Prize Money Parity And 5 Set Matches In Womens Tennis.

[barney15c]

I have just watched an interview with Serena Williams regarding prize money parity for Female sportswomen (not just Tennis). There is parity in the Grand Slam Tennis Events but a disparity in other Women's Tennis Tournaments. I think the perception is that virtually all Tournaments in women's tennis are best of 3 sets and that are not the value of a men's best of 5 set match.
With the advances in training and diet etc and dispell the myth that women are the weaker sex and they are just as capable of putting in a performance like their fellow male competitors is there not a good reason to make the women's game 5 sets too and then there would be no excuse for them to be paid equal prize money?

[Cloverjo]

I see the point, but you could make an argument for other sports, such as 10,000 metre runners should get more appearance fee money than 100 metre runners as they do more work on the day that people are watching.
The game is best of 3 for women and best of 5 for men, and women should get paid the same as men.
I agree that men's tennis is more exciting to watch, and men's final day tickets are more expensive than the women's, but it's fair to pay them the same.

[ChillDoubt]

IMHO they should not be paid the same. After all, they're athletes so by their very nature they need to put bums on seats i.e. be crowd - pullers.
When they draw the same audience as the men then yes, they deserve parity.

A similar experiment to women playing 5 sets was tried in golf a few years back when Michelle Wie applied for and gained a PGA tour card.
If memory serves, she failed to make the cut in 14 of 15 tournaments and the one she did make she subsequently finished last.

It's never been mooted since!

[Butterbun]

Coaching fees cost the same, hotel bills cost the same, equipment and clothes costs a lot,agents fees, airfares and taxicabs costs the same. These things don't come any cheaper for females so yes, they should get paid the same. They have the same outgoing expenses as the men.

[Cloverjo]

Oh no, another miss for Somerset. :((

[Cloverjo]

Wrong thread. Sorry