Whether you do or do not watch sports, you probably can’t help but notice that the NCAA Basketball Tournament is going on. It has been everywhere. On the TV, in commercials, in newspaper and magazine headlines. The promotions for the tournament are endless.
It appears that everyone in the Universe should be paying attention to “March Madness,” a term given to the tournament proceedings because the games are all played in the month of March.
Last year, everything was canceled because of COVID. This year, there are restrictions, and if any team with positive tests shows up, the game is called a “no contest.” This happened on Saturday, in the game between Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and Oregon. VCU players tested positive, so Oregon advanced. COVID continues to affect our lives in a wide number of ways. Thankfully, this time, it was merely a basketball game being canceled.
Anyway, you may have noticed that I’ve only said “basketball” throughout this piece. Yet, many people assume I am talking solely about the men’s tournament. But as we know, the women’s tournament is in full swing too.
However, it is not advertised or given the hoopla (no pun intended) like its male counterpart.
The big headline this week came from the disparity in the training facilities between the men’s and the women’s programs. The men had a state-of-the-art training room. And by room, I mean huge arena-type area, fitted with every piece of workout equipment know to humankind. The women, on the other hand, had a dinky little room, with a shower curtain hanging on one wall, where someone used the likes of a Sharpie Marker to write “NCAA.” They had one little set of hand weights. That was it.
The press got a hold of this, and the world became astounded. “Shocking,” they said. “Unbelievable,” they yelled. “Terrible.” “Horrendous.”
Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.
Welcome to women’s sports. This isn’t new. This isn’t news. This is how it has been for years and how it will continue to be. Although I must say, the women athletes have it worlds better than when I played college ball 35 years ago.
But the reason for the lopsided treatment is this.
The men’s sports make the money. They make the money, so they get the money. End of story.
Within the NCAA, the Division One men’s basketball tournament accounts for 79% of the $1.1 billion that the WHOLE NCAA sports division brought in during the 2019 fiscal year.
Yes, March Madness, MEN’S March Madness, makes 80% of the earnings for the NCAA. I imagine Men’s Football probably accounts for most of the rest of those profits.
So why is anyone surprised by this?
Do the women work as hard when they practice and play? Of course they do. And do the women have to adhere to the same standards across the board, athletically and academically? Yes. Maybe even more so.
But the sad fact? No one goes to watch them. No one pays money to see them play. Most people don’t even care, except for their parents and families and a handful of other female athletes, past and present, who occasionally go see a game.
I’m not sure about the fairness of it all. I mean, if you own a company, and one division is bringing in 80% of the profits for your entire company, wouldn’t you somehow reward that division? Plant nice flowers at their building, give them cool picnic tables outside, and a little workout facility inside? Host a BBQ for them from time to time, or give them a Christmas bonus?
I don’t know. I’m asking. I’ve never run a company before.
Or, should all the proceeds, the profits, go into one pot. And the women’s polo program gets as much as the men’s basketball team, penny for penny?
Most colleges are non-profits. But let’s face it. Colleges are big business. They are capitalist institutions. The more money they are making, the better for them.
And that’s just what happened here. Another piece of March Madness.
========
Money often costs too much.
— Ralph Waldo Emerson
========
A nickel ain’t worth a dime anymore.
— Yogi Berra
========
I love money. I love everything about it. I bought some pretty good stuff. Got me a $300 pair of socks. Got a fur sink. An electric dog polisher. A gasoline powered turtleneck sweater. And, of course, I bought some dumb stuff, too.
— Steve Martin
=======
Basketball money. Men vs. Women.
