The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has approved a plan to pay women’s basketball teams for playing in the NCAA Tournament each March. The decision comes after years of advocacy from coaches and administrators, who have pushed for equal compensation with men’s basketball teams.
Starting this year, women’s teams will receive performance units, which represent revenue, for participating in the tournament. These units will be awarded based on a team’s performance in the tournament, with the potential to earn significant rewards. For example, a team that reaches the Final Four could bring its conference roughly $1.26 million over the next three years.
The plan is similar to the men’s basketball unit program and aims to increase revenue for women’s teams. The NCAA has also announced plans to increase media rights revenue for women’s basketball by 41% by 2028, compared to men’s basketball, which sees a revenue increase of 24%.
Coaches and administrators have welcomed the decision, citing its potential to boost attendance and viewership for women’s basketball games. Some have noted that the pay structure is similar to what men’s teams receive, but with a higher percentage of media revenue deal.
The plan marks a significant step towards gender equity in college sports, with commissioner Julie Roe Lach calling it a “huge step” not just for women’s basketball but for women’s sports in general. The NCAA has also announced plans to award more championships and support other sports initiatives.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/01/15/sport/march-madness-womens-ncaa-spt/index.html