Dick’s Sporting Goods has apologized for excluding female athletes from its basketball catalog after a 12-year-old girl complained that she didn’t feel represented.
“I’m sorry,” CEO Ed Stack said in a letter addressed to McKenna Peterson, of Arizona, ABC News reported. “We clearly messed up and I can personally guarantee that next year’s basketball catalog will prominently feature female athletes, as it should have this year.”
McKenna wrote a viral letter to Mr. Stack last week that pointed out the only girl that was shown in Dick’s basketball catalog was sitting in the stands.
Mr. Stack called the omission a “mistake” and offered to apologize in person during his trip to McKenna’s home state.
“I would just like to say thank you,” the girl said after receiving the apology, ABC News reported.
It is important that sports companies take gender equality seriously, she said, “Because I think girls should be treated just as equally as boys.”
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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