Prohibition Of Discrimination Based On Sex Essay Example

sports. The substantial clause provides some flexibility in achieving compliance within a range of approximately 10% (Jacob, 1993, p.).

According to Egendorf (1999, p108), Title IX has significantly influenced education by causing a significant increase in the number of women enrolling in college. This has resulted in women outnumbering men on various campuses across the country. Additionally, the graduation rates for women have seen an incredible growth of almost 500% since Title IX was implemented.

Tile IX has had a detrimental effect on college campuses nationwide, resulting in the removal of specific athletic teams. Brown and Providence are two recent instances where a men's athletic program had to be eliminated due to the extensive funding demanded by Title IX. Cal Poly has also experienced the impact of Title IX, notably with John Madden's $10 million donation devastating their football program.

Madden's donation was not solely allocated to football; the administration decided to distribute it evenly among all sports. Madden was deeply disappointed by this decision and consequently decided to cut all his connections with the university, leading to a significant disappointment.

John Madden considered donating money for the renovation of Mustang Stadium and the athletic weight room, which are used by all athletic programs at Cal Poly and local high school championship games. This donation would have benefited both the university and the community. The remaining funds were specifically allocated to support scholarships and equipment for the football program. While other women's sports at Cal Poly were allowed to receive alumni donations, football was not included due to the size of the donation. It is important to note that this exclusion is not a reflection on the football program

itself, as they proudly have one of the most famous football icons of all time as an alumnus.

Despite the donation amount, it should not impact a team's capability to accept it. Colleges are aware of Title IX, but women athletes often have limited chances to pursue professional careers after college. Women have options like the WNBA, Olympics, and overseas opportunities to continue playing sports at a higher level. This analysis will focus on comparing the disparities between the expanding NBA and the WNBA. Love & Basketball is a captivating film that narrates the tale of two basketball-loving neighbors in Los Angeles who eventually fall in love.

Monica (Sanaa Lathan) and Quincy (Omar Epps) have both aspired to become basketball stars since childhood. Monica has had to put in significant effort to establish herself, whereas Quincy has always possessed innate star potential. Alongside their pursuit of professional basketball careers, they must also navigate their romantic feelings for one another (www.movies.yahoo.com). Both Monica and Quincy make the decision to attend USC on basketball scholarships. Throughout the movie, it becomes clear that the male basketball players at USC are highly revered. There is no recollection of a scene depicting the men's team practicing.

Their facilities are exceptional and the stadium is drawing large crowds. After winning, Quincy was lifted onto the cheering fans' shoulders and thoroughly enjoyed the moment. Hours later, people continued to congratulate him and request autographs. Before the night ended, Quincy became the focal point at parties commemorating the team's victory. Following a year of college basketball, Quincy departs from school and gets chosen by the Los Angeles Lakers in the draft.

The depiction of USC women's basketball

was entirely different. The majority of scenes exhibited the women's team engaging in practice as if they required further improvement. Their practices and games took place in a smaller stadium, resembling a high school gym. The crowds attending their games were significantly smaller compared to the men's games.

At times, it appeared that the head coach was louder than the crowd. After a win, there were no enthusiastic fans flooding the court, picking up players, or attending autograph signings and celebrations. Monica spent a few years playing for Parma's championship women's team in Europe after graduating college. However, even when they emerged victorious, the women did not receive the admiration and benefits typically granted to the least successful NBA teams (www.movies.yahoo.com). It took approximately two additional years for her to join the WNBA.

Despite the absence of Title IX, the film seemed to emphasize the disparities in men's and women's sports. On April 24, 1996, the NBA Board of Governors sanctioned the creation of the WNBA. The league's first president was Val Ackerman, while Sheryl Swoopes became its inaugural player signed. Cynthia Cooper achieved the distinction of being the first MVP, and currently, the Houston Comets stand as the sole champions. Prior to recruiting players or staff members, however, broadcasting agreements with NBC, ESPN, and Lifetime were secured by the league.

Due to a less crowded sports calendar and the ability to televise games live and in prime time consistently, it was determined that the WNBA season would take place during the summer. In its inaugural season, over 50 million viewers tuned in to watch WNBA games on three different networks. By 1999, WNBA games were being broadcasted

in over 125 countries by 37 broadcasters who spoke 17 different languages. Additionally, the 1999 season saw an expansion into new countries such as Germany, Ghana, Haiti, Italy, Lithuania, Uruguay, the United Kingdom, and Canada.

In the second and third seasons of the WNBA, a game was aired on CTV Sportsnet in Canada every Friday night. These broadcasts attracted nearly one million viewers each week. The WNBA holds a special appeal for sports enthusiasts, as approximately 70% of attendees at games are female and 30% are male. On television, there is an equal distribution between male and female viewers, with a significant number of non-adults tuning in.

The league made its first player signings on Oct. 23, 1996, with players like Sheryl Swoopes and Rebecca Lobo joining. They were later joined by Ruthie Bolton-Holifield, Lisa Leslie, Cynthia Cooper, Michele Timms (the first international player), and other hopefuls for the WNBA. The league's inaugural season featured eight teams split into two conferences: the Eastern Conference included the Charlotte Sting, Cleveland Rockers, Houston Comets, and New York Liberty; while the Western Conference consisted of the Los Angeles Sparks, Phoenix Mercury, Sacramento Monarchs, and Utah Starzz.

On Jan. 16, 1997, the first 16 players were allocated to teams. Then on Feb. 27, an Elite Draft enlarged team rosters to four by adding two more players to each team. For the Inaugural WNBA Draft, the Comets chose Tina Thompson, the leading scorer of the Pac-10 Conference, as their top pick.

Margo Dydek, a 7-2 center from Poland, was the first pick in the 1998 Draft for the Starzz. The Washington Mystics selected Chamique Holdsclaw as their No. 1 pick in the 1999

Draft; she had been named Associated Press Women's Basketball Player of the Year twice. The WNBA has grown from eight teams to 16 since its inception. In 1998, the Detroit Shock and Washington Mystics joined, followed by the Minnesota Lynx and Orlando Miracle in 1999, and then the Indiana Fever, Miami Sol, Portland Fire, and Seattle Storm in 2000.

A total of 176 women will play professional basketball in a span of 256 regular season WNBA games during the year 2000. Throughout history: there were32 games played both in2000andin1999 seasons; however,inthe debut year of1998only30 games took place; furthermore,intheyearof establishment -1997-, only28 games occurred.Taking noteof an important event on April29thof theyear1999,the WNBAand WNBPA (Women's National Basketball Players Association) made history withthe announcementofthe league'sfirst collective bargaining agreement — thiswasa significant milestonefor women's team sports.

The WNBA game features several distinct elements: a 30-second clock, a three-point line measuring 19 feet and 9 inches, two halves lasting for 20 minutes each, rosters comprising eleven players, and a basketball that meets collegiate-regulation standards. The ball used in the WNBA is manufactured by Spalding and has an orange and oatmeal coloration with a circumference of 28.5 inches. Notably, this ball size is one inch smaller than the regulation ball utilized in the NBA (www.wnba.com).

A few key disparities exist between the WNBA and NBA regarding team count and compensation. The NBA encompasses 29 teams distributed throughout the United States as well as one team situated in Canada (www.nba.com). On the contrary, all sixteen teams within the WNBA exclusively operate within the United States (www.wnba.com).

The league currently consists of 16 teams, which is a result of its establishment just six years ago. However, there

are aspirations for future expansions. In contrast, NBA teams typically have rosters comprising 12 to 14 players, while WNBA teams generally have about 11 to 13 players (source: www.wnba.com & www.nba.com). Although this may not appear significantly different initially, it becomes more apparent when considering that the NBA boasts approximately 29 teams with an average of 14 players each, totaling 406 players. Conversely, the WNBA only encompasses 16 teams with an average of 13 players per team, resulting in a total of merely 208 players. This marked discrepancy underscores the limited opportunities available for female basketball players.

The most surprising difference between NBA and WNBA players is the pay gap. In 2002, WNBA players were earning a minimum salary of $40,000, while all 16 first-round draft picks were making more than that. The top four picks had the potential to earn up to $57,500 (www.wnba.com). Rookie WNBA players in 2002 had a minimum salary of $30,000. On the other hand, NBA players had an average salary of almost $4 million and it was projected to surpass $5 million soon (www.nba.com). Additionally, NBA players had a minimum salary slightly below $2.0 million per year without considering their profitable advertising contracts.

Although NBA players such as Allen Iverson and Shaquille O'Neal earn more than $30 million per year solely from basketball, top players in the WNBA receive only about $80,000 annually (www.wnba.com). Despite this significant discrepancy in wages, WNBA players have continuously shown improvement and impressive abilities. Initially, skeptics expressed concerns about women not being able to dunk during games and believed it diminished the excitement of matches.

Women quickly proved their critics wrong by dunking and dominating the sport.

Moreover, it is noteworthy that player strikes are absent in the WNBA, indicating satisfaction with payment. In summary, Title IX stands as a monument in the fight for gender equality in terms of treatment and opportunities. Nonetheless, despite its legal status, Title IX has not always been effective universally. While I acknowledge the goal behind Title IX, there is a necessity to evaluate methods of ensuring equal opportunity and backing for collegiate sports for both genders.

The text suggests a modification in the law to guarantee that universities are not obligated to eliminate any athletic programs for either gender. One idea is to provide government funding to universities that violate Title IX. However, implementing comparable legislation in professional sports is deemed unfeasible due to America's capitalist and sexist society. Therefore, the only workable resolution seems to be waiting for societal ideals to evolve from the traditional values of early Americans (Messner, McKay, & Sabo, 2000 p173).

The issue of sexism affects individuals of all ages, distorting their thinking. It disregards an athlete's abilities, dedication, and enthusiasm based on their gender. Although the female athlete is now celebrated equally to their male counterparts, there still persists a perception of inequality in women's sports. Reference List Egendorf, Laura K. (1999).

The book "Sports and Athletes: Opposing Viewpoints" by San Diego-based publisher Greenhaven Press, written by Patricia L. Geadelmann in 1977, explores the subject of equality in sports for women.

Washington: American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, and Recreation. Jacob, Michael Paul. (1993). College women athletes' knowledge and perceptions of Title IX. Iowa: Iowa State University Press.

The book "Masculinities, Gender Relations, and Sport" was written by Messner, Michael A., McKay, Jim, and

Sabo,D. It was published in 2000 by Sage Publications in California. The movie "Prince-Blythewood", directed/written by Gina Prince-Blythewood and produced by S.Kitt and S.Lee can be found at www.movies.yahoo.com or you can visit the official NBA website at www.nba.com.

(2000). Love ; Basketball. [Motion Picture]. United States: New Line Cinema. www.wnba.com