CLOSING the Gap

Why female athletes benefit most from the NCAA’s new ruling

“Name, image, and likeness.”

It’s these three terms that are about to shift the college playing field more than ever.

On Oct. 29, the NCAA governing board voted unanimously to allow collegiate athletes to benefit from the use of their name, image and likeness in a manner consistent with the collegiate model, taking after California’s “Fair Pay to Play Act” that passed earlier in the month. It’s about time for a change in the world of college sports.

The NCAA brought in $1 billion dollars in revenue during the 2016- 2017 school year, but not a dime went to the athletes who made it all possible.

California recognized this injustice first and took action. The uproar that followed, led by various colleges across the country, made room for plenty of speculation on how the NCAA would proceed. But they made the right call on this one — by not allowing states to pass legislation one by one, a chaotic, and frankly disastrous, situation was avoided. This new ruling does not call for mandated pay in any sense. It simply gives athletes the option to be compensated if they wish to utilize their platform.

This move is garnering the support of influential peopl. Duke head basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski said the California law was “a sign

that we, the NCAA, haven’t adapted.” NBA player Lebron James and even presidential candidate Bernie Sanders agree that this law is becoming a big deal.

The impact this has on future student athletes is monumental. And who’s coming out ahead? Women. Let’s take a look at basketball players across the United States. According to the NCAA, 3.4% of male high school basketball players went on to play in college, compared to 4% of the female players in 2018.

Initially, it’s surprising that relatively more women go on to the NCAA than their male counterparts. After college, 1.2% of male players go on to play in the NBA, but only 0.9% of women go on to play in the WNBA. Fewer women go pro. But with essentially equal opportunities in high school and college for both genders, what’s alarming is the pay disparity once women reach the professional stage.

The top WNBA earner this 2019 season, Phoenix’s DeWanna Bonner, will make a total of $127,500. NBA star Lebron James will earn a whopping $92 million between his salary and endorsements.

Now, it’s a well-known fact that the NBA generates more revenue. More TV coverage, larger audience

— it’s just inevitable. But that’s not the issue.

According to Forbes, the NBA pays its players about 50% of the league’s overall earnings. Looking at this, compared to the WNBA’s mere 22.8% dished out to players in 2017, it’s no wonder these women are so severely underpaid. The pay gap is widening every year, and something needs to give. The NCAA’s new law could play a crucial role in turning things around for the better.

Regardless of gender, many college athletes who don’t go pro have next to no opportunities to profit from their talents. This legislation offers men and women a rare and meaningful opportunity to capitalize on their athletic achievements while they still have a stage to do so.

The notion that college athletes can’t handle being compensated (beyond their school tuition) because they are “amateurs” is horribly outdated. How is a high school athlete running a Youtube channel promoting their brand different than a college student doing the same? Essentially, it’s not.

It’s a given that sensational college athletes are going to be in high demand when the law is finalized. The entire set of morals the NCAA has been following is overdue for some revamping, given that social media and online aspects are in the mix.

For women ,specifically, this law has tremendous potential. Will they go on to make nearly as much as their male counterparts? Absolutely not. The pay gap is not going away anytime soon. But it’s a step in the right direction.