I don’t want to come across as a male chauvinist. I am all
for women playing sports.
But Martha Burk, the National Council of Women’s
Organizations, and the WNBA players union need to chill.
On the heels of Title IX discussions last week, Burk, the
chairperson of the NCWO, announced her support for the WNBA players
in labor talks that may result in a strike.
Burk’s support may sound like a good thing. But the league
economics of the WNBA right now are horrendous. Two teams, the
Orlando Miracle and the Miami Sol, have folded.
The Utah Starzz (note the extra “˜z’) are moving to
San Antonio to become the Silver Stars.
On a side note, the Starzz moving is horrible. At least keep the
team name. I like to make fun of it, pronounce it using the extra
“˜z’, while adding a few of my own.
Say it with me: Starzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
The extra “˜z’s represent the snoring fans of
course.
According to ESPN.com, some teams are losing $1 million; even
more troubling considering revenue totals are around $2-3
million.
Despite all of this, the WNBA players’ union is still
demanding more from the league. It wants more money, even though
the league doesn’t have much revenue.
It’s not like the players are poor or anything. On
average, they make $46,000 per year despite playing a season that
lasts just three months.
Granted, NBA players make a lot more. But they generate a lot
more revenue and have more fans.
In fact, the only reason the WNBA exists at all is because of
the kindness of the NBA.
In an act of either financial generosity or political
correctness, NBA owners own every WNBA team, save the Connecticut
Sun.
In the NBA’s latest television contract with ABC and ESPN,
it forced the networks to show WNBA games as part of the deal.
The WNBA is basically a pork barrel project of the NBA.
Despite all that has been given to WNBA players, Burk and the
NCWO support the players’ union.
Are they blind?
Can’t they see the bottom line?
Burk also is the driving force in the controversy at the Augusta
National Golf Club, home of the Masters, the most prestigious
tournament in golf.
Augusta does not currently have any female members. This may or
may not be a problem, but since it is a private club, it’s up
to the members of Augusta National if they want to accept any
women.
It’s not as though just anyone can be a member at Augusta.
Bill Gates, the richest man in the country, applied and was
denied.
Still, Burk tried to get advertisers to ban the most
widely-watched golf tournament in the world.
Augusta National retaliated by announcing that the tournament
would be free of commercials, and paid the difference to CBS.
Burk and the NCWO then went to CBS, to try to get the network
not to televise the Masters.
If CBS didn’t televise the Masters, every other major
network would line up to take it. Why would CBS give it away?
Burk and the NCWO need to accept that women’s professional
sports won’t immediately be as big as men’s sports.
Men’s sports didn’t become successful overnight,
either.
Up until the 1970s, baseball players had to work jobs over the
winter to make a living.
The Arena Football League, in existence for 10 years, is only
now getting national exposure.
Yet Burk and the NCWO feel that women’s sports should
become as big as men’s right away.
Without the fans, ratings and revenue, how so?
The Stat Geek is still bitter that Title IX cost him a spot on
the UCLA baseball team. E-mail him at gquinonez@media.ucla.edu.