Who Calls the Plays? Who Gets the Mic on the Biggest Stage

On the night before the biggest advertising event of the year, Building Doors is inviting Cleveland to ask a bold question: Who gets heard when it matters most?

On Friday, February 7, from 7:00–9:00 p.m., will host a live, interactive Super Bowl Eve event and panel discussion at , Cleveland’s women-focused sports bar, spotlighting a striking industry statistic: 85% of Super Bowl commercials last year were voiced by men.

The event blends data, storytelling, and audience participation to examine the persistent gender gap in advertising voiceover, and to imagine what change could sound like.

Hosted by , voice-over artist and founder of Building Doors, the evening will include a brief presentation on the campaign’s mission, real-world data, and stories from inside the industry. Guests will then take part in a Script Scramble, where volunteers from the audience re-voice well-known sports commercials originally voiced by men, adding their own unscripted twist to the blank lines. 

In the weeks leading up to the event, and throughout the night, attendees and the general public will be invited to scan a QR code on what percentage of this year’s Super Bowl commercials they believe will be voiced by men. Predictions will be collected both in-person and online.

During the Super Bowl, Building Doors volunteers across the country will track and analyze the commercials in real time. The following day, results will be revealed through short-form social video, including reaction footage captured at the event.

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“This isn’t about calling anyone out, it’s about calling attention to a pattern that’s been normalized for far too long,” said Christy Harst, founder of Building Doors. “When 85% of the voices in the biggest advertising moment of the year sound the same, we have to ask why. This event is about creating awareness, sparking conversation, and proving that audiences are more than ready to hear something different.”

Throughout the evening, Harst will also conduct on-camera interviews with attendees, capturing predictions, reactions, and perspectives that will be incorporated into post-Super Bowl content revealing the final 2026 results.

As part of the evening’s programming, the event will feature a panel discussion focused on women’s voices in sports, on the field, in the media, and in the stories that shape culture. The conversation will explore why women’s voices remain underrepresented in sports coverage and advertising, why that gap matters, and what progress can look like moving forward.

Panelists include leaders shaping the future of sports and media, including:

• Ally Eclarin, Owner, The W Sports Bar
• Gina Kelly, CMO of Cleveland Pro Soccer
• Kiersten Green, WNBA Cleveland
• Barb Anthony, MSSA, LISW-S, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Play Gap
• Allison Kwan, Manager of Engagement & Belonging, Cleveland Guardians
• Adeline Nicholson, Senior Manager of Social and Content, Athletes Unlimited

Together, they will share perspectives from across leagues, organizations, and disciplines — reinforcing the need for more women’s voices to be heard, valued, and amplified throughout the sports industry.

“The W exists to amplify women’s voices in sports, on the screen, behind the scenes, and in our community,” said Ally Eclarin, owner of The W Sports Bar. “Partnering with Building Doors for this event feels like a natural extension of what we stand for. It’s fun, it’s smart, and it asks an important question at exactly the right moment.”

The event is free and open to the public. Media are encouraged to attend and cover the live programming, audience participation, and interviews.

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Host or Publisher The W Sports Bar