Dr Boyce: WNBA Financial Problems - We Don't Support the Women

My beautiful daughter Carmen just helped her school win its first state championship. She is the shortest person on team, the quickest and the scrappiest - both a lady and a monster when she has to be. As I sat in the stands cheering like a lunatic, I noticed that there weren't enough parents cheering along with me. The stadium was half empty, and most of the people cheering in the stands were women and children. I wondered how these young women felt, knowing that while their stands were only partially full, the boy's game (which they lost) had been sold out.

I couldn't quite figure out why we don't support women's sport the way we should: The fundamentals of the WNBA are better than the men, and the women are incredibly talented and competitive. But after some long reflection on the disparity of support, I gave myself the answer to my own question.

When planning our trip to New York City. I said to Carmen, "How would you like to see a Knicks game?" Her eyes brightened like Times Square and she shook her head up and down so hard I thought she was going to break her neck in the process. I then realized my mistake: While it was quite natural for me to think about inviting my daughter to a Knicks game, I didn't think for one second to invite her to see the New York Liberty, the women's team in the city.

I am just as sexist as the rest of us and I am embarrassed for it.

Underpaid and Underappreciated

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Mary J. Blige: At-Home Hairdresser
From From Starpulse.com: "Blige spent the first few years of her life in Savannah, GA, before moving with her mother and older sister to the Schlobam housing projects in Yonkers, NY. Her rough life there produced more than a few scars, physical and otherwise, and Blige dropped out of high school her junior year, instead spending time doing her friends' hair in her mother's apartment and hanging out."

Mary started to make her own way in the world in a profession that many take for granted. The at-home hairdresser is a very important staple of many communities, as she uses her skills to help women who can't afford a professional salon to stay pampered and beautiful.

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Denzel Washington: Barber
From From Tiscali: "It's often been said that the boy picked up his desire to act from the flamboyant communication that went on around him at this time. He certainly picked up a desire to work - the family ethic was very strong - and young Denzel found himself labouring in barber shops and beauty parlours from the age of 11."

The neighborhood barber is an important institution in many communities. Even though they don't get paid much, men's salons are like private social clubs that allow them to relax and connect at an affordable price. Workers in these establishments not only groom the body -- they soothe the soul.

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We often take for granted all the folks at the local war wash. They may be working for little more than tips, but they keep our cars clean and fresh, making a huge positive impact on our daily lives.

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Jennifer Lopez: Legal Assistant
From From 2spare.com: "Long before Jennifer Lopez sang, danced and acted her way to superstardom, she briefly traded in her velour tracksuit for a suit of the pin-striped variety while working at a law office."

It's hard to imagine someone as driven as Jennifer Lopez being an assistant, but J.Lo paid her dues by putting others needs before her own to help her bosses meet their goals. It's hard for anybody to put others first, but that's what assistants do in every line of work. They deserve to be appreciated for this.

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Angela Bassett: Photo Researcher
From From Yuddy.com: "After working as a beauty salon receptionist and photo researcher, Bassett got started with her acting career in New York Theater, after which she landed her first role-as a prostitute-in the 1985 TV movie 'Doubletake,' starring Richard Crenna and Beverly D'Angelo. The following year she landed her first official film role as a TV reporter in 'F/X.'"

Whenever we look at a magazine, or in a book with pictures, we are seeing the work of some one like Bassett in her early career. We never think of the faceless, nameless men and women who look for all the photos that illustrate concepts, news and ideas in every facet of our daily lives, ranging from Web sites to education. But every one of those photos was hand-selected by someone, most often an anonymous, but dedicated and not-to-well-paid pro. What would life be like without all the thousands of pictures we consume every day?

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But I want to out grow my sexism, in part as a tribute to my mother, sister, and daughters. I want to understand how we as a society process women's sport and why we don't give it the same respect as men. This lack of respect has translated into serious financial woes for the WNBA, as they are struggling much more than other professional sports leagues in this struggling economy. Our girls should get the same encouragement as our boys.

I have brought in women's sport expert Dr. Deborah Stroman, my colleague with the College Sport Research Institute at The University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. She is an expert in women's sport, and an excellent source of intellectual light on this important issue. While we are both professors with the institute, I wanted to spend some time being Dr. Stroman's student.

Click the image below to listen!

Do we support women's sports the way we should? I argue that we don't.

Dr Boyce Watkins is a Finance Professor at Syracuse University and the author of the forthcoming book, "Black American Money." For more information, please visit www.BoyceWatkins.com. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered directly to your email box, please click here.

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