Equal Sweat, Unequal Pay: The Gender Gap in Sports
- Marina Lemoni
- May 2
- 3 min read
Progress is a powerful word, but sometimes it hides how little has really changed. Behind the highlight reels and empowerment campaigns, a familiar pattern lingers. The year is 2025, yet women in sports are still navigating the same inequalities their predecessors faced decades ago. The stage may be bigger, the audience louder, but the playing field? Still uneven.
Money Talks. And It’s Kinda Sexist.
Let’s talk basketball. Cooper Flagg, the projected No.1 pick in the NBA Draft, is expected to earn $62.7 million over four years. He’s got the talent, no doubt; sharp on both ends of the court and already making headlines. On the woman’s side? Paige Bueckers, the No.1 WNBA draft pick, UConn superstar, and one of the most exciting players in the game, was signed for $348,000.
Same draft position. Same level of effort. But Cooper’s making more per game than Paige will make in her entire rookie contract. Not because she lacks skill. Not because she isn’t marketable. But because she’s a woman, in a league that’s still being treated like a side project. And that kind of gap? It doesn’t just exist in basketball. It’s everywhere.
Screentime and Stereotypes
The media plays its part, too. Women’s sports are still treated like a side quest, with less airtime, less promotion, and less hype. And while coverage has come a long way, it still doesn’t reflect the level of talent or achievement on display. Respect is growing, slowly but surely, but there’s still a gap. Women are dunking, smashing records, and serving 120mph aces. Yet, the focus still often drifts to the wrong things, like outfits, personal lives, or beauty routines, instead of the game itself. The progress is real, but so is the double standard.
Facilities, Flights & Full-Blown Disrespect
Inequality also shows up in the details: in how teams travel, where they train, and what they’re given to work with. While top-tier men’s teams fly charter, stay in luxury hotels, and access elite training facilities, many women’s teams are stuck with second-rate gear, cramped buses, and uneven courts.
The NCAA’s women's basketball weight room scandal? Just one example of how female athletes are still treated like an afterthought. If you’re giving your all, you should get more than the bare minimum in return. But women in sports are constantly expected to do more with less and smile while doing it.
Mental Toll of Being Undervalued
Every win, every record, every sacrifice should mean something. At the core of it all is respect. Imagine training your entire life only to be told your sport isn’t real, your game isn’t exciting, your body isn’t enough. That kind of invalidation takes a toll. Athletes are humans, and being systemically undervalued chips away at confidence, identity, and mental health.
What Equality Really Means
Equality in sports isn’t about giving women special treatment; it’s about ensuring they receive the same opportunities, investment, and respect as their male counterparts. It shouldn’t be seen as a favour or a headline moment, it should be the baseline.
Women have consistently shown up, delivered, and redefined what greatness looks like across every level of the game. They’ve proven time and time again that they belong, not in comparison to men, but on their own terms. Now it’s time for the world to reflect on how they’re supported, celebrated, and compensated.
