04/17/2024
Ppl are fuming over the pay gap of WNBAās #1 draft pick. will make 160x LESS than the 2023 NBA No. 1 draft pick in her first season. Let me share some of the reactions on social media that got my attention:
āPaid according to the revenue the league generates. Not even close to apples to apples.ā (NBA v WNBA)
āLucky to get paid that much. Have to generate plus+ revenue to pay more and WNBA has been in the negative every year.ā
āSheās getting $15k per month for 5 mos work, on top of her endorsements. Sheās fine.ā
āThe NBA players didnāt just start making all this money out of nowhere. They built the brand. The NBA supplements WNBA salaries.ā
āThe NBA actually loses money every year by supporting the WNBA. Itās not a profitable business.ā
āThat disparity will remain that way until women get off their a__ & buy tickets to their games and watch the sport.ā
And this: āOn this salary, Caitlin Clark would qualify for low income housing in San Francisco.ā
Can you guess which gender posted these?
Mind you, the 2024 WNBA Championship was most viewed (24M incl. menās) during March Madness in last 5yrs. Hereās my take:
Whether or not there is merit to arguments on pay disparity in professional sports, the dismissive/disparaging remarks against women in sports (while not all men share sentiments) make you wonder, when stats below show resemblance:
Avg Athlete Comp by Gender:
Golf ā³ļø
Men: $1,042,917 / Women: $346,360
Soccer ā½ļø
Men: $471,279 / Women: $54,000
Tennis š¾
Men: $1,589,025 /
Women: $1,039,141
How do we justify?
Weāre not waiting. Women Sports (of all leagues) will have a special segment on the new Network (coming soon). Weāll raise viewership, attract new fans, and change the revenue landscape for women in sports. You can count on it.