This is a letter I wrote to the ESPN Ombudsman this morning. I will definitely say the word if I get any response...

Good morning.

My question is fairly simple and I will use ESPNChicago as my example. You list all of the pro teams for Chicago, including the Sky and the Fire. But the Bandits are left off?

And it's no fluke. National Pro Fastpitch is getting zero exposure. I can see "Shaq on WWE Raw" trail across the ticker, but not NPF scores? Why is that? And don't tell me it isn't mainstream enough and then include Major League Lacrosse.

Then you finally did televise an NPF game, and it was pre-empted. Even blowout games don't get treated like that. For any sport. But they did? Why is that? Why not let the game play out?

The fact is that the MLB entered into a "partnership" with NPF that has largely been one-sided. There is no commitment to them like Stern has shown to the WNBA. And I get that some men have decided that pro women's sports are inferior. But would they want it to be gone even if their daughters wanted to grow up to play professionally? And what's wrong with that? Bill Simmons bashes women's pro sports constantly and it is my hope that his daughter read those articles some day. He chooses his path, and he chose making his readers laugh over making his daughter know that not all men are against women in pro sports.

I'm not asking for much here...just give them a space on the ticker. There are only four teams; it won't take up much space. Include the teams on the city sites. And include it under the "All Sports" section of your web site. I'm not asking that you shove it down someone's throat, but at least make them available.

Look, I don't know about you, but I have a daughter. And from the 1st day she was in this world I have let her know that she can grow up to be anything she wants. Well, help me out here. If these sports don't get some attention, they will die. And I will be a liar, along with every other father of a daughter in this country.

I am asking for you to please consider it at least. That's all I'm asking.

Below is a link to a blog post I wrote about that NPF - MLB partnership (actually 2 links). It has less to do with this and more to do with the MLB not really caring or trying to do what the NBA does for the WNBA. And to some of us, that is pretty insulting and, for you, it should be embarrassing.

http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/thehunter000/blog/posts/90742

http://sportsnation.espn.go.com/fans/thehunter000#/fans/thehunter000/blog/posts/103136

I am truly not asking for all that much. Just try and remember that there are little girls out there that want to be professional athletes. Why not be part of that solution instead of turning a blind eye and deaf ear to it. A couple of links, a listing for the teams, and a score on the ticker. And, dare I dream, a hilight on Sportscenter!

Thank you for your time and best of luck,

Curt Hunter