The gender-progressive institutional entrepreneurs in mountain biking media

The action sports media landscape is dominated by special interest magazines, containing editorial and brand marketing content, which are the main cultural gatekeepers of action sports. As such, this study focuses on the full media-marketing complex to better understand the cultural production practices that reconstitute, or challenge, the established gender order. Through our analysis of 16 interviews with media and marketing professionals, we illuminate that gender-progressive entrepreneurs are attempting to drive change but that practices are variable. They are enacted in the context of emerging societal discourses that reinforce women’s subordination but also champion gender inclusivity, and in relation to institutional logics that resist or support gender-progressive work. Our analysis identifies three processes that shape gender-progressive entrepreneurial practices: reflexive activity; routinized gender-progressive logic, and institutional conflict and constraint. Our findings can shape programmes of proactive industry involvement in fostering inclusive action sports through gender progressive media representation.