The Absurdity of Women’s Sports Funding at UO
Here at the University of Oregon, the student body knows full-well that our sports teams are driven to be “above” us average students. Student-Athletes get all the craze most of the time, and sometimes I do get a little jealous, because who wouldn’t want all that special attention? As if you mean something to the university. They even have the JAQUA, for God’s sake. Now, it may be all sunshine and rainbows for all the Student-Athletes strolling around with their specially-made backpacks on their shoulders, but what if I told you some of them are just like us? Some of them are struggling financially because the university tells them they don’t draw big enough crowds to support them. Even though being a Student-Athlete makes it hard to find a balance between education and performing a sport that the university entrusted them to represent, some programs are unable to fully support their athletes’ needs. This ultimate decision as to where the money goes comes from the university’s athletic budget. UO’s high budget - thanks to sports - should be providing fair funding for all the programs. However, we know deep down this isn’t the case.
To be a woman is not easy. Woah, crazy statement, right? A woman’s favorite thing to talk about is the inequity that still exists between us and our male counterparts. We get it, men are supposed to rule the world. Thank you, patriarchy. But I’m not here to complain about how hard it is to be a woman. I’m here to raise awareness of an inequity that still manages to be a big problem today.
For those of you unfamiliar with Title IX, it’s essentially meant to enforce the prohibition of sex-based discrimination within school programs. In other words, no gender bias is allowed. This is most commonly an issue within athletics programs. Let’s take a look at the University of Oregon’s 2024 Athletic Operating Expenses, taken straight from goducks.com:
Now, I’m not here to argue whether it’s because women’s sports don’t draw the attention that men’s sports do, but let’s compare these operating expenses with the University of Iowa’s:
Of course, there are many factors in why different sports get more money than others, the main one being the revenue that each sport makes. If you don’t follow sports or live under a rock, the rising star of an Iowa basketball player named Caitlin Clark had something to do with the surge of investment in the women’s program during March Madness. When you invest in something, you are taking a risk. Iowa took this risk and showcased exactly why you should never count out women’s sports after making it to the final.
On December 1, 2023, 32 female athletes from the rowing and beach volleyball teams sued the university. As Arthur H. Bryant, attorney for the plaintiffs, explained, “Women are 49% of the student-athletes, but the school spends only 25% of its athletics dollars and 15% of its recruiting dollars on them.” Bryant also details, in The Daily Emerald, the claims of women's beach volleyball members not having opportunities for athletic scholarships in all its 10-year existence, having no proper facility, and having to practice at a public park while men’s sports tend to have better facilities, along with other claims that showcase the violation of Title IX. ESPN has also come out with an article on this lawsuit that describes the difficulty that undermined programs, such as the beach volleyball team, can cause, forcing these athletes to miss out on NIL opportunities. The university denies all allegations in this case.
So, what can we do as fans, students, and/or people who care? We can support our women’s sports teams by attending games and events, as well as just voicing support for equal opportunities. Student-Athletes are expected to spend their time being two things– a student and an athlete. College isn’t cheap. I’m already stressed about repaying my student loans. I couldn’t imagine barely having the support I needed to succeed while representing this university and expecting to have success in my academics too, but many students in women’s sports know all about that.
Let’s pretend we invested in women’s sports here at the University of Oregon, just as Iowa has for their women’s basketball team. The athletes are happy and treated fairly. The crowds begin to support the rise of women’s sports. Maybe we can pretend for a second that there never was a gender bias in society — that men are not thought to be stronger, faster, and more athletic than women. That the entertainment industry is not centralized around men. Because men simply do not rule the world.
I’m starting to think that the university is having a hard time realizing that more equal opportunities for women’s sports is not only a perfect way to step forward in gender equality but also a brilliant idea for the school in general. We all know the flashiness of the football team contributes to the athletes feeling special and performing better, so why can’t women have that? Why can we not invest the same time, energy, and money into the other half of the athletes who are receiving less than they are worth? But alas, this world is far too absurd to see any justice for women.
The University of Oregon has the power and responsibility to pave the way and embrace the investment of women in sports. How can we embody the brand of Nike that promotes equality, when we do not take part in this vision in its entirety?