INEQUALITY IN

PROFESSIONAL SPORTS
By Juliana Caro
5 POPULAR AMERICAN SPORTS SALARIES

Basketball (NBA &

$8,321,937 $75,181
WNBA)

Golf (PGA & LPGA) $1,235,495 $48,993

Soccer (MLS & NWSL) $410,730 $35,000

Softball/Baseball (MLB &

$4,031,549 $6,000
NPF)

Tennis (ATP & WTA) $335,946 $283,635

 TOP-PAID FEMALE VS MALE ATHLETES
2019

1.Lionel Messi, $127 million

2.Cristiano Ronaldo, $109 Million
Men 3.Neymar, $105 million
4.Canelo Alvarez, $94 million
5.Roger Federer, $93.4 million

1.Serena Williams, $29.2 million

2.Naomi Osaka, $24.3 million
Women 3.Angelique Kerber, $11.8 million
4.Simona Halep, $10.2 million
5.Sloane Stephens, $9.6 million
 BASKETBALL

2019-2020 Season

•Rookie salary: $898,310

NBA
•Up to six years: $27,285,000
•7-9 years: $32,742,000
•10 years or more: $38,199,000
•Rookie salary: $41,965
WNBA
•Three years: $56,375
•Six years: $115,000
•Salary cap: $117,500
 SOCCER

2020

Minimum: $63,547
MLS Maximum: $612,500*
Team salary budget: $4,900,000
Minimum: $20,000
NWSL Max: $50,000
Team salary budget: $650,000
Percent difference MLS rookie players made 64.44% more
 WHY DOES THIS HAPPEN?
• Men sports make more revenue
• New question: why women don’t make the same revenue?
• 3 aspects that affect the gap between sports

- Reduced opportunities
- Recognition in the media
- Sociological influences
 REDUCED OPPORTUNITIES
• Girls have 1.3 million fewer opportunities to play high school
sports than boys have
• NCAA gives more money to men
• Better facilities, optimal times, coaches, and equipment for
men
 RECOGNITION IN THE MEDIA
• WNBA generates 100 times les TV revenue tan NBA
• Women athletes are covered les in media
• Nike hasn’t made a signature shoe for a WNBA player in over
20 years
 SOCIOLOGICAL INFLUENCES
• Gender stereotypes
• Social view of sport
• Social pressures
• Parent's support
• Friend’s role
BACK TO THE MAIN QUESTION
 WHAT CAN WE DO?
• More TV exposure for the players will lead to more visibility,
and more visibility could lead to major deals with endorsers in
the future which give the revenue that females need
• Social mind change
• More opportunities
• More support