No, we’re not going to talk anatomy. This is not a biology lesson. But it is essential to the discussion on many sports pages these days. A recent headline asks “why can’t the NCAA get the women’s tournament right?” Referring to a number of issues, the most obvious is the difference in training facilities for the basketball tournament. Again, the ugly head of money dominates the scene. Ask yourself “when did you last watch a women’s NCAA basketball tournament game?” OK, you get the picture. Advertisers know that; networks know that; schools know that. When millions more viewers watch the men play and the money flows down through networks to schools to investment in facilities, the women are woefully ignored. Reality bites!!! Is it fair? No, but will it ever change…NO. The business model that supports amateur sports on TV is very simple. The more ad money brought in—the more money is shared–and the more money is re-invested in the teams that start the whole process. If you look around to other sports (golf, pro basketball, etc.) you’ll find it to be a universally recognized failure. Some people are more equal than others. More on this on future posts.
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