “sexist.”
In a statement on social media on Saturday evening, the broadcaster admitted it “didn’t get it right” and confirmed it would “stop all activity” on the account.
The channel, launched only on November 13, had been promoted as an “inclusive, dedicated platform for women to enjoy and explore content from all sports while amplifying female voices and perspectives.”
However, many social media users condemned the account, nicknamed the “little sister” channel, for posting content about “hot girl walks” and matcha. At launch, Sky said Halo’s aim was to “build a welcoming community for female fans, casual or committed, through fun, trend-led and relatable content.”
One post featured Manchester City players Rayan Cherki and Erling Haaland, with a clip of Haaland scoring against Bournemouth captioned:
“How the matcha + hot girl walk combo hits.”
Viewers argued the posts were infantilising and undermined efforts to promote women’s sport. Although the channel targeted female fans, many of the athletes featured in its posts were men.
Andy Gill, Sky Sports’ head of social media and audience development, said on LinkedIn he “couldn’t be prouder and more excited about Halo’s launch,” but by November 15 evening the broadcaster had to reconsider.
All but two posts have now been deleted from the Halo account. One remaining post is a statement from Sky, reading:
“Our intention for Halo was to create a space alongside our existing channel 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. We’re learning and remain as committed as ever to creating spaces where fans feel included and inspired.”
