Should wheelchair tennis players get paid the same in Grand Slams as men and women?

[wilco999]

If the argument women tennis players use which is they train as hard as men (ignoring sponsorship/viewing figures/standard of competition/demand etc) then should wheelchair players on that logic get equal prize money?

[MusicMayhem]

Nope, it all comes down to viewership and how much money they bring in. They don't have the same appeal as non wheelchair tennis players, just like womens tennis doesn't have the same appeal as mens tennis.

Ultimately, life doesn't treat everyone fairly. Highly skilled job candidates get looked over in favour of some doofus who knows someone in the company. Unattractive people with great personalities and who can bring many great attributes to a relationship will get nowhere near the attention (if any) and choice in dating that a hot person with a dud personality will.

But complaning won't achieve anything. You just have to make the best of what you've got and keep trying to maximise YOUR potential, not worry about others that have it better than you.

[Anonymous]

The ONLY factor that should matter in determining how much a sports figure should get paid is how much interest fans have in watching him/her play that sport, because that drives viewership, which drives how much advertisers can be charged.

So, clearly, neither women nor wheelchair players should get even remotely the same prize money as male tennis players.

[wilco999]

I'm in agreement with you totally, they may well train as hard but the market should dictate what they are worth

[Opinion Owner]

People who work in sales get paid based on results, not effort, and that's how it should be. Same principle applies in sports, which are essentially about sales, after all.

Anyone who argues otherwise is living in a fantasy world.

[PrincessProtection]

It’s not the sex or statusthat determines the payout it’s the sponsors and fans. Sponsors foot the bill and the fans show the demand - if there is no demand from the fans then the payout will be small, if demand for fans is high then payout will be larger because three will be more sponsor dollars.
That said, there’s a reason why many Men’s sports receive a higher payday than women.
It has nothign to do with how much work is put into it (quite frankly I believe women have had to work harder than men to achieve in this world), but who is watching. So sponsorship for most sports where the viewership is low, the payout will be low. And wheelchair athletes are damn impressive but unfortunately not many fans watch the events. Payouts won’t be the same

[wilco999]

Yeah but the point I was making is women tennis players believe they should get equal pay because they train as hard, there isn't the same demand for women's tennis and they know this its not even close so that's the argument they make. So therefore on that basis shouldn't someone make the same argument for the wheelchair players?

[PrincessProtection]

I was agreeing with the notion that the fans don’t support women’s sports as much as men—therefore since there isn’t as much fan support, there isn’t as much sponsors to pay or prize money or salaries. So we are in agreement there - I even said it has nothign to do with training and effort.
I’m not sure if men’s tennis draws higher ratings than women’s i would need to check that, but other sports it’s clearly a divide. For example, he US Women’s soccer team only draws higher ratings than the men during the World Cup (every four years), then they sink to low numbers the other three and the men’s team has ratings nearly double theirs. A case can’t realky be made for them when they peak every four years.

[wilco999]

We are in agreement, I believe it should be free-market, people get paid based on the demand. Rhonda Rousey was one of the highest paid athletes in UFC a few years back, nothing to do with "equality", just she created a lot of attention and many people paid to see her fight. Fair to say you don't then agree with Serena Williams saying women should be paid the same because they train as hard then?

[PrincessProtection]

Saying you should be paid as much since you train just as hard is silly in my opinion. Now I’m Serena’s case I’m not sure if the men are more popular or the women’s tour , so her argument may be valid but the point she made is not.
In a perfect society we would all be paid equally for doing the same job. Unfortunately we are far from perfect.

[MlleCake]

They are also men and women. In a perfect world, all professional athletes would have unlimited earning potential. Unfortunately, their earnings reflect what the market will bear to a great extent.

Para-sports simply don't attract the viewers and sponsors that other pro-sports do.

Should they be paid the same? Maybe, in a perfect world. But we live in a free-market economy and people vote with their dollars on what they like and don't like. I find para-sports ever more interesting to watch, personally.

My favorite footy club (soccoer) is a team called Albinos United that helps spread a message of acceptance for people with albinism in Africa.

[Anonymous]

In an ideal world, yes, or else that would seem to be discrimination based on disability. However, we live in a world that does not embrace wheelchair tennis to the same extent we do to able-bodied tennis of either gender. Less viewers of wheelchair tennis means that there will be less sponsorship, and accordingly, a lower pay to the players. It’s a harsh reality.

What you seem to have an issue with is the argument that women tennis players deserve an equal pay in comparison to their male counterparts. Both male and female tennis matches draw huge crowds and have many sponsors. What’s wrong with equalizing the pay gap?

[wilco999]

Because the viewership and demand for men's tennis is significantly higher. The reason women get paid the same for less sets is because tv does not demand 5-set women's matches in the scheduling. So therefore, based on your "harsh reality", women shouldn't get paid the same as men

[wilco999]

Serena Williams however believes they should because they train just as hard as men which is a fair comment. However, on that basis, wheelchair players should get the same. That's the question I was posing

[Opinion Owner]

It doesn’t matter. The demand for women’s tennis is at the same level with the demand for men’s tennis.

Also, just look at television in general. The olympics is broadcast on national television throughout the world. You would have to actively search for a provider to broadcast the Paralympic Games. The demand to see people with disabilities play just isn’t there.

[madhatters4]

no. because they don't bring in the ad revenue female or male tennis players bring in.

[hellionthesagereborn]

By that rational? Yes. The logic is of course flawed as you pointed out so women should not get paid the same as the men if they cannot also produce the same draw/sponsorships but yes by that reasoning minor league teams should be paid the same as major league, etc. etc.

[Jon_25]

Using that logic, yes of course.

Using the logic I would, they should be payed in proportion of their preformance. If men preform better than women and wheelchaired people, then pay them better. If they don't, then don't. Pay them for doing their job, as well as they do their job.

[0112358]

Obviously there is absolutely no link between how hard you work and how much you get paid across individuals. Working hard helps an individual maximize their potential.

Pay is based on money you bring in. Period. Men ranked 500 could blow women’s champions off the court and train as hard. They are paid less because nobody cares to watch them.

[Caaarl]

That's why transgender women absolutely trash girls in wrestling and UFC. It's gross.

[hahahmm]

Value is always subjective. The person with money tries to game you/play head games to get you to work for less money.

They can use justifications like revenue. Basically, if the wheelchair player has a good enough agent to make as much money as another player there’s nothing wrong with it.

Some rich business guy arguing against it will only be able to buy his 5th mansion this year instead of a 5th & 6th. Boo hoo.

[bente2]

No. They’re not watched as much so they don’t bring in as much money. That’s like saying someone playing in a self directed indie movie ahould get paid as much as the marvel stars.

[wilco999]

So Serena Williams' argument that women should be paid the same based on the fact they train as hard you think isn't valid?

[bente2]

No, I don’t think it is. How are we going to pay people with money that isn’t there? If you bring in less money, you get paid less. (But still a fair amount!)
Look at this link:
www.socceramerica.com/.../...-men-vs-us-women.html

I DO think, however, that they deserve more money than they are getting right now. Simply because I highly doubt that what they’re getting is the most they can get.

[Caaarl]

Of course not Serena couldn't even make the men's top 300.

Women's Olympic soccer teams have been blown out by teams of high school boys.

When it comes to physical prowess men are on a completely different level.

[bente2]

@Caaarl lol, tell that to the men making schwalbes because someone simply TOUCHED them. Don’t underestimate a woman.

[Caaarl]

@bente2 what are you even talking about?

A top 500 men's player blew out Serena while drunk and going easy. It's not an under-estimation.

[MagganM]

Do you think its not a workout to play tennis in a wheelchair? Personally i imagine that the disabled are working 2-10 times harder than the average person. So yes, I think should be paid, minimally, the same amount.

[Kaazsz]

Where does the money come from? Less people watch wheelchair tennis. So there is less money to be made. Does the government step in and take money from the most watched tennis league, and give it to the wheelchair tennis league?

[ZanyInternetName]

By the above logic, yes. However, I don't agree with the logic used by those female tennis players, so my answer is "not unless they pull in the same views."

[witherwing]

By that logic yes, but athletes are not payed by that logic, nor should they be.

[name_is_eric]

Crippled people are not meant to be athletes, not at least on the high level competitions.
Yes, you can be good and all that, but that chair is making it possible.

Imagine cripples wanting to participate in the olympics, in ancient Greece.

[Caaarl]

No, sports is all about pay for ratings. There's no way that a handicapped league would be as profitable so no.

[genericname85]

who's gonna pay the prize money dude? think about that. the prize money isn't payed from wellfare.

[wilco999]

Obviously if they would get equality the men and women would have to give up a share like the men did a few years back to get equality with the women

[genericname85]

equality doesn't work like that. equality means that if you're capable of doing the same work, you should not get payed less because you have boobs and a vagina.

if you can't do equal work, you won't get equal money. that's just how economy works. money isn't payed for sympathy or pity. money is payed for work.

so if "wheelchair" tennis can generate the same profit, as men and womens grand slams, then yeah of course they should be payed the same but i hardly believe that they do make the same profits.

[wilco999]

They don't but womens tennis viewership is significantly below men's and yet they argue they should get the same pay. If there logic is used, wheelchair players should get the same too

[genericname85]

oh ok well their argument is bullshit. on the freaking market you don't get to decide how much you're gonna be payed. the customer decides if he wants to pay the price or not, not you.

[Bandit74]

Sure... if they generate the same amount of revenue.

[shreejan]

Yes actually even more but they r disabled physically but their mind is still strong and they r playing

[LazurusArcadius]

No it depends on what sport and how popular it is. More viewers means more income

[Anonymous]

No because the reason why red professional tennis players get paid what they do is cuz people come to watch them play

[Desuyonee]

they should play tennis with my bennis

[Slim57]

Of course they should

[Catholicgirl22]

Yes they should

[Nachowedgie]

Nope