Only sexism and racism can explain why Serena Williams doesn’t earn more

[Tennis]

http://qz.com/490859/only-sexism-and...-endorsements/

The US Open begins today (Aug. 31), and Serena Williams has a chance to make tennis history. A win would put her at 22 career Grand Slam titles, tying Steffi Graf for second most, behind only Margaret Court. Her skill prompts arguments that she is the sport’s greatest female player of all-time, and currently the most dominant US athlete, of any sex or sport. Katrina Adams, the president of the US Tennis Association, recently opined that Williams is the greatest athlete ever—period.

Not everyone will agree on each of those points, particularly that last one, but there’s no disputing that Williams has been among the top handful of athletes on the planet for years now. Yet, on Forbes’ list of the highest-paid athletes, Williams ranks 47th. Of the seven tennis players on the list, she ranks last in endorsement dollars, with $13 million.

The top-earning male player, Roger Federer, will bring in an estimated $58 million in endorsements this year. The number-four ranked men’s player, Kei Nishikori, also brings in more than Williams, as does Maria Sharapova, who will rake in $10 million more yet hasn’t been a genuine rival to Williams for years. This gap has no logical explanation, except for long-held prejudices about female sports stars and how people feel they should look.

As the story pointed out, Eugenie Bouchard, an up-and-comer in women’s tennis currently ranked number 24, topped a different list of the most marketable athletes. Like Sharapova, she is white, blonde, and thin.

The suggestion is that female athletes are marketable—which is to say that the public can connect with them, and be persuaded by them—only insofar as they look a certain way. That look reflects a narrow standard of beauty apparently preferred by men who find blondes attractive, and women who are unable to connect with a black athlete from Compton, California.

Interesting piece and you can definitely tell that race is a big factor.

[Ielenia]

This thread is going places. Not good places, but places nonetheless.

[Anyael]

At the end of the day, if this was the case what do you want to do about it?

Force people to pay Serena Williams almost $30m more, or force people to pay other tennis players less? Neither is really possible.

[PACOX]

Its honestly hard to argue against it but sadly you can't prove it neither.

Despite being one of the prolific tennis players of all times but can't doesn't get the same endorsements as her Anglo counterparts. Everyone knows why, its not a secret. Her image isn't as desirable or marketable as her rivals even though Serena wipes the floor with them. I don't see how sports fans find the practice acceptable, sports are about how hard you play - not how you look. Earnings should reflect that.

[Templar 331]

"she ranks last in endorsement dollars, with $13 million."

That poor oppressed woman..........

[GrinningMan]

http://qz.com/490859/only-sexism-and...-endorsements/










Interesting piece and you can definitely tell that race is a big factor.

Or maybe she's just not marketable. Endorsements are just that... Companies saying they like the cut of your jib. Maybe she should get a real job. Like in technology, mathematics, or robotics. Also, Karsten Braasch beat them both.

At the same time.

[Fayolynn]

False equivalence are fun!

[Shibito]

"she ranks last in endorsement dollars, with $13 million."

That poor oppressed woman..........

Yea whatever will she do with that little money -.-

[Stop Pretending]

Because men don't really care about women sports. Have you ever tried watching a WNBA game? It's not remotely the same thing, and it just doesn't draw the same ratings. You can't pay a woman the same as a man when the leagues don't even come close to making the same kind of money. Hell, even women aren't watching the women sports.

[GrinningMan]

Yea whatever will she do with that little money -.-

She'll never afford her second yacht on that! QQ!

[Tennis]

She should be marketable. She is incredibly dominant and is absolutely killing it on the WTA.

[Kyr]

i fail to see how there is any evidence that race is the issue. it could just as easily be she has a bad agent or something.

I also have a hard time feeling bad for someone because they ONLY made $13 MILLION DOLLARS.

[Twix]

She looks like a monkey.. that doesn't sell. In other words, if you're ugly you don't get endorsements.

[Blueobelisk]

Sponsors have nothing to do with the game of tennis, it's about public image. The sponsors don't have to be racist as much as it them picking people to advertise their product that will generate them the most sales.

Serena Williams greatest tennis player all time, and I love her for that, but there's nothing you can do about how much money she makes. She makes the most prize money from the competitions since she's the best. Off the court is a different type of game.

[luc54]

Or maybe she's just not marketable. Endorsements are just that... Companies saying they like the cut of your jib. Maybe she should get a real job. Like in technology, mathematics, or robotics. Also, Karsten Braasch beat them both.

At the same time.

Yep it's marketability. David beckham was one of the highest earning footballers although he isn't that great. He's a very good player, but certainly not as good as some other players that earned less.

[GrinningMan]

She should be marketable. She is incredibly dominant and is absolutely killing it on the WTA.

She can kill it all day.

But if a tree falls in the woods, and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound?

[Deleted]

What about that everyone else in that list looks better than Serena? Crazy how multi-billion dollar companies want good looking models for their products.

[Shibito]

She looks like a monkey.. that doesn't sell. In other words, if you're ugly you don't get endorsements.

Shots fired.

[Slant]

Interesting piece and you can definitely tell that race is a big factor.

Unlike her being a bitch and hard to market due to her arrogance, which has absolutely nothing to do with her market value?

[Spectral]

Not really. People just aren't that into women's sports for the most part, and to the extent that they are, it almost always hinges heavily on sex appeal. She's an amazing athlete, but amazing female tennis players don't really make much money. I don't think this is "sexism" so much as it is "people like to watch the best athletes in the world more than a second-class level of athlete".

If the driver of the Sharapova/Williams disparity is race, why in the world did Anna Kornikova so substantially out earn the far superior Martina Hingis?