Murray: Female tennis players shouldn't get same as men

[Julian]

Murray's outspoken comments will add fuel to the row over the disparity between prize money for players - the winner of this year's men's singles tournament will pick up £655,000, compared with £625,000 for the ladies' champion.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=392414&in_page_id=1770

Within reason I found the article slightly more balanced than most, but what I question is why are his views seen as outspoken?

This is the problem with media commentators in this day and age. If a guy dares to go against the opinion of the "female camp" he is seen as controversial.

Based on the prize money available at the moment and the difference in number of sets played by male and female I can only conclude that the prize pot for females is already in excess of what it should be.

In reality though this is all about sponsorship and how much air time the sponsor gets ie how many bums on seats watching the matches and inadvertently catching a glimpse of one form of advertising or another.

[Gungerassa]

In reality though this is all about sponsorship and how much air time the sponsor gets ie how many bums on seats watching the matches and inadvertently catching a glimpse of one form of advertising or another.

That's right....It's driven by the audience.  Maybe if the babes wore thong panties and they served beer at the matches, there would be more sponsors.  :wink:

[BRIAN]

What he said was outspoken because he told the truth. The men ae a bigger draw than the women players, people spend more money to see them than they do the women. In every business the people that earn the most money for the company get paid the most. Then there is the issue of men being on the court longer, shouldn't the women who want equal pay have to do equal work if the reverse is true?

[SIAM]

It's absurd - men play best of 5, women play best of 3.  If they want equal pay women should play best of 5. End of story.

[dr e]

It's absurd - men play best of 5, women play best of 3.  If they want equal pay women should play best of 5. End of story.

Yup.  And if they want equal pay they should play the men.  Until you are better than he is at tennis why should you be paid at the same level?  It's an ignorant idea that they should get equal pay.  duh.

[woof]

Why don't they seperate they men from the woman's matches altogether, and then base the prize money on the box office draw?

I think we would see that the woman are already riding on the coat-tails of the men.

[johnnyp]

Why don't they seperate they men from the woman's matches altogether, and then base the prize money on the box office draw?

I think we would see that the woman are already riding on the coat-tails of the men.

Why do they not make the matches unisex?

[woof]

Why don't they seperate they men from the woman's matches altogether, and then base the prize money on the box office draw?

I think we would see that the woman are already riding on the coat-tails of the men.

Why do they not make the matches unisex?

Can't say......... :wink: .......because then the cat would get out of the bag!  :shock:

[K9]

Venus Williams Speaks Up: Wants More Money

Williams v Murray over prize cash
RHIANNON EDWARD

Venus Williams says female players should be paid the same as men Andy Murray says male tennis players play for longer Former Wimbledon star Jo Durie has branded Murray's remarks 'sexist' Key quote "It's not about earning more money or becoming well off; it's an equality issue, about being created as equals" - Venus Williams

Story in full TENNIS champion Venus Williams yesterday vowed to "fight for equality" over the issue of equal pay at Wimbledon after Scotland's Andy Murray said men deserved to be paid more than women.

Speaking on the eve of the grass court championship, Williams, who in April threatened to strike over the issue, said it was sexist that women players would get paid less.

This year the women's singles winner at Wimbledon will get £625,000 - £30,000 less than the men's champion. The story is repeated in the doubles championships, where the winning men will pocket £220,690, while the women will take home £205,280.

The prize money dispute ignited last week when Tessa Jowell, the Culture Secretary, wrote to the All England Club saying she was "deeply concerned" about the issue, claiming it could tarnish the championship's international image.

The fact is that men play more tennis than women at Wimbledon, so they deserve more cash.
- Suzi Mair
She said all other major tennis tournaments offered equal pay.

But Murray said women deserved less cash as they were on court for less time - their matches are the best of three sets whereas men play the best of five. The 19-year-old also said most tennis fans turned up to see men play.

The Dunblane-born star, who was criticised earlier this year for claiming he and an opponent had "played like women", said: "I don't think it's fair that the women get paid the same as the guys, because the guys have the potential to play a five-and-a-half-hour match. A lot of women can win the first three or four rounds having dropped no more than four games."

He added: "Obviously when the big names like [Maria] Sharapova and [Justine] Henin-Hardenne come out, people will turn up to watch them, but I think there's more interest at the start of the tournament [in the men]."

But three-times Wimbledon champion Williams hit back. The American told The Scotsman: "It's not about earning more money or becoming well off; it's an equality issue, about being created as equals We represent women around the world. We're the premier sport for women.

"We would like to empower women around the world by showing that we are willing to fight for equality."

Former Wimbledon star Jo Durie, now a BBC tennis commentator, said: "I don't agree with [Murray's] remarks. What he has said is sexist."

And Andrew Walker, spokesman for the Women's Tennis Association, said: "Andy is entitled to his opinion, but his views are out of line with what most of the public think about pay."

However, Suzi Mair, a Scot who played at Wimbledon in 1984 and now covers tennis for STV, agreed with Murray.

She said: "The fact is that men play more tennis than women at Wimbledon, so they deserve more cash."

[Julian]

I have a suspicion that a lot of these women are earning more off court than on court through various fashion deals/photo shoots etc.

Can anyone confirm this?

[gwallan]

I have a suspicion that a lot of these women are earning more off court than on court through various fashion deals/photo shoots etc.

Can anyone confirm this?

It's not unusual for sportspeople, male and female, to make more from endorsments than prizemoney.

[K9]

I have a suspicion that a lot of these women are earning more off court than on court through various fashion deals/photo shoots etc.

Can anyone confirm this?

It's not unusual for sportspeople, male and female, to make more from endorsments than prizemoney.

Wouldn't the guys be entitled to a share of Williams' off-court revenue? After all, we want both genders to share an equal amount of money, don't we ladies?

[SIAM]

Here's an idea:-

They should pay women exactly what the men earn.

Then, when two guys play a match, if it gets to 2-1 in sets, and the crowd have settled in for a really good match, they should pack their bags and wave to the crowd, and say "we're off home now - we've earnt our money!".  

:D:D:D:

Seriously, they should do this.  If guys play 3 sets and the game is not over, according to equality, they should be able to pack their bags and go.  

Then a new game will take place for the viewer - see how many hypocrites you can count who complain about the guys leaving "early".

Of course, it will never happen.  It's too "controversial".  

In any case, let's see equal pay - then let's reduce men's game to best of 3.  I know for a fact tennis fans will absolutely hate that because there's nothing like a 5 set thriller (e.g. Borg/McEnroe 1980).

But hey - equality is equality.  Give women the equal pay.  Give men best of 3 sets.  Let the fans suffer so women can move from 96% of men's pay to 100% even though women only play best of 3 and men play best of 5.

[Tigerman]

I noticed that Venus Williams made no complaint about the blatant SEXISM in the facilities provided for men and women players at Wimbledon. After visiting the spartan changeing rooms for men Sue Barker took Tim Henman on a tour of the LAVISH facilities provided for the women players. Tim was shocked by the enormous contrast and was even less inclined (to put it mildly!) to support the women players demands that they get the same prize money as men.
Lets face it and call a spade a spade - *if* we are to take Venus seriously and are concerned to remove SEXISM from Wimbledon then the FIRST move has to be to make the competition UNISEX - this is the sooooo  *loody OBVIOUS logical conclusion that it can only be the naked empress syndrome that is inhibiting journalists from pointing out this obvious conclusion. The next thing would be to abolish seperate changing rooms - bang goes another privilege for women and all as a result of taking Venus up on her word to abolish sexism at Wimbledon!!
In a world where straight talking counts that would be the result - but we don't live in such a world and THAT above all makes me rather annoyed.    :evil:

[Darth Sidious]

That overgrown shrieker Venus Williams needs to learn to be satisfied with what she has.  Although the male winner wins ever so slightly more, both get paid a considerable amount of money for winning one tournament...more in fact than many will see in their lifetimes.

I have to roll my eyes in disgust whenever I hear about some female athlete screaming equal pay for "equal work."  The work they do is not equal to what their male counterparts do; they should consider themselves fortunate they get paid as much as they do.

Although I find women entering men's competitions to be annoying, I would take some considerable pleasure from having Venus get completely humiliated in the men's tournament.  She would realise she is not the equal of the men.