It is a pivotal year for the Los Angeles Chargers. Entering their third season under head coach Jim Harbaugh, the organization is seriously hoping that this can be the year that they take the next step in the playoffs.
But before the season can get underway, they have been facing immense scrutiny. First, a clip of Justin Herbert and Madison Beer went viral on the sidelines. Now their campaign shirts with the message “Everyone Watches Women’s Sports” might already be infamous.
Fans Aren’t Liking the Chargers Preaching About Women’s Sports
With training camp in full swing, teams are in the final swing of preparations before a new football season gets underway. The Chargers, after a commanding 27-7 win over the Houston Texans, are certainly going to be in high spirits.
But their latest practice has drawn attention in a wildly negative light. Sporting shirts with that tag, the vast majority of social media wasn’t on board with their messaging. As one fan pointed out, “If it was true, you wouldn’t have to put it on a [expletive] t-shirt.”
Others, too, came to the same conclusion, writing, “If everyone actually watched women’s sports, they wouldn’t be wearing these shirts…”
If everyone actually watched women’s sports, they wouldn’t be wearing these shirts…
— Big Tom Callahan🇺🇸 (@CallahanAutoCo) August 16, 2026
Some believed it detracted from their operation and took the emphasis away from the Chargers as a whole.
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They complained, “Performative and absolutely irrelevant to Chargers football, isn’t it?” For most, though, the entire stunt felt performative, as other fans also wrote, “This is obnoxiously performative and unnecessary lol,” and “Performative and false. Not everyone watches men’s sports either.”
Performative and absolutely irrelevant to Chargers football, isn’t it?
— Ryan A. (@Scalesremoved) August 16, 2026
For some, though, it felt like an excuse to get praise, as opposed to a concentrated effort toward it. As Kirsten Fleming of the New York Post claimed, “These t-shirts have always annoyed me. They’re extremely performative and the wearer is looking for a pat on the back for being a good person. If everyone watches, no need to declare it.”
These t-shirts have always annoyed me. They’re extremely performative and the wearer is looking for a pat on the back for being a good person. If everyone watches, no need to declare it. https://t.co/NkJ5hOAE2y
— Kirsten Fleming (@KirFlem) August 16, 2026
One fan took a direct shot at their message, claiming, “More people are likely to look at a coaches shirt in a preseason twitter post than the next televised WNBA game,” while Matt Finkes believed their messaging itself was wrong.
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“This is just stupid,” he said. “First of all, it’s simply a lie. Second, if you are trying to promote women’s sports, maybe it should say ‘Everyone Should Watch Women’s Sports.’ Why does everything have to be dumb?”
The loudest criticism, though, came from Outkick senior editor Joe Kinsey, who wrote, “What’s up with the ‘Everyone watches women’s sports’ shirts? The NFL is about to push women’s flag football on you guys HARD to create a new revenue stream for owners like the WNBA. Then you’ll be told you’re a pig if you don’t watch women’s flag football. Save this tweet.”
What’s up with the “Everyone watches women’s sports” shirts? The NFL is about to push women’s flag football on you guys HARD to create a new revenue stream for owners like the WNBA.
Then you’ll be told you’re a pig if you don’t watch women’s flag football. Save this tweet. https://t.co/ZOhGJrfdg2
— Joe Kinsey (@JoeKinseyexp) August 17, 2026
His conclusion didn’t come completely out of the blue, as the brand Togethxr, which focuses on women’s sports, lifestyle, and youth culture, was also a major presence at the event, handing out posters, stickers, as well as friendship bracelets.
Player interactions with girls’ youth flag football players and a women’s flag football coaching clinic were also included to continue to increase awareness.
