‘Life isn’t fair’ is a phrase we all heard growing up, but life truly isn’t fair for female athletes.
When I was younger, my dream was always to become a professional athlete, like many other young athletes. That dream ended when I realized no matter how good I could play, I would never be able to support a life off that career. Soccer has always been my favorite sport, so naturally, I grew up watching the U.S. National Women’s Soccer Team.
It was only later in life I realized that many of them made their money off side hustles.
This year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup had a total of $150 million in prize money in contrast to the last Men’s World Cup, which offered $440 million according to ESPN. On top of this the minimum Major League Soccer player salary is $65,000 in 2023 according to Rookie Road, while ESPN stated the minimum National Women’s Soccer League salary is $35,000. The U.S. is still regarded as the top country
in equally representing men’s and women’s sports.
Not only are female athletes’ earnings reflective of their inequality, they are less watched and less supported. I don’t know anyone who sits on their couch during March and turns on a women’s NCAA basketball game when they can watch a men’s game.
Recently I attended a Creighton and Minnesota women’s soccer game. As a fan of the BigEast conference, I went to look up their records but the first result that popped up was the men’s schedule, and even as I
scrolled down I found the women’s records, way at the bottom of the page.
But, I really think the hardest part about being a female athlete is having to accept the idea that no matter how hard you try and work at your sport, there will always be a male who is faster and more athletic
than you. People will always translate this to “men are just better” at athletics.
Men always get the better practice schedules, fields, and even uniforms. Here at South, boys’ athletics have a better student turnout while girls’ sports barely get an audience A prime example is South’s basketball program. From experience, the boys’ games are always better attended then the girls’,even when both have had winning seasons.Everyone can help this worldwide issue by first simply coming out to support South’s girls teams.
Change takes time, but I hope there will be a day when women’s sports are as appreciated as men’s.
