FINAL ASSIGNMENT FRONT SHEET

Qualification Academic English

Unit number and title SSLG102 - Study Skills

Submission date Date Received 1st submission

Re-submission Date Date Received 2nd submission

Student Name Nguyen Thi Thuy Trang Student ID GBD210606

Class GBD1010 Assessor name MA. Tran Thi Thuy Ba

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I certify that the assignment submission is entirely my own work and I fully understand the consequences of plagiarism. I understand that
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 FINAL ASSIGHNMENT:
THE SALARIES OF PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES VARY CONSIDERABLY BETWEEN THE SEXES.

Nguyen Thi Thuy Trang

Academic English 2
MA. Tran Thi Thuy Ba
University of Greenwich
Dec 21, 2022
Word count: 2409

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Contents
I. Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 4
II. Gender inequality is present in Professional Sports ............................................................................... 4
1. Where do athletes' income come from? ............................................................................................ 4
2. Career opportunities for women in sports.......................................................................................... 4
3. The difference between female and male athletes in professional sports .......................................... 5
3.1 Salary disparity ............................................................................................................................. 5
3.2 Disparities in communication ....................................................................................................... 5
3.3 Sponsorships in professional sports .............................................................................................. 5
4. Opinion 1: Feminists argue that gender biases are limiting women's opportunities in sport and also
creating an environment in which equality will be difficult to achieve. salary gender............................. 6
4.1 Prejudice about female athletes ...................................................................................................6
4.2 Poor communication, not known by many people ........................................................................ 7
5. Opinion 2: Others argue that men seem to have an advantage over women, due to their health and
endurance required in often fast-paced, highly competitive and engaging matches. much more
audience. ............................................................................................................................................... 7
5.1 Their health and endurance requires fast paced ........................................................................... 7
5.2 Always supported by the audience ............................................................................................... 7
6. Working environment in professional sports ...................................................................................... 7
7. Solution.............................................................................................................................................. 8
III. Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................ 8
References .............................................................................................................................................. 10

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I. Introduction
Human capital theory can support an understanding and empirical evaluation of how the professional
sports labor market rewards player performance characteristics, to the extent that sport can be seen as a
investment in human capital. According to feminists, women's sporting opportunities are limited and
there has been a difficult environment for equal pay for men and women. Others counter that men
appear to have an advantage over women because the physical demands of matches are often highly
competitive, fast-paced and more entertaining for spectators. This essay will explore the gender
inequality present in professional sport. The truth about existing inequalities, namely the lack of career
opportunities for women and the gender pay gap in professional sports. In addition, consider the most
significant economic contributions that have been made to the way professional athletes are paid to
identify both rising trends and pressing issues. Currently, salaries for professional athletes vary widely by
gender, which is a matter of great concern in the sports world.

II. Gender inequality is present in Professional Sports

Women being discriminated against in professional sports is a well-known issue. That is clear from the
few opportunities and meager pay that female athletes receive. In addition, female competitors in sports
do not obtain sponsorship during competitive seasons since they garner less attention than male
athletes. One must begin at the point of origin of inequality in order to comprehend this disparity.

1. Where do athletes' income come from?

Athletes receive wages when they participate in clubs or practice facilities where athletes are paid. A
matching sum will be paid for each position on such a sports team, from the highest to the lowest. High-
achieving athletes will furthermore get extra awards and sponsorships from companies. Then, influential
athletes will earn money from commercials that use their own photos.

2. Career opportunities for women in sports

Compared to men, women have less opportunity to play sports. If there are any, they are rarely long-
lasting professional sports events for women's teams (Syda, 1993). Female athletes' contributions to
sporting tournaments are frequently neglected by the community, demonstrating that their efforts are
not of great spiritual importance. in addition to economic. As a result, the possibility to engage in
sporting activities steadily decreases. Even in football, a sport in which everyone is tremendously
engaged, the number of women's teams that play seems to be nil. Even if there is a women's soccer
squad, it is not as well-known as a men's soccer team.

The prospects for professional sports-related occupations, such as sports reporter, referee, broadcaster,
or coach, are also restricted to being a female professional athlete. tailored to women (Syda, 1993).
Thereby, we see that the barrier to professional sports for women is very large.

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3. The difference between female and male athletes in professional sports

3.1 Salary disparity

Today, the majority of professional sports still have a gender wage discrepancy. There is still a significant
salary difference between men and women, despite society's desire to see professional female athletes
rewarded similarly to professional male athletes. Additionally, female athletes receive less perks than
male athletes in addition to being paid less (Gersch, 2021).

According to the combined salaries of the top five female athletes in the world, the pay disparity
between male and female athletes is around $2 million, or less than one-tenth of a male athlete's wage
Gareth Bale comes in at number five, earning $45 million (Vnexpress, 2019). The highest paid female
athlete in 2018 is Ada Hegerberg, who earns $ 450,000 each season—325 times less than Lionel Messi.
The Lyon striker makes $ 37,000 per month whereas Messi earns $ 12 million. Hegerberg's pay is even
less than the $650,000 average season wage for male players in the Brazilian championship (Gersch,
2021).

Athletes' pay also depend on outside investment from media businesses that run advertisements, in
addition to coming from leagues or events. Despite the remarkable accomplishments that female
athletes make, the public only sees the image of female athletes in advertisements and photographs
from sporting events. That is why female athletes' pay are not worth it (Gersch, 2021).

3.2 Disparities in communication

Most news stories on press websites or TV channels focus on a male athlete or team. This demonstrates
how the media abandoned coverage of women's sports. Despite the accomplishments that professional
female athletes offer, their media undermines that work by refusing to adopt demands for media
equality and sticking to covering men's teams primarily. All sports TV programs feature news about
men's teams, and lengthy articles take a long time to produce and are expensive to air. Consequently,
the time spent on women's sports news and stories is essentially nonexistent and is very brief (Gersch,
2021).

There is relatively little information available to supporters of women's sports to enable them to
continue following them when the quality of communication in sports is poor. This effect also means
that sponsors and advertisers do not pay as much attention to and interest in female professional
athletes. Even though the media frequently covers women's sports, a lot of it often focuses on the
athletes' appearance rather than their skill and athleticism (Papersowl, 2021)

3.3 Sponsorships in professional sports

In addition to networks disregarding women's sports in the media, brand sponsoring firms' partners also
discriminate against professional female athletes. The top 10 athletes that got sponsorship in 2018 were
all males, according to reality (Gersch, 2021). There is a significant funding gap between males and

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women. While male sportsmen frequently obtain sponsorship, sometimes for a lifetime, the situation is
the opposite for female athletes. In 2015, sports received less than half of all sports sponsorship dollars
(Emst & Young, 2013). It is obvious that professional male sportsmen utilize a lot of merchandise
displaying the names of such businesses when they compete because there are so many sponsoring
firms and brands involved. Professional female athletes who get sponsorship are forced to make their
own preparations for things like clothes and shoes. When it comes to fair compensation for professional
female athletes, Morgan is currently in the lead. She receives $1 million in annual sponsorship payments,
a pittance compared to the male athletes described earlier who receive $30 million (Gersch, 2021). The
funding gap in professional sports between men and women is just too big when you see the figures for
comparison.

4. Opinion 1: Feminists argue that gender biases are limiting women's opportunities in sport
and also creating an environment in which equality will be difficult to achieve. salary gender.

4.1 Prejudice about female athletes

Women will face discrimination from others around them when they participate in professional sports
activities that are seen as being beyond their skills or at odds with the stereotypically feminine
perception of women. The muscular body differs from the feminine body from birth, and the strong
component reflects a person's competitive drive. Women are frequently under pressure to physically
and emotionally adhere to that masculinity because most sports have such traits. Women were
responsible for working in industries and the sports industry during World War II when men were at war.
As more people came to accept and enjoy seeing female athletes play sports, communities grew.
However, it went out of popularity and male sports took over when the war was done and the men
started watching men's sports again. This mindset has persisted through the generations and continues
to discourage and limit the participation of women in sports (Studydriver, 2022). Some argue that
because women have limited ability and have a lower career age than men because they have to take
care of their families and children, that in general leads to lower achievements and incomes compared to
men. men, so it is natural to pay less. When these prejudices are ingrained in each person's thoughts, the
development opportunities of professional female athletes are increasingly narrowed. Because there is
no opportunity to be able to assert a position for herself, the forgotten female body will gradually no
longer be cared for and known.

When possibilities are scarce, so is the media's portrayal of women's sports. Most people can perceive
that prejudice against women has continued since then in a workplace connected to sports. Professional
female athletes want equitable opportunity so they may contribute to sport in a way that benefits their
minds, bodies, and social lives. The only physical difference between male and female athletes is their
reproductive systems, yet when calls for peace were ignored, boycott calls and criticisms of women's
issues increased. Sports are inappropriate for women.

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4.2 Poor communication, not known by many people
When the media enjoys popularity and attention, it will result in significant financing and advertising
contracts, but women will not have the chance to demonstrate their environmental influence. As a result
of effort, sponsors' enthusiasm will wane, and their pay will likewise be gradually cut. In order to bring
sports closer to the general population, sports coverage is expanding nowadays, but for women's sports,
this remains a restriction and a significant obstacle. Although broadcast and advertising are rare, when
they do occur, female athletes are sometimes included in sexist headlines to garner more attention.
Sexualization puts female professional athletes at more risk than actual popularity and attention, aside
from reporting on their accomplishments, abilities, and efforts.

5. Opinion 2: Others argue that men seem to have an advantage over women, due to their
health and endurance required in often fast-paced, highly competitive and engaging matches.
much more audience.

5.1 Their health and endurance requires fast paced

According to physiology, males are thought to have more strength, speed, and endurance than women.
Men have slightly bigger and more substantial physique than women have. The degree of training
required will likewise be higher than that of female athletes, as will the training environment. Since of
this, a lot of people think that males would perform better in sports than women because they have this
edge.

5.2 Always supported by the audience

The focus of the public has traditionally been on male athletes. Reports about male athletes and the
men's team's games may be found online, in newspapers, or on television. It is evident that whenever a
men's team travels to play football, regardless of how well they have done, the match information is
constantly updated often so that supporters can quickly get it. Male teams are influenced by an elusive
force that might breed animosity due to the vast fan base and widespread belief that male athletes are
superior to female athletes. between men's and women's teams in sports, there is gender equality.

6. Working environment in professional sports

Athletes and athletes may have irregular hours, including on the weekends, holidays, and in nights.
During the time of their specific sport's season, they frequently put in more than 40 hours a week for
several months. They frequently must do their duties outside, where they may be exposed to all types of
weather (Athletes, 2022). Professional athletes sometimes find themselves in confrontational
circumstances while dealing with the media or obnoxious individuals. However, their health is no longer
a private concern, and they are now accountable for both their physical and emotional well-being,
preventing them from having an adverse impact on those around them and, most importantly,
themselves. teammates and performance in competitive games. Depending on the activity that the
athlete plays, there may be instances when exposure to loud, jarring sounds that are distracting and

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uncomfortable is required for indoor or outdoor working situations. Professional athletes must also learn
to adjust swiftly to the environment since, in addition to operating in a nation with a known climate,
they may go to countries with severe temperatures when they compete.

7. Solution
Laws against discriminatory conduct are now part of the enforcement of equality in sports, which can
help balance out the number of professional male and female athletes. The legislation permits and
encourages women to pursue athletic careers. We should stop immediately enabling governmental and
commercial institutions to offer job possibilities to male players solely or in significant numbers to
achieve equality in professional sports. contains team and individual sports disproportionately. Unlike
before with males, when all professional athletes are treated similarly and get the same funding and
compensation, their growth is accelerated.

To achieve gender equality in professional sports, legislators should use a feminist perspective when
crafting laws. Women's perceptions of their status in sports must be taken into account from a feminist
perspective (Syda, 1993). Stop all media from misrepresenting and sexifying professional female athletes
by utilizing their photographs. When focusing on female athletes, we should take advantage of their
abilities, backgrounds, or routes into sports; unclean media should be avoided to protect the career
paths of female athletes. If used wisely, the media may be a potent instrument in the fight against
gender inequality in sports. Additionally, it is a source of latent power that has an impact on society and
reinforces attitudes, ideas, and behaviors (Sportanddev, 2022). Additionally, as the number of
professional female athletes rises and their accomplishments rise, the recruiting and training of more
female athletes will also help to abolish gender prejudice in sports. , as well as action, will garner greater
notice.

Stop presuming and portraying men as superhuman in order to influence the mindset of the large
majority of people who believe that males are physically and perform better than women. This is not
always the case, however, as each sex has unique qualities and advantages, making it impossible to
compare them and reach unfavorable judgments.

Athletes are better able to assert themselves, take ownership of their performance, and develop a
passion for sports when there is no gender discrimination in sports. Professional female athletes should
therefore receive equal pay at that time as well. To give them attention, balance their position,
communication, and lead sponsors. Due to the similarity of the task they do and the workplace
environment they all work in, their pay should be compensated equitably.

III. Conclusion
The assumption that female athletes are at a disadvantage compared to male athletes in terms of health
and condition is an idea that creates inequality in sport, it is a mistake. For professional female athletes,

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it is impossible for one small aspect to judge their entire process as weaker than that of men, they
always have distinct strengths. The environment and nature of work in sport are the same for all
athletes, and the talents and contributions of female athletes should be recognized. Therefore, their
salary should also be fair compared to male athletes.

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References

Gersch, T.K. (2021) University of Oregon Libraries, The Gender Pay Gap: Seeking Fairness for Women
in Professional Sports. University of Oregon School of Law. Available at:
https://scholarsbank.uoregon.edu/xmlui/handle/1794/26270 (Accessed: December 24, 2022).

UC Hastings Scholarship Repository | University of California, Hastings ... (no date). Available at:
https://repository.uchastings.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1029&context=hwlj (Accessed:
December 23, 2022).

VnExpress (2019) Marta - nữ Huyền Thoại Với mức Lương Chỉ Bằng 0,3% của neymar, vnexpress.net.
VnExpress. Available at: https://vnexpress.net/marta-nu-huyen-thoai-voi-muc-luong-chi-bang-0-3-
cua-neymar-3940529.html (Accessed: December 24, 2022).

Gender equality in sports - free essay example (2022) StudyDriver.com. Available at:
https://studydriver.com/gender-equality-in-sports/ (Accessed: December 24, 2022).

About gender discrimination in sports - free essay example (2022) PapersOwl.com. Available at:
https://papersowl.com/examples/about-gender-discrimination-in-sports/ (Accessed: December 24,
2022).

Ernst & Young Global Survey reveals critical role sports play for FEMA (2013) PRWeb. Available at:
https://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/6/prweb10841451.htm (Accessed: December 24, 2022).

Athletes and sports competitors : Occupational outlook handbook (2022) U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Available at: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/entertainment-and-
sports/athletes-and-sports-
competitors.htm#:~:text=Work%20Environment,exposed%20to%20all%20weather%20conditions.
(Accessed: December 25, 2022).

Author sportanddev.org Community (no date) Sportanddev.org, Achieving gender equity in sports.
Available at: https://www.sportanddev.org/en/article/news/achieving-gender-equity-sports
(Accessed: December 25, 2022).

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