This is
the fourth installment in our ongoing series commemorating the 40th
anniversary of the passage of Title IX into federal law, which will be
celebrated on June 23, 2012.
Men’s
sports leagues are highly lucrative affairs. Sports entertainment is a
multi-billion dollar industry, and athletes, coaches, administrators, and
owners all reap the financial benefits of a world that loves to watch
professionals compete.
Women’s
sports leagues fall at the other end of the spectrum. Players, coaches, and
administrators are paid a decent wage, but rarely in excess of 5 figures. And
many outfits, including the WNBA lose millions of dollars a year.
So
why do women’s leagues exist? Just like all other business ventures, they are
profit-seeking entities with investors to whom executives must report.
Shouldn’t leagues like the WNBA close up shop? Personally, I cannot tell you
the individual decisions made by a team or a league to continue operating at a
loss, but I can hazard a guess: they see something beyond the bottom line.
In
1972, when Title IX was passed into law, there were two professional sports
that had women with any kind of presence: golf and tennis. The Ladies
Professional Golf Association (LPGA) was founded in the 1950s and the Women’s
Tennis Association (WTA) was not even established fully until 1973. Neither
league saw tremendous success at its beginning, and the salaries of all people
involved with men’s sports dominated their counterparts in women’s. Public
attention was minimal, but the competition was fierce, both on and off the
field. WTA founder and tennis legend Billie Jean King fought tirelessly to
attract sponsors, media coverage, and increased youth participation in tennis.
She also challenged and defeated former Wimbledon Champion Bobby Riggs in the
famous “Battle of the Sexes” in 1973. Her tenacity galvanized women everywhere,
and began a revolution that would change the outlook of women’s sports forever.
Not only did her efforts on the court debunk any kind of myth that somehow
women are inferior to men athletically, but in her groundbreaking efforts, she
laid an example for millions of young women to pursue what they are passionate
about, regardless of preconceived notions of what is possible. And not that it
should be the ultimate litmus test of something’s worth, but now the WTA, as
well as the LPGA are now extremely profitable.
When
stakeholders in women’s sports leagues pursue their advancement, there is more
history to be made than money. They are pioneering a cultural sports landscape
that is still laden with in equalities between men and women. Although Title IX
has been passed, colleges spend nearly double in recruiting male athletes as
they do females. Although the ratio of high school males playing sports to
females before Title IX was 12:1, there are still more than 1 million more boys
playing than girls. Significant progress has been made, but there are still
mountains to climb.
We
need women’s sports leagues. They provide role models for young women and
career paths for accomplished athletes. They can be profitable. They just need
more people like Billie Jean King, who can see the inequalities, and demand
more of their culture. They need savvy business people to find ways of making
their operations sustainable. And they need you: the parent who
encourages your daughter to try a new sport, the teacher that chooses not the
perpetuate gender stereotypes, and the friend who never lets a friend settle
for anything less than her best. The bottom line is that they need people who
can see things far more important than, the bottom line.
