Fair Play or Foul? The Gender Pay Gap in Sport

In the sports world where talent and commitment should be honored equally regardless of gender. Yet, for many years now the reality is that there is no equality in terms of pay in sports. According to Forbes, on average women earn about 16% less than men.

WNBA fans were stunned when they learned that Caitlin Clark, a player for the Indiana Fever, will make around $76,000 in the first year of her contract. However, is it really that big of a shock? Sure she is named as one of the most collegiate players of all time but why wouldn’t she be severely underpaid by the WNBA? Co-Host of the NBC Today show stated “Honestly the pay gap is so jarring…We’re talking about equal pay. That ain’t even close.”.

The gender pay gap in sports has been an ongoing issue for a long time now. This specific issue truly reflects inequality in the sports world. Now, some could say that the reason that female athletes don’t get paid as much is male athletes is because women’s sports is not as popular as men's sports.

In April 2024, President Biden posted to his twitter where he stated that “Women in sports continue to push new boundaries and inspire us all”. In that same tweet Biden also stated, “It’s time that we give our daughters the same opportunities as our sons and ensure women are paid what they deserve”.

So we can acknowledge that female athletes deserve equal pay but when do we start putting things into play so that they can get exactly that? For years women's sports has been undervalued and underfunded. But female athletes are still being held to the same standards as male athletes without getting equal pay.

Women’s sports are constantly attracting a larger audience and gaining more sponsors. The viewership and interest has increased over the years. Women getting equal pay would be more than just a compensation, it would be an investment into their future. It’s a bit disappointing to think that there are NBA players who have contracts that could cover the entire WNBA salaries.

However, if female athletes are training for the same amount of hours and are just as dedicated as men, why can’t they be compensated the same? The pay difference between men and women has remained 80%-84% since 2004.

Professionals in sports management are highly aware of this ongoing issue. These professionals also do have access to the skills and ability that it takes to directly improve the salary of female athletes. 

Now there could be many arguments made as to why female athletes do not get paid as much as male athletes. I think what comes down to it, is the fact that all of these athletes are constantly training and working hard. Regardless of their gender, they should all be paid equally. This has been a conversation for quite some time now but when will the conversation end?