• Loading stock data...
Friday, May 9, 2025
Join us May 14 at 1 p.m. ET for Future of Sports: Leagues of Their Own Register Now

A Vicious Cycle

  • Valuations from multiple companies suggest that women’s sports athletes will cash in when NIL rules take effect.
  • But the question remains: Will brands pay them what they’re actually worth?
Photo: Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY/Design: Alex Brooks

Valuations from multiple companies suggest that women’s sports athletes will cash in when NIL rules take effect: Some volleyball players, basketball players, and gymnasts could make more than $100,000 annually.

But the question remains: Will brands pay them what they’re actually worth?

Not So ‘Simple Math’

Ryerson University sports business expert Katie Lebel explained to FOS how the gender pay gap was caused by the lack of investment in professional women’s sports, rather than a lack of interest.

“In the traditional sports business model, money is invested into sport to increase the quality, which then increases the media [and] sponsorship demands,” Lebel said. “Which sees more money invested into the sport and further enhancements to the quality of sport production, which leads to increased audiences and increases in sponsorship demands.”

Without the investment and resources afforded to men’s sports, women’s sports revenue can’t grow — so neither can salaries, media rights, and sponsorships. 

“Critics will argue that the pay gap in professional sport is simple math,” Lebel said. “Men’s sports generate greater revenue, therefore male athletes have more lucrative salaries.”

But that ignores the “context” of this unfair cycle. “I argue the most significant factors to the pay gap are tied to the inequities around marketing and promotional resources,” Lebel said.

Different Level, Same Story

If this story sounds familiar, that’s because it’s the same saga as women’s college sports, from basketball to volleyball to softball

Right now, NIL projections for women’s sports athletes are promising. But some valuations would be higher if they weren’t based on existing college sports revenues, which already undervalue women’s sports, University of Pennsylvania college sports finance expert Karen Weaver recently wrote in Forbes

And even if valuations are high, history shows that there’s no guarantee brands will pay these athletes what the market says they’re worth.

“Women’s sports have been underfunded at every turn in the road and expected to do more with less,” Lebel said.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

President Donald Trump shakes hands with legendary Alabama football coach Nick Saban before delivering a special commencement address to University of Alabama graduates at Coleman Coliseum on May 1, 2025. Graduation occurs over the weekend.

What Could Trump’s Commission on College Sports Accomplish?

An executive order could be vulnerable to lawsuits, one source said.
Football

Big Ten Beating SEC in Race to $1 Billion in Revenue

The Big Ten is winning the revenue battle, reporting $928 million in 2023–24.
Milwaukee Brewers Hot Dog Club promotion

Brewers Undo Sales Tax on ‘Free’ Hot Dog Promotion

At least one fan was outraged by a surprise charge.

Featured Today

Fat Perez reacts after hitting his shot on the 16th tee during the WHOOP Shot at Glory on the 16th hole at TPC in Scottsdale on Feb. 5, 2025.

Golf Influencers Are the New Currency for PGA Tour and LIV

YouTube golf is big business. The rival tours are staging formal events.
Feb 8, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks assistant coach Rick Brunson talks with New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11), forward Mikal Bridges (25), and guard Josh Hart (3) during a timeout in the third quarter against the Boston Celtics at Madison Square Garden.
May 6, 2025

Before the Villanova Knicks, There Were the Kentucky Celtics

Three decades ago, Boston tried its own version of the college-teammate experiment.
Mar 22, 2025; Miami, FL, USA; Joao Fonseca (BRZ) reacts after winning a point against Ugo Humbert (FRA)(not pictured) on day five of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium.
May 6, 2025

João Fonseca Is a Teen Tennis Phenom. His Parents Are Overseeing His..

The Brazilian is forgoing a management team in favor of his parents.
Athlos
May 4, 2025

Nike Wants to Pull Off the First Women’s Sub-4:00 Mile

Experts speak on whether Nike’s “moonshot” is realistic or a gimmick.

Big 12 Re-Ups With Brett Yormark As Chaos Reshapes College Sports

Yormark is unafraid to lean in to the professionalization of college sports.
Shaquille O'Neal
April 28, 2025

Shaq Taking GM Role at Sacramento State

The news comes amid the school’s push for FBS status.
NCAA Football: Oregon State at California
April 29, 2025

Pac-12 Gets One-Year Test-Run Media Deal Before Expansion

It’s the next step in the league’s rebuild.
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

Portfolio Players is our bi-weekly spotlight on the athletes and investors reshaping the business of sports. This week, venture capitalist Kai Cunningham unpacks why athletes land top deals and how the usual investing rules don’t always apply.
April 28, 2025

Quinn Ewers Bet on NFL Over NIL—and Left Millions on the Table

The Dolphins picked Ewers in the seventh round of the NFL Draft.
Mar 28, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Lamont Butler (1) dribbles the ball against the Tennessee Volunteers in the first half during a Midwest Regional semifinal of the 2025 NCAA tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium.
April 25, 2025

College Sports Has Become a Billion-Dollar Business. Kentucky Is Embracing It

Kentucky said its LLC would operate similarly to two hospitals run by the university.
Ole Miss
April 24, 2025

Coach Yo: Women’s College Hoops Are ‘Pay for Play’

Ole Miss coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin built a top transfer class this offseason.
Jan 21, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; College Football Playoff executive director Rich Clark speaks during the CFP National Championship Host Committee handoff press conference at The Westin Peachtree Plaza, Savannah Ballroom.
April 24, 2025

CFP Meetings End With No Major Changes to 12-Team Playoff—for Now

For now, the complicated seeding process will remain in place.