Women's Pay

[kruddler]

Also, why is the length of the competition, be it tennis or football relevant?

Surely it is the commercial aspects that determine the finances. I bet Victoria Secret models earn more than whatever the male equivalent do, why? Because they also bring in more money for their brand.

Why is it relevent? Because its sports.

Victoria secret models? Really?? WHy not shoot straight to 'ladies of the night'?!  :

[kruddler]

I chose the rookie as the lowest paid player on an AFL list. The lowest paid player in the AFL is earning more than double the proposed figure of the highest paid womens player, and over 11 times more than the regular draftees.

Even with your argument of the women only doing a 6 month season compared to the men doing 10, that still doesn't add up. And $5000 for 6 months work, that's absurd. I know that the women will have added flexibility to work on top of playing, but their options will be limited given they'll need to find a job to fit around their training and travel commitments for half of the year.

I don't agree with the argument of equal pay for equal play when it isn't the players dictating how long their season is. I have no doubt that all of these players would make the same commitment in terms of time as the men if given that option. I dare say most of the players will also play for their regular clubs throughout winter also (for no monetary return).

As for Wimbledon, I agree in part to what you're saying, however I don't think the women should be paid less, simply they should play 5 sets also.

As i said, i agree the money is a bit stiff, but nobody is forcing them to take it. They are not slaves and are making a choice of their own free will.

They are doing so knowing they are likely to earn more in the future.

Don't forget it was in our lifetime that the men had to have a job outside of football to support themselves.

[mateinone]

Why is it relevent? Because its sports.

Victoria secret models? Really?? WHy not shoot straight to 'ladies of the night'?!  :

Because they are elite at their profession and train like hell to get those roles in an extremely competitive world.
I chose a field that is competitive and mainly women are paid much more than men.

In no way whatsoever was it derogatory to women or a suggestion that it was what women should do or anything.
I honestly completely respect what most of those women have to do to be at the top of their game there as well as an aside.

It doesn't matter if sports or not Kruddler, Ultra Marathon runners train an incredible number of hours as to open water marathon swimmers.
It doesn't translate to dollars even for the elite as their is not enough interest to generate the sponsorship and income.

Twenty 20 cricket brings in more money than any other form, there isn't an argument that players should get paid more for 50 over cricket is there?
The public interest is what should determine the money.

Being elite alone doesn't ask many Olympic athletes.

[LP]

Can you imagine the outcry if a player like Cripps wanted to play professional cricket as well as AFL and was hit on the head by a bouncer ending his football career?

While I'm all for equality, it comes at a price that some of the girls seem reluctant to pay.

Having signed contracts that require them to focus on their chosen professional commitment some are now having difficulty accepting that if you are an AFLW, FA or BBL professional you cannot also be a professional in a second sport. They seem parallised by the need to make a choice, but that is not the sport's problem it's the sportsperson's problem!

If you are a male that is accepted, why should professional women's sport be any different, why is anyone even posing this question?

I find this demoralising, because I am an advocate for women's sport but it seems to be a common thread that some on the women's side of sport want to have their cake and eat it as well. All want to be recognised as professional, on professional money with a professional profile, but some want to retain their amateur freedoms.

Not matter what sex you are, if you make yourself difficult to deal with your opportunities will be limited. Your professional worth is affected by your personal choices.

[DJC]

The AFLW has carefully structured the season to allow professional basketballers, athletes, soccer players, cricketers, etc to continue with their primary sport.  For example, I heard Kim Mickle explain how the footy season would finish in time for her to return to athletics training in a bid to get to the next Commonwealth Games (she will be a one season player, unless her athletics career falters).

AFLW contracts allow for termination if players are injured playing their other sport.

If or perhaps when the AFL becomes a fulltime occupation, it would be appropriate to require players to focus entirely on footy.  Until then, female footballers should be free to devote time to their other sports.

[madbluboy]

The AFLW has carefully structured the season to allow professional basketballers, athletes, soccer players, cricketers, etc to continue with their primary sport.  For example, I heard Kim Mickle explain how the footy season would finish in time for her to return to athletics training in a bid to get to the next Commonwealth Games (she will be a one season player, unless her athletics career falters).

AFLW contracts allow for termination if players are injured playing their other sport.

If or perhaps when the AFL becomes a fulltime occupation, it would be appropriate to require players to focus entirely on footy.  Until then, female footballers should be free to devote time to their other sports.

This

[LP]

If or perhaps when the AFL becomes a fulltime occupation, it would be appropriate to require players to focus entirely on footy.  Until then, female footballers should be free to devote time to their other sports.

Have I confused this situation, I wasn't referring to amateur sport like athletics.

This isn't just an AFLW driven issue, although the AFLW may be the cause due to the way the contracts are written.

It seems the other professional sports, BBL, FA, Netball, Basketball, Rugby are requiring players to sign waivers excluding them from playing or training in the AFLW at the same time they are employed as professionals in the other sport.

But it seems entirely fair to me that most sports are seasonal regardless of whether they are professional or not, and that the off-season of a professional sportsperson doesn't allow you to be professional in another sport.

There are some weasel words floating around in this regard, with AFLW being touted as "semi-professional" in one context and "professional" in another. The other sports seem to be taking the position that professional is professional, even if they pay less than the AFLW.

This reminds me of Ellyse Perry situation a couple of years back.

Surely they have to make a choice!

If I as a supporter, or as a sponsor, put money into the AFLW, I do not expect that money to subsidise the players participation in another sport. I gather the other sports think that way as well.

[DJC]

Have I confused this situation, I wasn't referring to amateur sport like athletics.

This isn't just an AFLW driven issue, although the AFLW may be the cause due to the way the contracts are written.

It seems the other professional sports, BBL, FA, Netball, Basketball, Rugby are requiring players to sign waivers excluding them from playing or training in the AFLW at the same time they are employed as professionals in the other sport.

But it seems entirely fair to me that most sports are seasonal regardless of whether they are professional or not, and that the off-season of a professional sportsperson doesn't allow you to be professional in another sport.

There are some weasel words floating around in this regard, with AFLW being touted as "semi-professional" in one context and "professional" in another. The other sports seem to be taking the position that professional is professional, even if they pay less than the AFLW.

This reminds me of Ellyse Perry situation a couple of years back.

Surely they have to make a choice!

If I as a supporter, or as a sponsor, put money into the AFLW, I do not expect that money to subsidise the players participation in another sport. I gather the other sports think that way as well.

Only when the two sports' requirements are incompatible.

I'm not sure that athletics is amateur anymore, at the elite levels anyway.  Kim Mickle implied that she would be remunerated for her athletics preparation but was looking forward to being paid to play footy.

If I remember the Ellyse Perry situation correctly, she ended up playing soccer for a club that could see the benefits of having her on board when she wasn't playing cricket.

I think that for the majority of AFLW players, footy is their second sport and many will drop out after a season or two.  If it does develop (as I think it will), it will become increasingly difficult to combine it with another sport.  I suspect the AFL realises that the AFLW will have to play second fiddle to other sports until such time as it becomes financially viable for women to focus solely on footy.

I remember reading that the coach of the Adelaide Breakers encouraged team members to put their hands up for the AFLW because he thought it would help their basketball.