Locals speak out about fair pay for women in sport

The pandemic disproportionately affected specific race and gender groups within society, thus giving the fight for gender equality renewed motivation to thrust the gender pay gap back into focus.

The pay discrepancy in sport is generally attributed to the fact that male sports receive more media coverage.
Pedro van Gaalen, freelance writer, said:

“Lucrative licensing rights and sponsorship deals generate significant revenue, which enables male athletes to earn higher salaries, enjoy larger prize purses and receive bigger endorsement and personal branding deals than their female counterparts.

“The lopsided pay in golf illustrates this disparity and the prize money at the US Open provides an instructive insight. $2.25-million (about R32-m) vs $1-m (R14.4-m) is the difference between what men and women win.

“Female golfers compete for a $5.5-m (about R70-m) prize pool, with $1-m (R14.4-m) allocated to the champion, whereas the men chase the biggest payday in golf from a $12.5-m (R180-m) purse.”

But is this all about the spectacle? Some argue male athletes deserve to earn more because they’re more athletic or talented, which makes it more entertaining.

“Men make golf exciting because of the length they hit the ball,” said Investec-sponsored pro-golfer and Benoni resident Nicole Garcia.

“Viewers are drawn to that power. Unless you understand women’s golf and how it’s different to men’s, people don’t like watching it as much.”

This doesn’t mean female golfers aren’t skilled, though.

Van Gaalen explained: “Better education about women’s golf would highlight how talented the girls are. For instance, LPGA players are incredibly impressive around the greens, beating the men from 120 yards and in.”

Research has also found that female sports broadcast coverage may influence these perceptions.

A decades-long study by USC researchers found a disparity in airtime for female sports and identified that elite female athletes are spoken about in more boring ways than their male counterparts.

Even when revenue generation skews in favour of female teams, the individual players still lose out.

In the three years after winning the 2015 World Cup, the USA women’s soccer team generated more revenue than the men’s team, according to an analysis published in the Wall Street Journal.

However, the female players’ earnings did not rise as a consequence, which led to a landmark lawsuit that tackled the sport’s gender pay gap.

Vice-chair of women’s cricket at Benoni Northerns Joline Smit had plenty to say when it came to women’s sport, exposure and fair pay.

“I’d love primary schools to start introducing girls in certain sports. Unions should look at creating safe environments in schools for rugby, like girls’ tag rugby, from primary school onwards. This will develop the skills needed to be a strong, skilled player when they are older.

“It’s the same with cricket. Encourage girls to play mini-cricket or get involved in their clubs. Be supportive. Allow them to be part of trials.

“Laerskool Rynfield made me a proud parent when they gave one of our own (Benoni Northerns junior) little girls the opportunity to be part of their trials. She was selected for the team on merit.

“Schools should realise it is beneficial for them to promote girls’/women’s sport from an early age and to stop conforming to society.”

While litigation offers one option, there are other ways to address pay inequality.

“Hopefully, one day professional female athletes will be heard and properly acknowledged for our talents and efforts in the same way men are,” said Lejan Lewthwaite, Investec sponsored pro-golfer and Benoni resident.

“When more sporting codes increase prize purses for female competitors, it pressures other leagues and event organisers to modernise their compensation policies and offer equal prize money.

“Equal financial rewards will encourage more young female athletes to pursue their professional sporting dreams and ultimately grow women’s sport.”

Athletics and tennis are the only sporting codes to offer equal prize money.

Tennis set the precedent when the US Open awarded equal money after Billie Jean King threatened to boycott the tournament in 1973.

The remaining three Grand Slam tournaments followed suit and all tournaments have paid equal prize money since 2007.

Consequently, tennis players are the only female athletes to consistently rank on Forbes’ list of The World’s Highest-paid Athletes.

But notably, there is only one female athlete in the top 30 this year: tennis player Naomi Osaka.

Broadcasters also play important roles by boosting exposure for female athletes.

“The more exposure female athletes receive, the more reason sponsors have to put money towards women’s sport. Without the viewership numbers, it’s a harder proposition to convince sponsors to back the sport. At the end of the day, it’s a business decision,” said Garcia.

This year the Investec South African Women’s Open was televised live for four days on SuperSport.
Garcia believes this was extremely powerful and beneficial to the sport.

“Many people told me it was the first time they watched women’s golf live, and they saw people they know playing. This creates hype.”

Leveraging social media can also boost exposure for female athletes.

“Athletes should promote themselves, their sport, their strength, talent and hard work on social media to counter the stereotypical ‘weak woman’ image,” added Garcia.

Smit explained why she still competes, regardless of the stigma around women’s sport: “It gave me a sense of purpose and self-worth.

“My teachers/coaches were a support system I needed. They still mean the world to me. Sport was something I looked forward to being a part of always.

“That is why I am so passionate about sport today and making a difference in young children’s lives and development, as I know it is a great responsibility that should not be taken for granted but savoured.

“I want the girls of today to get the needed and wanted opportunities, as I didn’t always have that. If I can make a difference in one little girl’s life, then it is absolutely worth it. Don’t always look into the struggles of money to create opportunity. If there is one thing I’ve learned is that if there is a will there is a way.”

ALSO READ: Local golfer an inspiration to women

ALSO READ: Local women golfers appreciate sponsor