Tennis Majors Prize Money

[Momenthai]

I've been reading a bit about this lately and Wimbledon is the only Major where the Men's winner still gets more prize money than the women's. The orgainsers are being pressurised to change the structure so that both winners receive equal prize money.

I think that the men should receive more because

1. They are better than the women.

2. They play five sets whereas the women play three.

If the women want equal pay they should enter the men's tournament and see how far they'd get.

Anyone else got an opinion on this or is it only football that get's discussed here?

[paulfr]

My feeling is the men should get more prize money, but this is just a feeling and since I am a man, it is probably/obviously biased.

To be fair, it should be based on value as measured by attendence revenues and tv/media viewing statistics which determine what the advertisers pay and thus the tv/media revenues. If they are the same, then the women should get the same amount.

[Rhys]

Tennis styles and stylist.. That is the key here .. Prize money.. any sponsor will find a cause.

The games are different..The women are nice to look at.. ala Anna K. and a few of the Swedes.

You see more strategy in games/points...BLAST AT YA.. and THANK YA can be boring..

Today's men's game is boring.. YEAH.. so you can hit a ball 200 miles an hour.. Good on you.

At times do you see bowling and tennis as an ultimate display of power.. The heavy thrower vs the spinner..

Marketing.. target populations.. and PR.... The promoters will do what they will to bring in the people.. But.. in Thailand..more tennis on TV would be nice. and not just on special ocassion when their top players loose, in such Thai ways...

[paulfr]

But.. in Thailand..more tennis on TV would be nice

??????

You must not have UBC cable.

The tennis coverage here in Bkk is outstanding. Nearly as good as what was available in San Francisco when I lived there 2 yrs ago.

Now if we had the tennis channel (it will be a while I am afraid) we would have 24/7 coverage.

But right now we have all the majors plus all the masters series events, fed cup, DCup and anytime Paradorn plays it is on Channel 7.

I think we are pretty lucky.

[chuchok]

Depends on who brings in the most dosh.It's a professional sport. I get pissed off with this equality BS.If a mens final brings in 20% more TV revenue than the shelias, then they should be paid accordingly.

[Momenthai]

fair point on the sponsorship but with the major's it might be difficult to calculate whether the sponsorship cash is coming in for the men's or the women's.

[Rhys]

Well I think a step in the right direction is to have more developmental tourneys.. Yet, can you blame the up and comming player who is playing in UBON for one ATP point.

Again it will be he elite who push this through.. and yes.. some "X" will want to make Thailand the HUB of Asian tennis.. Are we not yet the hub in Fashion...5555

Yet, China has emerged in that area..

On the rise..

[lomatopo]

A challenging issue. Three out of the four Grand Slam events (Australian Open, French Open and the U.S. Open) all give equal prize money, or at least equal for both the Men's and and Women's Singles champions. I think the U.S. Open was the first to do this, maybe as far back as 1995?

For Wimbledon this year the difference is 30,000 pounds, 655,000 (Men's Singles champion) vs. 625,000 (Women's Singles champion).

In the back of my heart I feel like the women should play five sets to earn equal pay, but can understand the reasons as the Women's game does draw a lot of viewers, some of whom are actually interested in tennis.

Edited April 26, 2006 by lomatopo

[chuchok]

fair point on the sponsorship but with the major's it might be difficult to calculate whether the sponsorship cash is coming in for the men's or the women's.

Most TV stations can tell you within 10% the number of people watching and the expected revenue.