While there are times when our major sporting codes are in competition with each other for fans, sponsorship dollars and media attention, for the most part, I believe that our codes have an opportunity to work together, learn from each other and share ideas to benefit the sports-loving Australian public.
When our codes come together on an issue, it is exceptionally powerful. There was a good example of that this week when 17 of Australia’s leading sporting organisations came together to release a plan about working towards equal pay for elite female athletes.
The initiative is called the ‘Pathway to Pay Equality’ and was developed by the Male Champions of Change in Sport group, a group of men who use their individual and collective leadership to elevate gender equality as an issue of national and international social and economic importance.
The group was established by former Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick and features some heavy hitters in the Australian community.
According to the report released earlier this week, there are three key steps in defining pay equity:
1. Differentiating between payments within a sport’s control and those outside it
2. Being clear on the types of work that athletes perform (training, media et cetera)
3. Working out how much athletes should be compensated for the various types of work identified above.
Some of the sporting leaders taking part on behalf of their organisations were CEO of the NRL Todd Greenberg, FFA chief executive David Gallop, CEO of Rugby Australia Raelene Castle, CEO of Sport Australia Kate Palmer and CEO of Cricket Australia Kevin Roberts.
A notable omission is of course, CEO of the AFL, Gillon McLachlan, but the AFL was not left underrepresented with the CEOs of Collingwood, Geelong, St Kilda, Richmond and Carlton all in attendance.
(Photo: MAtt King/Getty Images)
For each of these leaders, they have committed to reporting annually on their performance over the next five years so that they are held accountable and that progress is pushed for.
And to those who think it can’t be done, you only need to look at the positive examples that other sports have set such as tennis and surfing. Additionally, we saw the Australian Women’s Cricket Team included in the latest CBA for the first time in 2017 – this agreement included (and introduced) an equal rate of pay for male and female elite cricketers.
Pay equality is not something that will be achieved overnight, but by each sport committing to holding themselves accountable, I am sure that we will see progress begin to be made in this field.
One criticism that is frequently levelled at women’s sport is that the quality is not as good as the men’s.
For me, this misses the point on several fronts.
First of all, men’s sport and women’s sport are fundamentally different – men and women play the same sports differently and no matter how far women’s sport progresses, it will always look different from the men’s version of the game. In some cases, this makes women’s sport more entertaining.
For example, in the T20 format of the game, while men can rely on power to hit boundaries, in most cases women need to be more strategic in their shots to find the boundary. In rugby league, the women’s game is more free-flowing and less structured than the men’s, which can also be refreshing for plenty of fans.
But additionally, how can we possibly expect men’s sport and women’s sport to look the same, when for our high-profile men’s leagues, the males are professional which means it is their job to train, compete and play for their club full time?
Most women do not have this luxury, instead juggling the sport that they love with family duties, study or work to supplement their incomes.
This investment into equal pay for elite female athletes is a smart one and will ensure the quality of women’s sport continues to go from strength to strength.
Over the last five years, the improvement in skill level in the WBBL has been obvious. Also, it’s no surprise that New South Wales have been so dominant in the competition given the professionalisation of women’s cricket in the state which was largely pushed by former Cricket NSW CEO Andrew Jones.
This professionalisation saw the NSW Lendlease Breakers become Australia’s first female professional domestic sporting team and has also contributed to their ongoing success (this team has appeared in the WNCL grand final 23 times consecutive times and won their 20th title a few weeks ago).
The Australian public continues to show interest in women’s sport. The WBBL final was stand alone for the first time this year and sold out. Fans marvelled at the quality of the NRLW last year. The WNBL is back on television and we have established competitions in the AFLW and Super W.
This investment in equality of pay is the next piece of the puzzle and is essential if we want to continue to see women’s sport grow and prosper.
Spanner
Roar Rookie
It almost is, Homer's boy, it almost is !
Spanner
Roar Rookie
Your silence is deafening Mary !
Bobbo7
Guest
Batters is just wrong. Batsperson, batsman or batswoman is fine.
Bobbo7
Guest
Actually, I'm in a busted arse band... viva revolution!!! Bono, hand over the loot! Only difference between us and U2 is talent, a record contract, 100 million album sales and about 30 million concert ticket sales. Apart from that, same.
dsylexic
Roar Rookie
actually, it is good for all of us that a few hemsworth,biebers earn a lot of money, but a few million school teachers dont earn as much. imagine if the teachers earned as much as hemsworth. what would that do to our schools?nobody would be able to afford it. we should be thankful that essential services can be provided by many more people at cheaper prices while mere fripperies of song and dance is limited to just a couple of people in the country. we have our priorities set correct.
dsylexic
Roar Rookie
rhonda rousey earns more than other male mixed martial arts players. because she brings in the moolah.
bobbo7
Guest
Very big call Peter. Perry is no doubt several classes above most of the others and great to watch. However, upping the pace by 25km or so may make a big difference there. The fact is there are very few male elite batsmen - there are some good ones but at the top level here are only a handful of truly great players who can face that type of pace and average over 50. You watch Kolhi, Williamson, Smith, Root, AB de Villiers and there is a big gulf between them and the average international player.
bobbo7
Guest
The money comes from the audience and to date women's cricket and AFL has limited appeal. I watched the AFLW yesterday and the cricket and to be honest I was a bit like watching park sport. Rank full tosses getting wickets, catches flying through hands etc. No doubt the players are playing their hearts out but the overall skill level is average. Some like Perry are clearly a cut above the rest and she is great to watch. The level will improve with time but the jury is out as to whether there is a real audience out here. The codes need to pump the money into early development so that in 10 years time the level we see on TV is much better - that will take time. The fact is there have limited time to watch sport. There is only so much sport one can watch and given that you want to watch the best. That is the biggest issue facing the genuine commercial future of women's sport - there is a limit audience with limited time and there is better product out there. And yes, the size of sixes and power of the pace of bowling matters - you want to see the big hits but you also want to see a quick bowler firing rockets at a struggling batsmen - it is part of the drama. International sportswomen should earn a decent wage - so they can get ahead and train properly. But unless the sport can generate its own income it is hard to see this ever being a commercial reality. Once the level improves, and no doubt it will maybe the audience will grow.
Bobbo7
Guest
Yes, the speed and power matters - watching balls flying at heads in a tough test match is part of the drama. You also want to see the biggest sixes. The other big issue here is there is too much sport to consume - given that people are generally going to watch the best sport - that is where reality hits. Due to strength etc, men's sport is generally better to watch.
Jacko
Guest
Can usain Bolt play Soccer?....peter that proves the point that if you are being paid because of talant, no one deserves equal pay right there......Did Bold deserve what Messi is being paid? There is better and worse everywhere...Hence there is better and worse rates of pay...
dan ced
Guest
Exactly, equality does not mean equity. Equality makes sense. Percentage of revenue should be the same. Equal pay is a stupid idea for all the reasons set out in these comments.
slobba
Roar Rookie
Until Women's sport can generate an equal income pay equality can never fully happen. Sport is now 2 things Entertainment and Business, and for better or worse that is how they are run. Entertainers are paid what their popularity dictates the same as sportspeople. Not too many people seem to mind that Julia Roberts is paid more than her male co stars, but carry on like PORK CHOPS if Female athletes aren't on equal pay. Why does the Female Winner of a Grand Slam tennis tournament get paid the same as the Male champ and play only 3 set matches? Is this equality? It is great that Women's sport is getting more Media exposure, as well as generating interest and more importantly income, so that in the future Athletes are able to earn higher wages.
Michael Keeffe
Roar Guru
It all comes down to the ability to generate revenue. Women should absolutely receive an equal share of the revenue they create. E.g. If men are paid 30% of revenue they generate, women should also be paid 30% of revenue they generate. Interestingly women's cricket and AFL regularly outrates men's A-League and Super Rugby in terms of tv audience. So their should be a decent level of pay for women cricketers and AFL players. And when a women's game is just starting out I have no problem with revenue from the men's game supporting the competition to pay the women full time so then as professionals the standard of the game will rise significantly.
Peter Warrington
Guest
go, you got me. You'll make your call on a few overs of hot and giggle on a seamer's track you should get some of your 3rd graders into the Australian team. did you see the bit about equal opportunity? no, because your eyes are as bad as Healy's.
Peter Warrington
Guest
I think you should have a go.
Peter Warrington
Guest
Oh shit I have sleepwalked from Marrickville straight into some great Leftist trap. Who will free me from the entrapment of falsehood? The lies, the propaganda, thank god salvation is coming in the form of empirical truth and non-lefty non-propaganda. Don't know when but salvation's a coming? Can you explain how being faster, taller, stronger, how this translates to being forever better at ALL aspects of cricket? Did you see Jo Angel? Can Usain Bolt play soccer? Do you understand technique, that McGrath was 3 times the bowler the faster Brett Lee was, that it still only counts for 4 if it goes 65m or 165m? Do you doubt Elysse Perry can throw harder than Usman Khawaja? Does that impress you? Depress you? If you try hard enough I am sure it can repress you. Your attempt to bully the board says everything that needs to be said. Wow. That's all I'm left with. Wow. Go you!
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Ian Healy and Brad Haddin both. I plead just comin back from India.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I love the fairytale that says because women don’t have the power they are therefore they more adept at placement. What a delusional thing to say. A Greg Chappell leg glance? A David Gower cover drive? Darren Lehman ‘touching’ a spinner to anywhere. A Ian Haddin making runs without smashing the ball? —- I’ve seen it. Writers that say fairytales, like this, need to open their eyes. And, dare l say, their attitude.
Ben
Roar Guru
*earn
Homers Son
Guest
Mary gets instructed to write these little divisive cherubs, and being an obedient little puppet , and having gained her position through conforming , she of course agrees to do so. That’s the way grubby lefty empires operate.