U.S. Open winning prize - Equality?

[batakdepores]

There has been many talks about trying to make women earning the same as men, including on Grand Slam.

In upcoming 2009 U.S. Open: Both the men’s and women’s US Open singles champions will earn a record $1.6 million with the ability to earn an additional $1 million in bonus prize money (for a total $2.6 million potential payout) based on their performances in the Olympus US Open Series. In addition, both US Open singles champions will receive a new 2010 Lexus IS Convertible.

Do you see a major false sense of equality there? Women will get the same amount as men? That doesn't make any sense! Has any pro protest about this?

 

[nfor304]

the USOpen has given equal prize money for many a year. Since the 80's I think.... it was the first of the Grand slams to do so.

And yes there have been pro's stating they dont agree with it. Too many to mention.

 

[woodrow1029]

There has been many talks about trying to make women earning the same as men, including on Grand Slam.

In upcoming 2009 U.S. Open: Both the men’s and women’s US Open singles champions will earn a record $1.6 million with the ability to earn an additional $1 million in bonus prize money (for a total $2.6 million potential payout) based on their performances in the Olympus US Open Series. In addition, both US Open singles champions will receive a new 2010 Lexus IS Convertible.

Do you see a major false sense of equality there? Women will get the same amount as men? That doesn't make any sense! Has any pro protest about this?

There is a search feature on this forum, and dozens of threads about this. And equal prize money, as stated earlier, is definitely not new news at the US Open.

 

[Grass_for_cows]

There has been many talks about trying to make women earning the same as men, including on Grand Slam.

This is news to me. And no it doesn't make any sense.

 

[darrinbaker00]

the USOpen has given equal prize money for many a year. Since the 80's I think.... it was the first of the Grand slams to do so.

And yes there have been pro's stating they dont agree with it. Too many to mention.

Actually, it was 1973.

 

[scineram]

Just get over it.

 

[ollinger]

It's simply good business for a tournament that probably has revenues over 100 million dollars to spend a few hundred thousand to avoid controversy, which keeps the sponsors happy.
I'm surprised that this lame thread topic always reappears but I don't recall seeing complaints about the paltry money for the doubles winners.

 

[batakdepores]

Just get over it.

I guess you probably don't get it, so you just figure to get over it.

Sorry to all, my point of the thread is not WHEN U.S. Open starts paying equal, but WHY. My point is that why would the women get the same price for playing best of 3 instead of men's best of 5 sets. Anyone ever think about it?

 

[drakulie]

"Her [Serena] humiliation of Dinara Safina was a terrible advertisement for a sport that has apparently disappeared up its own backside." the writer said, further pointing out, "Political correctness, sexual equality and feminism all prevent many commentators from stating the bleeding obvious...no sports watcher in their right minds could honestly say female tennis players, or golfers for that matter, deserve as much money as their male counterparts."

~Rebecca Wilson, (Australian Sports reporter)

 

[フェデラー]

are you people ********? WHat is wrong with this? Are you saying women are inferior to men?

 

[drakulie]

^^No, just saying they don't deserve the same prize money, especially since they play way less during the course of a slam.

 

[flyinghippos101]

That's our distorted sense of equality for ya.

 

[flyinghippos101]

Are you saying women are inferior to men?

They're only inferior enough to NOT play out of five sets at grandslams

 

[gogeta087]

are you people ********? WHat is wrong with this? Are you saying women are inferior to men?

I know that in their teenage years, men go through puberty and create an impassable gap between male and female physical strength. I know that this changes the level of tennis quite a bit. So yes, I am.

http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=ODlmNmJhM2JhMGZmOWQxOTMzMGE1YWFmMzkzZDNlODM=&w=MA==

 

[OliverSimon]

Either make the men play 2 out of 3 sets or make the women player 3 out of 5. There you go!

 

[nfor304]

I guess you probably don't get it, so you just figure to get over it.

Sorry to all, my point of the thread is not WHEN U.S. Open starts paying equal, but WHY. My point is that why would the women get the same price for playing best of 3 instead of men's best of 5 sets. Anyone ever think about it?

Its like going to see a movie. You dont pay extra to see a longer movie than a shorter one, and a 3 hour movie is not necessarily better than a 1.5 hour movie.

Tennis is entertainment, and the tournaments, tv channels etc feel that as many people watch womens tennis as they do mens, and that both men and womens matches attract the same viewers and fans going to see them at the tournaments.

This might not be true at the moment, but there was a period in the late 90's, early 2000's where womens tennis was slightly more exciting and interesting than mens to the general public because of players like the willams sisters, hingis, capriati, davenport etc and most of the established mens players were winding down their careers.

 

[Deleted member 55527]

women play tennis?

LOL

 

[World Beater]

women and men deserve equity...not equality.

if a women bring the same amount of dough to a tennis tournament as the men do, pay them commensurately.

it is that simple.

 

[FedFan_2009]

women and men deserve equity...not equality.

if a women bring the same amount of dough to a tennis tournament as the men do, pay them commensurately.

it is that simple.

Except they don't. TPTB simply pay off the feminist ****s.

 

[batakdepores]

"Her [Serena] humiliation of Dinara Safina was a terrible advertisement for a sport that has apparently disappeared up its own backside." the writer said, further pointing out, "Political correctness, sexual equality and feminism all prevent many commentators from stating the bleeding obvious...no sports watcher in their right minds could honestly say female tennis players, or golfers for that matter, deserve as much money as their male counterparts."

~Rebecca Wilson, (Australian Sports reporter)

Thanks Draculie for the quote. You're right in pointing out U.S. obsession in political correctness that can blind us from the obvious and becoming defensive without reading between the lines first. I can see how people just jump their guns in assuming what I meant with my questions rather than trying to understand it first.

Nfor304, good point about watching a movie comparison, although it's not quite perfect. So, why hasn't suggestion about 5 set grandslam for women been raised? Or did I forget to use the search feature again?

 

[ninman]

Thanks Draculie for the quote. You're right in pointing out U.S. obsession in political correctness that can blind us from the obvious and becoming defensive without reading between the lines first. I can see how people just jump their guns in assuming what I meant with my questions rather than trying to understand it first.

Nfor304, good point about watching a movie comparison, although it's not quite perfect. So, why hasn't suggestion about 5 set grandslam for women been raised? Or did I forget to use the search feature again?

Equal prize money has nothing to do with how many sets women and men play, but rather what the public prefers to watch. It's a bit like saying that the support group for the touring band should get the same pay as the band. Just because women and men play the slams together doesn't mean they deserve equal pay, I think the majority of tennis fans buy tickets to see men play not women, simple as that.

 

[JeMar]

I'm all for female engineers, scientists, lawyers, office assistants, etc. getting paid the same as their male counterparts. However, female tennis player prize money should be much lower than the men's.

 

[フェデラー]

Women are capable of playing 3 out of 5 set matches. Monica Seles said in tennis magazine said her favorite match ever was the 5 setter she played.

 

[JeMar]

Women are capable of playing 3 out of 5 set matches. Monica Seles said in tennis magazine said her favorite match ever was the 5 setter she played.

Safina, Serena, and the like are no Monica Seleses.

 

[nfor304]

Women have played 5 setters in the past a a few tournaments.... it generally makes for some pretty sloppy tennis if the match goes the distance.

 

[Nadalfan89]

This a business. Women bring in about 1/5th of the revenue of the men. To pay them equally is a slap in the face to the male pros.

 

[flyinghippos101]

This a business. Women bring in about 1/5th of the revenue of the men. To pay them equally is a slap in the face to the male pros.

+1
10 chars

 

[EtePras]

Its like going to see a movie. You dont pay extra to see a longer movie than a shorter one, and a 3 hour movie is not necessarily better than a 1.5 hour movie.

Tennis is entertainment, and the tournaments, tv channels etc feel that as many people watch womens tennis as they do mens, and that both men and womens matches attract the same viewers and fans going to see them at the tournaments.

This might not be true at the moment, but there was a period in the late 90's, early 2000's where womens tennis was slightly more exciting and interesting than mens to the general public because of players like the willams sisters, hingis, capriati, davenport etc and most of the established mens players were winding down their careers.

Thanks for making this post! I'm gonna use that as an excuse when I'm a manager to make the women work twice as much as men for the same pay, and then tell them you don't pay twice as much to see a 3 hr movie compared to a 1.5 hr movie.

 

[darrinbaker00]

Did they decrease the men's prize money to equal the women's? No. Is it costing us any money to pay the women a little more? No. Will it ever go back to the way it was? No. Is it a waste of time to discuss it? Yes.

 

[Nadalfan89]

Did they decrease the men's prize money to equal the women's? No. Is it costing us any money to pay the women a little more? No. Will it ever go back to the way it was? No. Is it a waste of time to discuss it? Yes.

It does cost the men money to pay the women more so as far as I'm concerned, it isn't a waste of time discussing it.

 

[flyinghippos101]

Did they decrease the men's prize money to equal the women's? No. Is it costing us any money to pay the women a little more? No. Will it ever go back to the way it was? No. Is it a waste of time to discuss it? Yes.

Does this in any way contribute to the discussion? No.

 

[nfor304]

This a business. Women bring in about 1/5th of the revenue of the men. To pay them equally is a slap in the face to the male pros.

Thats the case now. In the late 90's it was at least 50/50

 

[nfor304]

Thanks for making this post! I'm gonna use that as an excuse when I'm a manager to make the women work twice as much as men for the same pay, and then tell them you don't pay twice as much to see a 3 hr movie compared to a 1.5 hr movie.

Wow so I guess the analogy went totally over your head. You have amazing comprehension skills.

 

[cellofaan]

Its like going to see a movie. You dont pay extra to see a longer movie than a shorter one, and a 3 hour movie is not necessarily better than a 1.5 hour movie.

Round here, seeing a movie longer than 3 hours costs 1 euro extra.


Though I fully agree on the argument. It's not about how much sets they play, it's about how much quality or entertainment you get.

Considering that, to me, the current men's tour is much more exciting to watch than the women's, but back in the days Hingis, Davenport etc were still playing, I thought the entertainment value to be at least equal.

 

[Woods09]

The max sets a women can play in a slam is the min a man can play think about that for being equal

 

[Grass_for_cows]

The real question is: how much revenue do Jewish players bring in compared to their Christian (or Christian-derived counterparts)? Very little. I say the US open prize money should reflect this disparity in offering comparably low prize money for the children of Israel.

 

[Fedfan1234]

Originally Posted by nfor304
Its like going to see a movie. You dont pay extra to see a longer movie than a shorter one, and a 3 hour movie is not necessarily better than a 1.5 hour movie.

Maybe it is normal for you that women get paid more for doing less, but for me it is unacceptable. You should suggest to your boss that all the women should only do half the work men do and still be paid the same. I would really love to see his or her reaction I expect women to work for it. Women should play 5 set matches, simply because equal pay should mean equal play!
And the comparison that a 1.5 hour movie could be better, yes you are right. But in tennis this hardly ever happens. I can hardly remember a women's tennis match that really excited me at a slam.