ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit has publicly stated his opposition to men competing in women’s sports, declaring it a “ridiculous question” when asked about the issue on social media.
His tweet gained over 3 million views and sparked significant discussion, prompting him to elaborate on the topic during an appearance on “Don’t @ Me With Dan Dakich” on Outkick.
Herbstreit emphasized the importance of common sense in debates and noted that his straightforward view aligns with a more traditional perspective, contrasting with ESPN’s generally liberal stance.
Of course not. Ridiculous question https://t.co/SpwZ07zewv
— Kirk Herbstreit (@KirkHerbstreit) August 6, 2024
“I’ve been biting my tongue on a lot of topics for three years,” Herbstreit said. “I happened to see somebody say what he said, and he said ‘Should men be able to play in women’s sports,’ and I just said ‘Ridiculous question, of course not.’ I didn’t dwell on it, I didn’t give a long answer, that was it. There was way more positive [reaction] than negative, I’m sure people were upset, but I think it’s kind of a no-brainer.”
“I don’t have a daughter, I have four sons, but if I had a daughter I’d probably be way more outspoken about the discussion and topic, but I just kind of made it sound like ‘why are you even asking this question?’”
He has expressed a resolve to speak his mind freely, dismissing concerns about potential backlash or cancel culture.
“I didn’t give a [expletive]. I don’t really give a [expletive], at all. I’m done giving any [expletive], at all, about any of it,” Herbstreit said. “It’s almost like there are two different sets of rules, and if you have a view that is a little bit more traditional, and you know I’m a Christian guy, it’s like there’s a different set of rules from that viewpoint. It’s hard to turn the cheek time after time after time, so yeah, I didn’t really care and don’t care at all.”
“Which I think is a good thing to get to that place, compared to ‘Oh gosh, I don’t want to get canceled, don’t want to get people upset,’ I just don’t give a [expletive].”
A prominent figure in college football broadcasting, Herbstreit is known for his analytical commentary and has been with ESPN since 1996, serving as co-host of “College GameDay” and as a color commentator for various broadcasts.
