Isabella Boessen
“An Olympiad with females would be impractical, uninteresting, unaesthetic and improper.” This statement was made by Baron Pierre de Coubertin, father of the modern Olympic Games.
Since the inception of the modern Olympiad in 1896 this statement by Mr Coubertin reflects the strong opinion regarding the representation of females in the sporting arena compared to their male counterparts.
From the commencement of women’s participation in competitive sports there has been a plethora of barriers women have faced, none being more contentious than the gender pay gap which has brought to light broader inequalities that persist between men and women.
Statements similar to that of Mr Coubertin have been ongoing, discrediting and insulting towards women’s ability in the sporting arena.
In 2016 Raymond Moore, the tournament director of The Indian Wells Tennis Tournament, said WTA players were “lucky” to be able to “ride on the coattails of men.”
Women tennis player holding racket. Photo credit Isabella Boessen
This phenomenon extends across various sports, from soccer to tennis and basketball, raising fundamental questions about fairness, representation and equal opportunities in the sports industry.
Historical Inequality in the Sports Industry
Historically, the sporting gender pay gap has longstanding roots which reflect the vast societal inequalities that have continued for centuries.
Title IX declares that “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”
Members and supporters of the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association demonstrating during the Final Four of the N.C.A.A Division 1 women’s basketball tournament in 1995. Credit. Joey McLeister
Prior to the passage of Title IX in 1972, only a small amount of women were involved in sports. Before 1972, only “one in 27 girls played sports,” and, when women did participate at a college level, “women’s sports teams received 2% of the average university’s athletic budget”.
In Australia, a similar law was passed; the passage of the Sex Discrimination Act in 1984 signified a momentous breakthrough in the fight against gender discrimination in Australian sports. It banned discrimination on the basis of sex in various areas, including sports and set the stage for greater gender equality efforts.
Despite the effectiveness of Title IX and the Sex Discrimination Act in increasing participation in sport, women in the sports industry were still denied basic opportunities, most notably, equal pay.
The Fight for Equal Pay
The fight for equal pay in sports has endured for decades without any definitive positive fruition. This fight has been evidenced by Billie Jean King’s threat to boycott the 1973 U.S. Open in protest of the unequal prize money and by Venus Williams’ 2006 open letter to Wimbledon officials pleading for equal pay.
Further, the U.S.A. National Women’s Hockey team threatened to boycott the 2017 World Championships unless a wage increase was introduced and in 2016 the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team commenced legal action against the U.S. Soccer Federation demanding equal pay to their male counterparts.
Adele Gillen, head of Public Affairs at the U.S Consulate General in Sydney said the United States National Women’s Soccer Team entered a battle for something that should be a right
“They had to fight so hard for something that seems basically really obvious. Something that you can’t control, your gender, racial background or anything about you.
It shouldn’t determine how somebody else judges your worth especially in terms of compensation”.
The U.S Women’s National Soccer Team (USWNT) has long championed equal pay in sports.
Their quest for equal pay equity gained widespread attention and significance after they won both the 2015 and 2019 FIFA World Cup, transcending the world of soccer to become a symbol of gender equality.
Senior Women Soccer Game. Photo Credit Isabella Boessen
In March 2019 the USWNT filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Soccer Federation claiming gender based wage inequity.
The team’s legal argument was that, despite their unparalleled success on the international sporting stage, they were continually paid less than the U.S. Men’s National Team.
They also claimed that the pay gap extended beyond salaries but also included disparities in bonuses, working conditions and support.
Professor Simone Fullagar believes that the fight the U.S team had to endure was incredibly hard and one that male players would not have to undergo.
“It’s an incredible fight that the players had to take…think about all the energy that they used, the emotional labour, all of that work that they did that was invisible largely”.
That is what male players don’t have to experience because they have that privilege in sport. They are already respected, they are already valued for what they contribute” Ms Fullagar said.
Ms Fullagar credits the work the U.S team did for showing that what happens off the field is just as valuable.
“We’re seeing a whole generation of women standing up and saying it’s what happens off the field that’s even more important than what happens on the field, and that sports speaks to a growing social movement about change” Ms Fullagar said.
An argument that often gets revisited when the topic of equal pay in sport arises is the belief that women’s sport generates less revenue and thus female athletes should be paid less.
Madison Eggins, a basketball player who has been playing competitively in the Queensland State League believes that this narrative is unfair and outdated.
Commonwealth Games 2018. Photo Credit Isabella Boessen
“I often hear the argument that in order for women to be getting equal pay we need to be bringing in more money, more viewers, more attendance at games, more sponsorship deals, however women in sport haven’t had the same opportunity to play at the elite level for over 100 years that men have been so there needs to be some ground made up, I think that argument is very unfair” Miss Eggins Said.
“Equality is not just about equal pay it’s about equal opportunity and equal respect”.
“Equality shouldn’t be a privilege, it should be a right.”
“It’s really disappointing that I am doing the same job, training just as hard yet getting compensated a lot less for that work.
We have come a long way, but we still have a lot of catch up to do” Miss Eggins said.
“By not paying male and female players equally, employers send a message to young girls that they are not as highly valued as men even when they are at the top of their field.”
The Matildas match against England in the 2023 FIFA World Cup was the most watched television program, sport or otherwise, in the history of Channel Seven.
Channel Seven’s Head of Sport Lewis Martin who spoke to the Guardian regarding the Matildas’ performance said “they captured the Australian spirit like nothing we have seen in decades.
Australia was captivated…as the Matildas played their hearts out and did us all proud, they have rewritten the history books” Mr Martin said.
Professor Simone Fullagar agrees that this narrative is tired and outdated and can no longer be used in the argument in the wage gap.
“We can’t think about women’s sport as being uninteresting or boring or not economic.
We’ve proved that point so let’s move on” Ms Fullagar said.
Erin Nichols a PhD student at Griffith University who is also a professional athlete in Women’s Muay Thai Boxing agrees that at the end of the day paying females equally is the only ethical answer.
“If you are investing in female athletes and paying them equally then it is only going to grow your sporting organisation and you will get a return on your investment.
However initially it should just come from a value led perspective that it is the ethical and right thing to do” Ms Nichols said.
Progress Made in the Fight for Equal Pay
Albeit slow, significant progress has been made in the fight for equal pay in sport in recent years.
Cricket Australia is inching closer to pay parity with a 66% pay rise for female professional cricket players.
The Welsh National Football Association has pledged to commence equal pay for their men’s and women’s teams by 2026 and The World Surf League (WSL) has become the first U.S based league to adopt equal pay.
Dr Adele Pavlidis, a Senior Lecturer in Sociology at Griffith University, believes that progress is slowly being made for female athletes in the fight for equal pay.
“Athletes in women’s sport should be paid equally as they are equally as valuable. We have to value them, and then others will see that value.
Change is happening but it’s hard to change overnight.” Ms Pavlidis said.
In 2019 The Male Champions of Change (MCC) Sport released their “Pathway to Pay Equality”, a joint initiative which details the specific actions needed to close the gender pay gap.
This initiative was a significant step as it was the first time that leaders of competing sporting codes and clubs united on the issue.
In media release tennis legend Billie Jean King backed the approach outlined in the report.
“It is very heartening to see CEOs across major sports come together to achieve gender equality and pay equality in sport.
The idea of activating the entire sports eco-system to hasten change is an approach that could be considered and replicated throughout the world” Ms King said.
CEO of Racing Victoria Giles Thompson stated in an article that the MCC encourages focus on not only fiscal equality but also ensuring equal pay remuneration opportunities remains vital.
“The impact of Michelle Payne’s win on Prince of Penzance in the 2015 Melbourne Cup has been inspirational and immeasurable for our sport.
Our female jockeys and trainers have pay equity with their male counterparts. However, they may not necessarily have the same access to earn it” Mr Thompson said.
The Way Forward
The path forward in addressing the gender pay gap in sports demands comprehensive and sustained action from various stakeholders.
It’s important to harness the momentum of recent events especially the Women’s World Cup to effect change on and off the field.
Rae Dower, Football Australia’s Technical Advisor, believes that in order for pay parity to prevail both men and women need to be a part of the conversation.
“Change does not happen without a struggle and that’s not just women it’s for the wonderful advocates and wonderful male allies that we have and we need them.
It’s 52% of the population, it’s clear that we can’t do it by ourselves.” Ms Dower said.
Modern Pentathlon Championship 2023. Photo Credit Isabella Boessen
Ms Dower agrees that it’s important to continue the momentum of the World Cup.
“To have that prominent place in everyone’s discussion and mind means that there is a greater level of consciousness around these issues than ever before” Ms Dower said.
Employers in every sport industry need to lead the way in improving pay parity for men and women.
Women need to be proud to work for an industry that values hard work in the same respect that it applauds male players.
As women and girls across the world continue to fight for equal opportunity in the workplace, women and girls on the fields, the arenas and courts have been and will continue to be no exception to the fight.