This perspective illuminated by a women's league explores the sexism that occurs between a professional women’s league compared to a males. Athletes within the women’s league often receive poor treatment and insufficient finances. Athletes of this league are required to attend mandatory practice every, travel across the country for games, endure jet lag, and experience the grueling ache from pushing your body to the limit mentally and physically while participating in their sport just as men. Yet, there is no equality within the two leagues. Participants of a professional women’s league are recurrently disrespected and shown they are unworthy of receiving the same treatment and finances as a professional male league. An example of such sexism is the drastic salary disparity women leagues receive in correlation to men leagues.
A Women’s National Basketball (WNBA) athlete by the name of Tina Charles, who is the reigning WNBA MVP who to this date has consistently played in every game since 2010 is only capable of earning a maximum of $105,000 per year. On the other hand, a retired National Basketball Association (NBA) athlete by the name of Gilbert Arenas, who has yet to play at minimum even half a season since 2007 earns a minimum of 45 million within 2 years. It is quite easy to understand the source of frustration against sexism within women leagues. Even out performing other athletes will still consist of a drastic salary disparity, for as a women of the WNBA, a Champion team receives a $10,500 bonus, MVP receives a $15,000 bonus, a Rookie of the Year receives a $5,000 bonus, and a player lucky enough to make the All-Star team is only awarded a 2,500 bonus. We have also obtained TV partnerships with ESPN yet our revenue still consistently does not touch the revenue of the NBA, nor receive the same amount of sponsors and endorsements. The WNBA only has an average attendance rate of 7,318 which is very low compared to the attendance of a NBA game. Several athletes within the Women's National Basketball Association encounter the stress of knowing that their opportunity as a financially stable athlete is limited, for even the highest paid WNBA athlete can be let go at any time due to limited funding compared to a men’s league. Such sexism is not only affecting female athletes mentally and physically, but also deteriorating the integrity of women league’s as a whole. Will females ever be good enough to receive the salary of a male? |