NCAA Releases Progress Report on Basketball Gender Equity

On Wednesday, the NCAA released a progress report on gender equity improvements between the Division I men’s and women’s basketball tournaments completed by an outside auditing firm.

The report showed that while the governing body has made some cosmetic improvements, the structural changes that could ensure long-term equity are either still under consideration or have been rejected. The findings are in line with Front Office Sports’ previous reporting on the subject.

The report also revealed budget information that the NCAA previously declined to provide to FOS.

• Between 2019-2022, the NCAA increased the women’s basketball expense budget by about 30.7%, or $6.3 million — with $6.1 million related to equity enhancements.
• Though the budget totals aren’t finalized yet, the number suggests the overall women’s budget could be around $26.8 million.
• The overall men’s budget could be around $57.3 million, 213% and $30.5 million more than the women’s.
• However, the women’s tournament is cheaper to put on, given its travel structure.

The NCAA is working on or considering several structural recommendations made by the Kaplan report that would increase the revenue women’s hoops generates — the main way to ensure the game can grow and be equitable in the future.

It says it is “in the process” of renegotiating a vastly unequal corporate sponsorship agreement. It has “contracted a third party expert to gather information and assist with assessments for decision making related to this recommendation.” It is also considering selling women’s basketball as a standalone media product. 

The women’s championship alone could be worth more than $81 million annually in 2025, but it’s currently bundled with 28 other championships for $34 million.

The NCAA is also considering how gender equity can be considered part of revenue distribution. For example, the men’s tournament has a performance rewards fund currently, while the women’s doesn’t. 

Finally, the governing body is considering hiring a chief business officer — a recommendation several federal lawmakers specifically favored.

The NCAA has decided against two major recommendations made by the Kaplan report. It is not changing certain aspects of the NCAA leadership structure (i.e. that the women’s basketball VP would no longer report to the men’s basketball VP, but that they would be on an equal plane).

The NCAA has also previously announced that it declined to put the Final Fours in the same city — a key recommendation made by the Kaplan report, even though it was controversial among the women’s basketball community. 

As FOS previously reported, there are a number of potential benefits and drawbacks of hosting men’s and women’s championships together.

“The findings of this assessment illustrate our commitment to advance gender equity at NCAA championships,” president Mark Emmert said in a statement. But he acknowledged, “the work is not finished.”