It was my understanding that the woman actually had a better contract with the men. If they are on the roster they are paid roster money and game money vs the men who only get game money. Also the Woman's MLS contracts are supplemented by the US soccer federation because the WMLS cannot afford to pay what they would be deemed "worth". The men get what they can negotiate from the MLS but nothing is guaranteed by the USSF. The difference is as was stated above. The Men's world cup brings in so much more money internationally than the woman's.

Back to soccer....

 

The anger is misdirected.

 

Why do men’s sports make more money ? Not fans in the seats, advertising...

 

The anger should be directed at companies who are willing to pay 10x more for a commercial during a men’s game vs a women’s game.

 

Pepsi, Amazon, Ford, Chevy, etc....

 

That’s why the pay difference exists.

 

Technically, the Ad revenue goes to the TV networks, who set the ad rates, which are then based on viewership. So really, it comes down to the fans that watch the games. You can’t blame Pepsi, Ford or any other company for paying to get in front of their audience. That’s how advertising works...the larger the audience, the higher the rates.

 

The pay gap exists purely because of revenue, which is ultimately a based on the fans and viewership.

As to women's soccer where this issue gained a lot of attention in the past couple years, the women just lost in court. The judge ruled the women negotiated and signed the contract they are now not happy about. The women can't throw out the very contract they negotiated.

 

Worse than that, they turned down the exact same contract that the men were offered and signed. They opted for a more secure contract with guarantees while the men went for bonuses. Now that the events that would grant bonuses to the women have come to pass, they want the deal altered. There are areas in society where pay inequality exists, but at this moment in time, the women’s national soccer team is not one of them.

Technically, the Ad revenue goes to the TV networks, who set the ad rates, which are then based on viewership. So really, it comes down to the fans that watch the games. You can’t blame Pepsi, Ford or any other company for paying to get in front of their audience. That’s how advertising works...the larger the audience, the higher the rates.

 

The pay gap exists purely because of revenue, which is ultimately a based on the fans and viewership.

 

You’re right.

 

So the pay gap exists because women’s sports don’t generate enough viewership to regularly be profitable.

 

From a quick google search, the population of our country is roughly 50-50.

 

If that’s accurate, this seems to be a very simple solution then...

 

Women need to watch sports with the same passion men do.

Worse than that, they turned down the exact same contract that the men were offered and signed. They opted for a more secure contract with guarantees while the men went for bonuses. Now that the events that would grant bonuses to the women have come to pass, they want the deal altered. There are areas in society where pay inequality exists, but at this moment in time, the women’s national soccer team is not one of them.

 

This is my thinking as well.

 

There is plenty of injustice in our society. Women’s soccer pay just isn’t one of them.

 

God forbid we use math and common sense though.

The pay gap exists because the revenue/profit gap exists.

 

It’s really that simple. If people who work at Google, get paid more than people who work at Dan’s computer shop, that’s not Google’s fault.

You’re right.

 

So the pay gap exists because women’s sports don’t generate enough viewership to regularly be profitable.

 

From a quick google search, the population of our country is roughly 50-50.

 

If that’s accurate, this seems to be a very simple solution then...

 

Women need to watch sports with the same passion men do.

 

Actually they do. Go to any football game (or any other sport) and see how many women are in the stands with jerseys. The issue is folks don’t watch women’s sports with the same passion or frequency.

Actually they do. Go to any football game (or any other sport) and see how many women are in the stands with jerseys. The issue is folks don’t watch women’s sports with the same passion or frequency.

 

The ratio of men to women at most football games is easily 4 to 1.

 

The issue is women don't watch women's sports as frequently as men watch men's sports.

 

If you completely separated viewing and attendance by gender, do you think women watch as much sports as men?

The ratio of men to women at most football games is easily 4 to 1.

 

The issue is women don't watch women's sports as frequently as men watch men's sports.

 

If you completely separated viewing and attendance by gender, do you think women watch as much sports as men?

 

I agree that the issue is people (but not not just women) don't watch women's sports as frequently as mens.

 

As far as women being sports fans in general, you couldn't be more wrong. I'm currently working on a project at work that's related exactly to the subject of sports viewership and audience makeup. Would you believe that women make up about 45% of the NFL audience. And almost 50% of the MLB audience (roughly 47%). And almost 60% women in general state that they watch sports regularly (meaning a few times a week). No major professional sport has less than 40% of their audience being women. So while men do make up the biggest part of the sports audience, it's not by nearly as much as you would think. Plenty of Women watch plenty of sports. Just not women's sports. So you can't put all the blame on women's sports not being revenue generators simply on the fact that women need to watch women's sports more or the fact that they don't watch sports.

I agree that the issue is people (but not not just women) don't watch women's sports as frequently as mens.

 

As far as women being sports fans in general, you couldn't be more wrong. I'm currently working on a project at work that's related exactly to the subject of sports viewership and audience makeup. Would you believe that women make up about 45% of the NFL audience. And almost 50% of the MLB audience (roughly 47%). And almost 60% women in general state that they watch sports regularly (meaning a few times a week). No major professional sport has less than 40% of their audience being women. So while men do make up the biggest part of the sports audience, it's not by nearly as much as you would think. Plenty of Women watch plenty of sports. Just not women's sports. So you can't put all the blame on women's sports not being revenue generators simply on the fact that women need to watch women's sports more or the fact that they don't watch sports.

 

Sure you can. How can women expect men to watch women's sports when women don't even watch them?

 

Also, I didn't say women weren't sports fans in general. I specifically said women don't watch women's sports.

I’ll broaden my opinion to men’s sorts also...

 

Teams at the collegiate and professional level that don’t turn a profit should be played at a club level.

 

As most of you know, I’m a huge UK fan.

 

It seems insane to me that UK has women’s basketball, men’s baseball, women’s softball, all genders of track and field, etc. that are traveling to other SEC sites to compete.

 

You don’t turn a profit, take a bus and play locally...

 

I completely disagree with this.

 

You want your football and men's basketball team to function as a government-backed not-for-profit entity (as all university presidents do), then you suck it up and fund smaller sports, you fund women's sports, and you thank your boosters for helping out.

 

Now if we want to spin major college sports away from the tax-exempt, not-for-profit education area, then we can talk.

I completely disagree with this.

 

You want your football and men's basketball team to function as a government-backed not-for-profit entity (as all university presidents do), then you suck it up and fund smaller sports, you fund women's sports, and you thank your boosters for helping out.

 

Now if we want to spin major college sports away from the tax-exempt, not-for-profit education area, then we can talk.

 

I understand this line of thinking, I obviously don’t agree with it, but it’s a valid argument.

 

I’ve spent my adult life trying to be as financially efficient as possible.

 

Non revenue generating sports operating on a similar budget as revenue generating sports just seems terribly inefficient to me.

 

Young adults are taking on a crippling amount of debt to get an education. In a perfect world, we would cut our losses and use the money from our profitable programs to lower the cost of tuition or fund scholarships.

Sure you can. How can women expect men to watch women's sports when women don't even watch them?

 

Also, I didn't say women weren't sports fans in general. I specifically said women don't watch women's sports.

 

My point is when you're talking about a sports overall popularity, they have to appeal to both men and women. Without women watching the NFL in the numbers they do, the NFL wouldn't be nearly as big as it is. Take women viewers out and they'd lose 45% of their audience. No major sport can succeed at revenue generation without large viewership from both sexes. So even if 75% of the women watched women's sports, it wouldn't be enough to generate large enough audiences to drive revenue.

My point is when you're talking about a sports overall popularity, they have to appeal to both men and women. Without women watching the NFL in the numbers they do, the NFL wouldn't be nearly as big as it is. Take women viewers out and they'd lose 45% of their audience. No major sport can succeed at revenue generation without large viewership from both sexes. So even if 75% of the women watched women's sports, it wouldn't be enough to generate large enough audiences to drive revenue.

 

I hear what you are saying about the percentages. The point remains the same. Female athletes need to be complaining to their fellow women about why they watch men's sports and not women's before they complain about a pay gap.

I agree that the issue is people (but not not just women) don't watch women's sports as frequently as mens.

 

As far as women being sports fans in general, you couldn't be more wrong. I'm currently working on a project at work that's related exactly to the subject of sports viewership and audience makeup. Would you believe that women make up about 45% of the NFL audience. And almost 50% of the MLB audience (roughly 47%). And almost 60% women in general state that they watch sports regularly (meaning a few times a week). No major professional sport has less than 40% of their audience being women. So while men do make up the biggest part of the sports audience, it's not by nearly as much as you would think. Plenty of Women watch plenty of sports. Just not women's sports. So you can't put all the blame on women's sports not being revenue generators simply on the fact that women need to watch women's sports more or the fact that they don't watch sports.

 

How are these numbers calculated?

 

My wife often plays on her phone or reads a book as I watch a ball game. Is she considered a viewer ?

 

If a television is on, with an NFL game being played, in a household with 3 women and one man, are the women considered viewers?

 

Not doubting your calculations as your obviously much more informed on this aspect than I am.