Bridge the Gap: Using Advocacy to Bridge the Gender Wage Gap in Sports - A Comparative Analysis of Venus Williams and the US Women’s National Team

Author

William E. Mitchell, CUNY Bernard M Baruch CollegeFollow

Date of Award

Spring 6-1-2024

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Program of Study

Communication - Corporate Communication

Language

English

First Advisor

Stuart Davis

Abstract

For decades sports and activism have been synonymous. Many remember Jesse Owens and Tommie Smith’s Olympic protests, Mohammed Ali’s anti-war protest and Collin Kaepernick kneeling to bring attention to racial injustices. More recently many joined in celebration and applauded when the US Women’s National Team secured equal pay. However, many women in sports remain invisible. Activism is a viable form of seeking change, but can the route taken by Venus Williams work in team sports? This project will seek to examine if activism is a viable change agent in sports especially in closing the gender pay gap. While several female athletes in individual sports have started to bridge the pay gap between themselves and their male counterparts, women in team sports appear to have a more difficult time in breaking the glass ceiling.

The US Women’s National Soccer Team scored a goal for team sports on the micro scale, but soccer, and many other team sports continue to struggle to close the pay gap on the macro scale. Despite many of the most prominent examples being in individual sports, it is important to determine if activism can be effective on the large scale in team sports. Using a case study, athletes in an individual sport, tennis, and athletes in a team sport, soccer, were examined to analyze their use of advocacy to fight for gender equality. The researcher wanted to compare and contrast the approaches taken in different sports to map a pathway toward closing the gender wage gap. The comparative analysis found that similarities in public profile and savvy use of media proved vital in securing wins in the gender wage fight.

Recommended Citation

Mitchell, William E., "Bridge the Gap: Using Advocacy to Bridge the Gender Wage Gap in Sports - A Comparative Analysis of Venus Williams and the US Women’s National Team" (2024). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/bb_etds/191