An investigation commissioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has determined that the organization does not treat its Division I men’s and women’s basketball programs equally “in virtually every aspect.”
A report released by law firm Kaplan Hecker & Fink LLP states that the NCAA has failed to live up to its commitment to diversity, inclusion, and gender equity among student-athletes, coaches, and administrators.
The probe revealed that the structure of the NCAA is designed to maximize support for the Division I Men’s Basketball Championship as the organization’s primary source of funding. This structural inequity has, therefore, manifested as gender inequity among athletes.
Furthermore, Kaplan Hecker found that the NCAA’s spending on the men’s basketball tournament in 2019 was nearly three times higher than the total budget allotted for the women’s tournament during that time.
“The results have been cumulative, not only fostering skepticism and distrust about the sincerity of the NCAA’s commitment to gender equity, but also limiting the growth of women’s basketball and perpetuating a mistaken narrative that women’s basketball is destined to be a ‘money loser’ year after year,” the report said.
Disparities in ‘Viral’ Weight Room
The NCAA received heavy criticism online after University of Oregon women’s varsity basketball player Sedona Prince uploaded a video showing the vastly unequal treatment men’s and women’s basketball players received in the provision of weight training facilities.
Let me put it on Twitter too cause this needs the attention pic.twitter.com/t0DWKL2YHR
— Sedona Prince (@sedonaprince_) March 19, 2021
The organization immediately released a statement, saying the issue had to do with space rather than money, adding that it had retained a law firm to conduct a gender-equity probe into its basketball tournaments for men and women.
A few months after the issue went public, Kaplan Hecker found that the disparities between athlete’s facilities were caused mainly by a lack of staffing at the women’s tournament. The law firm also pointed out that there was no proper coordination between organizers of the men’s and women’s events.
“The women’s basketball staff member responsible for credentials, game operations, and approximately 30 other tasks had approximately eight men’s basketball counterparts with whom she was in theory supposed to coordinate,” the report disclosed.
Recommendations
To help address gender inequity in the NCAA, Kaplan Hecker has recommended that the men’s and women’s basketball championships be held jointly, making them a combined March Madness event in a single city.
The firm also suggested that a periodical external gender equity assessment ensure the organization upholds gender equity.
Additionally, the report advised the NCAA to give advertisers more opportunities to associate themselves with women’s sports, especially since there is a policy that companies who want to advertise in the women’s championship must also sign up for partnerships in the more expensive men’s tournament.
