Marina Heister

Mr. Ventura

Composition II 1530

24 September 2020

Wage Gap Between Male and Female Athletes

The “Wage Gap” or the differences in pay between male and females working the same

job is a recurring issue. Women are often paid less than males despite doing the same job and

quality of work. In the recent years, many athletes have brought light to this issue. Professional

sports, such as Soccer, Basketball, Golf and many more sports do not pay male and female

athletes equally. The media and news have given this issue attention in the recent year mostly

due to the US Women’s National Soccer Team. The women on the US Women’s National

Soccer Team are large contributors to the fight for equal pay in professional sports. Some sports,

like Tennis have focused on giving male and female athletes equal pay. They are pioneers in the

equal pay movement. Although male and females are not yet paid equally, professional tennis

players have made great strides. This issue is compelling to me because the Wage Gap effects

not only athletes but also women in many different fields of work. It is the 21st century and I find

it interesting that women do not receive equal pay. Many people believe that female athletes

should not receive equal pay for reasons such as, they are not as physically able, they receive less

television viewing, or they have less fans. The question of the Wage Gap in professional sports is

a good issue to research because it is debatable, sustainable, and researchable.

Throughout the professional sports world, different sports have different viewers and

different levels of interest. The Women’s National Basketball Association and the Men’s

National Basketball Association are paid very different numbers. The average WNBA player is
payed below $100,000, while the average male NBA player is paid upward of $5 million dollars.

The difference is quite clear. Although the difference between the numbers is huge, one may

argue that the WNBA does not bring in as much revenue as their male counter parts. That is a

valid statement, but the WNBA players get paid approximately twenty percent of the leagues

incoming revenue, while the NBA players get paid a much larger percentage of 50% of the

league’s revenue. Many WNBA played are not even making a six-figure income, but if the

WNBA distributed fifty percent of the league income, the majority of WNBA players would be

receiving a much larger income and the percentage of revenue paid to the players would be equal

in the men’s and women’s leagues. I would have to do more research into whether the WNBA

and the NBA have taken strides to narrow the wage gap or if the league has acknowledged the

issue at all.

Another sport that has a large wage gap is professional golf. The wage gap in golf is

interesting because golf has always been known as the “gentlemen’s sport.” Women have always

been discriminated against in golf solely because of their gender. Although golf is known as the

“gentlemen’s sport,” golf is the fastest growing women’s sport. Another interesting point is that

although men and women professional golfers have different playing styles, both men and

women average around the same scores in tournaments. Although the men play from longer

distances, the scores of both the men and women are comparable. The leader in earnings in the

2020 season of the PGA tour is Bryson DeChambeau, earning 2.25 million dollars, while the

LPGA’s highest earner is Danielle Kang, earning around seven hundred thousand dollars. I

would have to do more research into specific tournament earnings and how much revenue each

tour brings in, but golf is one of the only sports where the men and women’s scores are

comparable. And that brings an interesting dynamic to the conversation. I am not sure of the
difference between the revenue each tour brings in, but in theory, if the players are scoring the

same numbers, shouldn’t they be making the same amount of money?

Another sport with a large wage gap is soccer. The US National Women’s Soccer Team

players have been leaders of the equal pay movement. They have brought a lot attention to the

issue through social media platforms. Some of the USWNT players even filed a lawsuit claiming

that their pay is unequal compared to the men’s team. The USWNT has won four World Cup

titles and four Olympic gold medals, while the men’s team has failed to win a World Cup title

and they have only won two Olympic gold medals. The women’s team clearly has a better

record. The women’s national team chose to receive benefits such as a healthcare plan and a

retirement plan in their pay, since the benefits included in their National Women’s Soccer

League were not that great. The men’s team chose not to receive benefits because they were

pleased with the benefits included in the National Soccer League pay, which results in a much

higher pay out to the National Team members. The difference in benefits is one reason why the

pay gap is so complicated between the Men’s and Women’s National Team, but why are the

benefits that women receive from the NWSL so unworthy? I will have to do more research into

the exact benefits and pay of both the US National Soccer Teams and the MLS and NWSL. I

would also have to do more research about the court case that some of the Women’s National

Soccer Team filed. I am also unsure of how much revenue each National Team and Soccer

League brings in. What I am sure of is that the USWNT has a much better history of success in

major tournaments than the men, and the benefits of the NWSL are inadequate compared to the

MLS.

Unlike most other sports, professional tennis is doing their part to decrease the wage gap.

The prize money awarded to winners of Grand Slam Events is equal for men and women, but
despite the equal prize money for major tournaments, tennis still has a wage gap. The pay gap

between men’s and women’s tennis is about eighty cents for women to one dollar for the males. I

would have to do more research into how female tennis players achieved a smaller pay gap and

what steps professional female tennis players are taking to abolish the pay gap in their sport.

Forbes’s 2020 top paid athlete list, which ranks the one hundred highest paid athletes, only two

athletes are females, and both are professional tennis players. Ranked number twenty-nine is a

tennis player from Japan, Naomi Osaka. Osaka made 3.4 million dollars off her victories and 34

million dollars from endorsements and sponsorships. Serena Williams is the other athlete on the

list, ranked at number thirty-three. According to Forbes, Williams made 4 million dollars from

salary and winning, and 32 million dollars off sponsorships and endorsements. This list is a clear

representation of the wage gap; only two percent of the top one hundred paid athletes are female.

The issue of the wage gap in professional sports is clearly debatable, researchable, and

sustainable and therefore this topic is a valid topic to research. Many people do not agree with

equal pay between male and female athletes; therefore, this is a debatable topic. Not only is the

wage gap opinion based, but many facts can support both sides of the argument. The wage gap

among athletes is based on revenue, athlete salaries, athlete winnings, sponsors, etc., which are

all factual and statistical information. Since this issue deals with factual, statistical information, it

is a researchable topic. Over the past few years more light has been shed on the difference of pay

between genders and the topic has been discussed more often. Despite only being brought to

attention in the last few years, the wage gap has been an issue forever in all areas of work and all

careers. Additionally, this is an issue that will stay. I do not see this issue being resolved in the

near future. Pay equality between genders is an important and sustainable issue. Clearly, the

inequality of pay between male and female athletes is a good issue to research for the semester.
 Thesis is clear and backed with evidence

 Both sides are acknowledged with reason and examples

 Logos is clearly developed throughout essay

 Supporting detail is included and backs issue

 Topic sentences are clear

 Delivery was executed well (maybe just touch more base with pathos)

 Showed issue was timely, relevant, and sustainable (add more supporting detail to these

to make essay stronger)

 Overall, the issue is made clear and the reasoning is prominent and the essay is well

developed