WNBPA's New Initiative Targets Gender Pay Gap
September 3, 2021
The WNBA Players Association (WNBPA) recently unveiled a new strategy to address the wage gap between male and female athletes and increase investment in women's sports. As part of the initiative, the WNBPA have signed on to a multi-year partnership with Parity, a one-year-old platform created to align professional women athletes with corporate sponsorship opportunities.
The multi-year partnership was announced on Women’s Equality Day, celebrated by the US on August 26, and will provide players the opportunity to quickly and seamlessly join the Parity online community of over 600 athletes across 40 sports and a growing list of brands. Parity merges sports and technology in an effort to eradicate the gender gap issue in sports.
Investment and sponsorship opportunities have historically been overlooked in women's sport, with only 0.4% of total sports sponsorship devoted to women's sports and athletes. For every dollar a company invests in endorsement deals for men's sports, less than half a penny goes to the women's game.
Parity is focused on changing this, having attracted major brands including Microsoft, Morgan Stanley, Strava and Thule, among others — as well as countless smaller, more local companies eager to invest in women's sports.
Los Angeles Sparks star Nneka Ogwumike, who serves as the WNBPA’s President and brokered the deal to benefit "all the women nonbinary WNBA players", says the partnership will be instrumental in moving towards women’s equality. "Pay equity has always been a point of emphasis for us when we're advocating, not just for ourselves, but for women in the workplace," said Ogwumike.
“Talking about supporting women is easy, but doing it takes another level of perspective and awareness,” she said in a statement. “For a lot of players that may not necessarily be first in line to get the big deal or the ones who are considered more mid-level market players, this is a perfect way to ensure that everyone is valued. That’s certainly something that I was happy about when I was in discussions with Parity.”
Ogwumike assumed the WNBPA presidency in 2016 and led the union's effort to score a landmark collective bargaining agreement with the WNBA in 2020 — which increased player salaries, ensured paid maternity leave, and improved marketing and travel for the league.
"The value that players of the WNBPA bring to brands through their authentic and powerful connections to their fans is a largely untapped resource," said Parity co-CEO Minji Ro, who formerly served as commissioner of the New York City Gay Basketball League and a VP at Goldman Sachs. "We understand that these women are elite athletes, powerful advocates and leaders in their communities. We hope to help move the needle for a more equitable revenue stream and an even higher profile."
The WNBA is a Founding Supporter of Beyond Sport.
Source: Insider