Pay Women Athletes What They Deserve! Increase the Payout for Women Basketball Players

Women's sports are winning BIG right now. The 2024 NCAA women's championship game between Iowa State and South Carolina was the most watched basketball game in history. Yet, women basketball players aren't getting properly rewarded for their excellence. After this year's tournament—for the first time ever—the NCAA will award $65 million to participating women's conferences based on the performance of their teams. That's less than HALF of the men's teams $220 million in payouts.

While $65 million may seem like a lot, it's a drop in the bucket when compared to some estimates that put the women's team's valuation at $112 million. These payouts provide critical funding to team operations throughout the year for things like scholarships for student-athletes, upgrading training facilities, covering team travel expenses and more.
Gender inequality has been baked into the NCAA from the very beginning with media rights agreements and revenue models that have always prioritized men's basketball. A gender equity report in 2021 revealed the NCAA spent a whopping $35 million more on the men's basketball tournament than the women's. And for decades women's teams couldn't even use "March Madness" branding for their tournament.

The current system perpetuates the sexist myth that women's sports are less valuable. Women players are showing the world that they are powerful, talented athletes that deserve the same recognition and attention that male athletes have been receiving for decades.

We have to show institutions like the NCAA that women deserve to be paid for their talent. Sign the petition to demand that the NCAA address gender pay inequity NOW and increase payout amounts for women basketball players.