This paper examines the persistent gender disparities found in college and university athletic programs, with particular attention to funding inequities, scholarship distribution, and the unequal treatment of female athletes and coaches. Drawing on reporting about the gap between men's and women's programs, the paper considers how revenue generation influences resource allocation, why some female coaches remain reluctant to speak out, and how Title IX's weak enforcement has allowed inequities to persist. The paper also extends the discussion to middle and high schools, arguing that early exposure to gender-based inequality shapes the attitudes young people carry into adulthood.
Gender equality has been a persistent issue for many years, and it is only recently that meaningful progress has been made across many areas of life. One area where progress has been notably slow is college sports programs. Recent reporting on the issue indicates that women who coach college teams earn significantly less than coaches of men's teams, and a disproportionate share of scholarship funding at many schools goes to male athletes, leaving female athletes with far fewer opportunities. Many schools spend two to three times more on their male athletic programs than on their female athletic programs (Fish, D1). There are reasons behind this imbalance at many colleges, and some of those reasons hold up better than others when examined objectively.
Several colleges and universities across the country have male athletic programs that generate considerably more revenue for the school than their female athletic programs do. Logically, more money tends to flow toward these programs because they are strong revenue producers. The main concern for many people, however, is that the treatment of female athletes does not equal that of male athletes when it comes to locker room facilities, game scheduling, and transportation, among other things. This is a serious concern because all people — regardless of gender — deserve equal and respectful treatment, and gender equality as a principle should not be contingent on how much revenue a program generates.
For many hard-working female athletes, the disparities have become more than they wish to tolerate, and coaches are experiencing the same frustrations. Not all coaches are equally troubled by these differences, however. Notably, those who report being less bothered by the pay gap tend to be coaches who, while earning less, find that the treatment of themselves and their athletes is considerably more equitable than what others experience (Fish, D1). This finding carries important implications for those studying the issue, because it suggests that money — long assumed to be the primary driver of the problem — may be less significant than the quality of treatment individuals receive.
This does not mean that money is unimportant. Adequate funding for female recruitment and scholarships enables many more women to participate and excel in sports at colleges and universities across the country. The relationship between funding and opportunity remains central to any meaningful discussion of Title IX compliance and athletic equity.
"Why Title IX has failed to close equity gaps"
"How early inequality shapes lasting gender attitudes"
You’re 55% through this paper. Sign up to read the remaining 2 sections.
Sign Up Now — Instant Access Already a member? Log inAlways verify citation format against your institution’s current style guide requirements.