It’s disheartening as a person of color to see how quickly we dismiss women’s issues. Passionately stated are our demands for racial equality to white people all of the time. We expect support in the fight for racial equality because it seems like a simple human cause to rally behind. We shame those who don’t get it, declare the problem is those who won’t get it. That being said, in regards to the WNBA pay gap and the inequality women face in sports, what’s not to get? Especially for women of color?
In this current political climate in which we weather, women and sport are clearly not viewed as a priority to support. WNBA players voice a very real concern that has plenty of merit. A concern that has been campaigned for years, actually. Our male colleagues view their concerns in the same lens as a group of MAGA or All Lives Matter supporters view an unarmed black child shot by the police: Shame the victim.
We make it women’s fault that the WNBA is not “entertaining,” or profitable as a sport. The common narrative is often one that inquires what the women can do to improve the product. The USWNT, for example, are ranked 1st in the world currently, a 3-time World Cup Champion, and 4 time Olympic Gold medal-winning team. Meanwhile, the USMNT has accomplished very close squat in over 100 years of international men’s play to speak of. However, they remain top-billing in the sport. Thus making the narrative of “if the product is good, fans will watch,” proves ineffective.
The only way the WNBA is going to be able to close the pay gap is if they partner with the NBA Players Union. I think they are exemplary when it comes to negotiating an agreement that is beneficial–Jarvis Davis, Co-host/Producer—The Bunker Mentality on 92.9 the Game
Responsibility to improve women’s sports is casted squarely upon the shoulders of women only. Figure it out and be more entertaining and competitive because somehow women’s sports has always had equal grooming, funding, support, and media coverage in the world, right? Of course (not)!
Over 30 years ago, the NBA was near flat-line. It took an actual effort to revive the sport and positive media coverage to dictate the narrative to fans as to why they should watch. The WNBA needs much of the same. The WNBA needs it even more because said efforts and positive media coverages are vastly dictated by men. Hence, why players like Britney Griner and Skylar Diggins-Smith are speaking out. The athletes alone cannot create and sustain a meteoric rise in the WNBA without the help of male consumers. And, fake news and memes pitting WNBA players vs. NBA players is NOT the way said male consumer should help.
I think a pay gap between NBA and WNBA players is inevitable to a certain extent due to the huge disparity in revenue between the two leagues. However, it’s clear that based on the WNBA’s longevity that there is a market for the women’s game, and I think media members, particularly men, can do a better job of telling the story of not just the WNBA, but any women’s sport. The more positive attention and strong reporting coming from a male perspective, the better. I also believe that a harder look needs to be taken at how much revenue is generated by teams like the USWNT in soccer and by leagues like the WNBA, to make sure the women are getting as big a slice of the pie (by percentage) as the men are in their respective leagues and teams.—Michael Collins–Journalist, Fansided Network
The WNBA is not suffering because the product is bad. The league is suffering because we keep fueling a narrative that the product, specifically, the athlete, is inferior. The WNBA pay gap conversation exposes an all too often spite and disrespect that women have been combating for a century-plus. That narrative carries from fans to the board room. This explains why WNBA players are receiving a ghastly revenue share. As well as why arenas are empty, media coverage is disparaging, and fans are not receptive to the product. There is a glaring disdain for women in sports just as there is for women who cover sports. The dismissive and disrespectful attitudes towards women’s sports must cease.
On the flip side, despite the concerns being valid, the players will not win a war of words by comparing their pay to the NBA. Regardless of how much it makes sense, the targeted demographic will hear nothing of the debate. All they will hear is “these ladies want to make as much as LeBron!” narratives. Despite running out of ways to approach this topic in effort to create change, this method has spiraled into conversations and accusations of things that don’t exist and are counterproductive to finding a resolution.
Being solution-oriented, it’s time to celebrate women in sports outside of Mother’s Day when we just celebrate women, but only in the capacity of giving birth to our favorite male athletes. It’s time to celebrate women in sports that doesn’t objectify their looks and body. It’s time to celebrate women in sports without backhanded compliments about how they would fare versus a man.
It’s time to celebrate women in sports for their talents and contributions in their field. It takes an effort from the media first, however, to turn the tide where we have a more appreciative attitude towards women in sports.