Female sports writers denied entry to locker room at Lucas Oil Stadium

Two female sports writers were temporarily held out of the locker room after Sunday's Colts–Jaguars game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

Two female sports writers were stopped from entering the locker room at Lucas Oil Stadium for postgame player availability Sunday.

Yahoo! Sports’ Graham Watson and the Tuscaloosa News’ Joey Chandler tweeted that when they tried entering the Jaguars’ locker room, they were stopped by an usher who said he needed to make sure the women were allowed in.

The women were at the game as part of the Associated Press Sports Editors sports media diversity weekend. Other female ASPE fellows were also denied entry, according to Chandler.

The women were eventually allowed in after the usher asked other men if it was okay for them to enter, according to Watson. The Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars’ public relations staffs apologized to Watson for the incident. 

When getting ready to enter Jags locker room with other APSE female fellows, old man tried to deny us entry. It's still 2015, right?

— Joey Chandler (@ByJoeyChandler) October 4, 2015

I was just blocked from a locker room by an old, out-of-touch geezer who wasn't sure women were allowed because "you know how guys are."

— Graham Watson-Ringo (@Graham_W_Ringo) October 4, 2015

This guy was an usher and apparently not aware that women cover sports. I about lost it. @Colts @Jaguars

— Graham Watson-Ringo (@Graham_W_Ringo) October 4, 2015

I have covered male sporting events all over the world and it took coming to Indianapolis to face my first gender discrimination. @NFL

— Graham Watson-Ringo (@Graham_W_Ringo) October 4, 2015

I do want to note that we did eventually get in and we were able to do our job after the man asked several males if it was OK if we got in.

— Graham Watson-Ringo (@Graham_W_Ringo) October 4, 2015

Want to note that both @Jaguars and @Colts PR apologized.

— Graham Watson-Ringo (@Graham_W_Ringo) October 4, 2015

The Colts defeated the Jaguars 16–13.

– Rohan Nadkarni