Fixing the Gender Gap in Sports

Summary

This year has seen significant growth in women's sports, but pay disparities remain a major issue. Tennis leads the way with equal pay since 2007, thanks to Billie Jean King, while other sports like soccer still struggle. The U.S. Women's National Soccer Team fought for and achieved equal pay after a lengthy battle, but challenges persist at the league level, where broadcast deals and accessibility play a key role in lower viewership. Closing the gap may require broadcasters to give more exposure to women's sports, as proven by the national team's success.

Takeaways

• 🎾 Tennis has led the way in equal pay, with all major tournaments offering equal prize money since 2007, thanks to Billie Jean King's efforts.
• 📺 Tennis tournaments for men and women are played at the same place and time, helping build a unified fan base and sometimes even drawing more viewers for the women's matches.
• ⚽ The U.S. Women's National Soccer Team achieved equal pay with the men's team after a lengthy legal battle, aided by their on-field success and strong viewership numbers.
• 🏆 The U.S. Women's National Soccer Team has dominated the sport with four World Cup titles and four Olympic gold medals, drawing huge audiences, like the 25.4 million who watched the 2015 World Cup final.
• 📊 In 2021, the U.S. Women's Soccer Team averaged 435,000 viewers per game, while the men's team averaged 599,000 viewers.
• 🌍 The U.S. now joins five other countries in offering equal pay for their men's and women's national soccer teams.
• ⚽ In league play, there’s still a significant gap in viewership and pay, with the MLS Cup being watched by 1.2 million people compared to 535,000 for the NWSL final in 2021.
• 📺 Broadcast deals heavily influence viewership. MLS has a $90 million per year deal with major networks like ESPN, while NWSL's deal is just $2.5 million a year, mostly on streaming platforms.
• 🌐 The disparity in broadcasting visibility affects fan access, as NWSL games are harder to watch due to being primarily on streaming services.
• 📈 Improving accessibility through better broadcast deals could help boost viewership for women's sports, as demonstrated by the success of the national team.

Q & A

Why is 2023 described as a 'catalyst year' for women's sports?

2023 is referred to as a 'catalyst year' because women's sports have seen record-breaking numbers in viewership and popularity globally, signaling a surge in interest and support.

Why are female athletes still paid less than their male counterparts?

Despite increased popularity, female athletes are still paid less due to disparities in sponsorship, broadcast deals, and overall investment in women's leagues compared to men's leagues.

What makes tennis a standout sport in terms of equal pay for men and women?

Tennis has achieved equal pay since 2007 across all major tournaments, thanks to the efforts of Billie Jean King in the 1970s. The tournaments for both men and women are played simultaneously, allowing for shared audiences and similar viewership numbers.

How did Billie Jean King contribute to equal pay in tennis?

In 1973, Billie Jean King led a successful boycott threat of the U.S. Open, pushing for equal prize money for men and women, which laid the foundation for tennis to achieve equal pay in all major tournaments by 2007.

Is audience popularity linked to equal pay in sports?

Yes, there is a correlation between audience popularity and equal pay. For example, women’s matches in tennis have drawn comparable or even higher viewership than men’s, which supports the argument for equal pay.

How has the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (USWNT) contributed to the fight for equal pay in soccer?

The USWNT fought a three-year legal battle and finally reached a deal in 2022 to secure equal pay with the men's team for the same appearances, marking a significant victory for women’s sports.

Why is the USWNT's equal pay fight seen as justifiable?

The USWNT's fight is seen as justifiable because of their on-field success (four-time World Cup champions and four Olympic gold medals) and strong popularity, including holding the record for the most-watched soccer game in U.S. history.

What are the viewership differences between men’s and women’s soccer in the U.S.?

In 2021, the U.S. Women's National Team averaged 435,000 viewers per game, while the men's team averaged 599,000 in a crucial year where they were aiming to qualify for their first World Cup since 2014.

Why is there such a significant difference in viewership and pay between the MLS and NWSL?

The viewership gap is largely due to differences in broadcast deals. MLS has a $90 million annual TV deal, while the NWSL's deal is worth only $2.5 million a year, with most NWSL games airing on streaming services, which are less accessible.

What could help close the viewership gap for women’s sports leagues like the NWSL?

Increasing the accessibility of women's sports by airing more games on major networks instead of streaming platforms could boost viewership. Accessibility has proven to be successful for national teams, and similar efforts could help leagues like the NWSL.