Posted on 07/09/2015 11:30:41 AM PDT by PROCON
Pay equality activists are at it again. This time they’re using the success of the U.S. women’s soccer team in the World Cup final to push their agenda. According to Politico, what we really need to be talking about is the players’ paychecks.
“Pay for professional women’s soccer players is at best paltry and at worst outright shameful compared to those of their male counterparts. (The U.S. men’s team is currently ranked 27, compared with the world-champion women),” Mary Pilon writes. “Yet the total payout for the Women’s World Cup this year will be $15 million, compared with the total for the men’s World Cup last year of $576 million, nearly 40 times as much.”
Pilon blames greedy broadcasters for the vast disparity, saying they haven’t valued women’s sports equally. It doesn’t matter that there isn’t the same level of interest for women’s soccer. There would be more viewers, she argues, if broadcasters just bit the bullet and promoted women’s soccer with the same gusto.
(Excerpt) Read more at thefederalist.com ...
But, to the point, women's sports from college on up to the pros just don't generate the interest or revenue that the men's sports do.
It's simple economics, men athletes get paid more because they generate more interest and revenue.
The #1 reason people play soccer is it keeps them from having to watch soccer... ;/
“There would be more viewers, she argues, if broadcasters just bit the bullet and promoted women’s soccer with the same gusto.”
The NBA forces their TV and radio partners to broadcast WNBA games. Yet nobody still watches WNBA games.
There’s something less watchable than men’s soccer?
OK, equal pay. How is this: If men’s soccer earns a payday of X$, then 50% goes to player salaries. If women’s soccer earns blah, blah...then they get 50$ of that sum. Equal. Works for me.
didn’t they try this BS with women’s basketball?
Nobody wants alternative lifestyle (deathstyle) hacks promoted in a sport popular by children.
Women "athletes" are given full scholarships at university. Which teams sell more tickets?
Men's sports in college have to subsidize the women's programs. Is that fair? Can the WNBA stand on it's own, or will it always have to be subsidized by the NBA?
Just curious if Ms. Pilon has written an article comparing the salaries of male v. female models. I bet female models especially top ones earn a lot more than top male models.
I love soccer!!!
First they Kick the ball..
then they Kick the ball
and then they kick the ball
and then they kick the ball
and then they kick the ball
and then they kick the ball
and then they kick the ball
and then they kick the ball
and then they kick the ball
and then they kick the ball
then they line up and cover their balls while someone kicks the ball
Women’s volleyball seems more popular than men’s for some reason....
Is that a wardrobe malfunction? Or, are they supposed to work that way???
Need more exhibits in order to draw a conclusion...
I’m a big fan of properly deployed lingerie. I also enjoy watching football.
But as that picture shows, sometimes two great things really don’t go well together.
Their attendance averages around 3000 per game.
If they can equal the attendance and TV ratings of the mens teams, then I’d agree, they deserve equal pay.
Attendance? How about ticket prices, can the men charge more and get it? How about advertisers, can women’s soccer rake in as much as men’s? There are and will be differences. The economic reality is there. They cannot “make it equal”. This world is hardly equal or fair. That is life.
Wonder what proportion of the TV audience for women’s soccer comes from these two categories:
1. illegal immigrants who weren’t raised on (real) football
2. horndog guys hoping to catch a glimpse of some jiggle
Simple solution: Eliminate gender segregation in sports. See how many women make the teams.
If you read the article you would find out that Ms Pilon agrees with you. I digress, but I despise the name Pilon reminds me of ex-NHL player Rich Pilon, the bravest guy behind a giant face shield, a real punk, but I digress. The truth is that people want to watch the best, so until the Women’s World Cup Champion can even compete with a team from the English Conference (the 5th tier) or Bundesliga 3 they will not be paid the same money Messi, Ibra, or Ronaldo get.
Or they could go “shirts and skins” for a uniform choice.
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