Kaplan Report Reveals Inequalities in Men’s and Women’s NCAA Basketball Tournaments

ByAria Modirmassihai

3 min read

Kaplan Report Reveals Inequalities in Men’s and Women’s NCAA Basketball Tournaments

We all saw the videos that went viral from the WNBA bubble last season revealing the mediocre and sometimes worse accommodations the best female athletes were forced to live in. There was also the disappointing comparison between the weight rooms for both the Men’s and Women’s tournaments this past year, with the latter pailing in size and equipment. With the sustained growth of the women’s game over the past couple of decades, it's a real shame to see these disparities year after year.

The NCAA quickly became under fire when a video posted by University of Oregon Women’s Basketball player Sedona Price depicting the meager weight room provided for the women’s tournament went viral on social media. This prompted an investigation into the mishandling of Women’s sports.

New York law firm Kaplan Hecker & Fink LLP, spearheaded an external investigation into these disparities to help uncover the reality of women's college sports. Upon completing their investigation, the firm recommended several changes including a combined Final Four tournament format and tweaks to the organization's leadership structure, media contracts, and revenue calculations.

The report concluded that upon detailed review, “With respect to women's basketball, the NCAA has not lived up to its stated commitment to 'diversity, inclusion and gender equity among its student-athletes, coaches and administrators,' ". The report went even further to suggest that the treatment of Women’s teams was, “perpetuating a mistaken narrative that women's basketball is destined to be a 'money loser' year after year. Nothing could be further from the truth”. The firm goes on to argue that with the climbing revenue coming from the women’s game paired with their growing social media following, the NCAA should be inclined to provide more suitable accommodations for their female athletes.

The report highlighted several examples of poor accommodations such as providing women's teams with less effective COVID-19 testing and lower quality food options while simultaneously seeking corporate food sponsorships with Wendy's, Pizza Hut, and Buffalo Wild Wings to provide for the men's tournament athletes.

Kelly Graves, who attended both the men’s and women’s tournaments stated that “There was more of a feeling of a tournament in Indianapolis,", referring to the men’s game, "It just seemed like a much bigger deal there than in San Antonio.", where the women’s tournament was held. This is not surprising given the fact that the NCAA spent nearly $2.4 million on signage for the men's tournament, but only around $783,000 for the women's tournament. The NCAA also prohibits the use of the March Madness trademark to be used in association with the women’s tournament.

In response to the Kaplan report, the NCAA attributed all the findings to the fact that the men’s game generates substantially more revenue than their female counterparts. However, they were also found guilty of unfairly skewing revenue reports to make it seem that the Women’s tournament lost money. That is simply not true.

The Kaplan report revealed many disparities between how female athletes are treated compared to men by the NCAA. These realities have been experienced by female athletes for years and it is time for the NCAA to step up their game. The resources are there, it is only a matter of if the external pressure from the media will be enough to get these women athletes the treatment they deserve.

Are you an Athlete?

Create a free profile to access the largest network specifically designed to connect athletes to opportunities. Get started.

RELATED ARTICLES
College Eligibility Requirements

College Eligibility Requirements

Academic eligibility is the most important aspect of the college recruiting process. If you are not...

ByMathias Torp | Fri Nov 03 2023
Can Canadians play college sports in America? NCAA Eligibility guide for international athletes

Can Canadians play college sports in America? NCAA Eligibility guide for international athletes

Are you a high school volleyball player dreaming of playing college volleyball in the United...

ByOVA Team Ontario | Wed Apr 12 2023
College Basketball: Four Coaches Who Could Switch Jobs After March Madness

College Basketball: Four Coaches Who Could Switch Jobs After March Madness

While the games from November through February certainly count in the standings, the tilts that...

ByAndrew Pistone | Wed Mar 15 2023
Name, Image, & Likeness: March Madness Offers Rare NIL Opportunities

Name, Image, & Likeness: March Madness Offers Rare NIL Opportunities

For college basketball fans around the country, it truly is the most wonderful time of the year....

ByAndrew Pistone | Tue Mar 07 2023
WNBA Star Denied Appeal To 9-Year Prison Sentence In Russia

WNBA Star Denied Appeal To 9-Year Prison Sentence In Russia

Brittney Griner was dealt another blow in her hopes to return home to the U.S. Tuesday. The WNBA...

ByScotty Jenkins | Wed Oct 26 2022
How Continued Legalization of Sports Betting Affects College Sports

How Continued Legalization of Sports Betting Affects College Sports

In recent years the taboo of sports betting has started to come down and gambling on your favorite...

ByJamison White | Sun Sep 18 2022
College Sports: What To Expect When You Arrive On Campus

College Sports: What To Expect When You Arrive On Campus

College is an exciting transition to go through for any student, athlete or not. And there is no...

ByJacob Rimmer | Thu Sep 01 2022
A Few Reasons Why Americans Are So Obsessed With College Sports

A Few Reasons Why Americans Are So Obsessed With College Sports

Of all the interesting traditions Americans have, few are more difficult for a foreign audience to...

ByScotty Jenkins | Tue Aug 23 2022
NCAA Eligibility Center: Five Things Every High School Athlete Should Know

NCAA Eligibility Center: Five Things Every High School Athlete Should Know

First things first, here's a couple vocabulary lessons The NCAA Clearinghouse is a not-for-profit...

ByScotty Jenkins | Thu Aug 18 2022
Name, Image, & Likeness: Duke, Kentucky remain popular destinations for college basketball recruits

Name, Image, & Likeness: Duke, Kentucky remain popular destinations for college basketball recruits

The name, image, and likeness of college athletes has been a topic of discussion for several years,...

ByScotty Jenkins | Tue Aug 02 2022
Is It Possible To Play Two Sports In College?

Is It Possible To Play Two Sports In College?

If you are passionate about two sports it can be heart breaking to decide which one to pursue in...

ByLily Ford | Wed Jul 20 2022
College Basketball: Why Experience Still Matters For Division-I Teams

College Basketball: Why Experience Still Matters For Division-I Teams

College basketball's history is filled with teams that had to overcome adversity on the road to a...

ByBryan Armetta | Mon Jun 13 2022
College Basketball: Three Top Programs That Could Miss the NCAA Tournament

College Basketball: Three Top Programs That Could Miss the NCAA Tournament

Anyone who enjoys college basketball understands this is the closest one can get to sheer chaos in...

ByBryan Armetta | Mon Jun 13 2022
Women's Basketball: Meet The Michael Jordan Of The Women's Game

Women's Basketball: Meet The Michael Jordan Of The Women's Game

Although there are many modern day women trying to replace the OG Michael Jordan of women’s...

ByScotty Jenkins | Mon Jun 13 2022
Men's Basketball: How Shaheen Holloway and St. Peter's Can Stay Relevant After March Madness

Men's Basketball: How Shaheen Holloway and St. Peter's Can Stay Relevant After March Madness

Saint Peter's historic run was full of dramatic moments and unexpected surprises. All except one:...

ByBryan Armetta | Thu Apr 21 2022
Men's Basketball: How Bill Self and Kansas Stole Another National Championship

Men's Basketball: How Bill Self and Kansas Stole Another National Championship

There were plenty of flashy picks for college basketball fans to choose from when filling out their...

ByBryan Armetta | Thu Apr 07 2022
March Madness: Who's to blame for Gonzaga basketball's early exit?

March Madness: Who's to blame for Gonzaga basketball's early exit?

In a stunning turn of events, top overall seed Gonzaga was bounced from the NCAA Tournament on...

ByBryan Armetta | Mon Mar 28 2022
March Madness: Reactions After a Wild Opening Weekend

March Madness: Reactions After a Wild Opening Weekend

In the span of just four days, "March Madness" has already lived up to its name. We've had some...

ByBryan Armetta | Tue Mar 22 2022
Is the Division II Men’s College Basketball Tournament worth watching?

Is the Division II Men’s College Basketball Tournament worth watching?

When it comes to the Division-II [gmtm.com/articles/tag/division-ii] basketball tournament, there...

ByScotty Jenkins | Mon Mar 21 2022
Men's Basketball: Gonzaga's Chet Holmgren Is Blocking His Way To A Historic Season

Men's Basketball: Gonzaga's Chet Holmgren Is Blocking His Way To A Historic Season

If you have even a passing interest in college basketball, chances are the name Chet Holmgren...

ByBryan Armetta | Wed Mar 09 2022
Mike Krzyzewski: Looking back at the career of a legendary Duke Basketball coach

Mike Krzyzewski: Looking back at the career of a legendary Duke Basketball coach

Duke University men’s basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski is one of the most familiar, iconic figures...

ByAndrew Pistone | Tue Mar 08 2022
March Madness: Three Mid-Majors Who Can Wreck Your Bracket

March Madness: Three Mid-Majors Who Can Wreck Your Bracket

With just a month to go before the start of the NCAA Tournament, college basketball's contenders...

ByBryan Armetta | Wed Feb 16 2022
Will UCLA Men's Basketball Win A Long-Awaited National Title, Or Melt Down in March?

Will UCLA Men's Basketball Win A Long-Awaited National Title, Or Melt Down in March?

April 3rd, 1995. The UCLA Bruins have just won their 11th national title in program history. The...

ByBryan Armetta | Mon Feb 14 2022
Men's College Basketball: Predicting March Madness's Top Seeds

Men's College Basketball: Predicting March Madness's Top Seeds

A surprisingly obvious truth about March Madness, the most chaotic tournament in all of sports: #1...

ByBryan Armetta | Sat Jan 22 2022
Beach Volleyball and Ice Hockey Championship Bracket Updates

Beach Volleyball and Ice Hockey Championship Bracket Updates

Everywhere sports fans turn, it seems like more teams are being allowed to compete for titles. The...

ByAndrew Pistone | Thu Jan 20 2022
Women’s Pro Sports Might Be Coming To Nashville

Women’s Pro Sports Might Be Coming To Nashville

Despite not being considered a major sports market in the United States, Nashville does have a...

ByAndrew Pistone | Wed Jan 19 2022
Name, Image, & Likeness: NCAA Research Grant Program Recipients Named

Name, Image, & Likeness: NCAA Research Grant Program Recipients Named

The age-old saying “it takes one to know one” can be applied pretty accurately to many aspects of...

ByAndrew Pistone | Sun Jan 02 2022
College Basketball: One New Year's Resolution for Every Top Team

College Basketball: One New Year's Resolution for Every Top Team

Another calendar year has concluded, but the 2021-22 college basketball season has only just begun....

ByBryan Armetta | Sat Jan 01 2022
NCAA Announces Division II Implementation Committee

NCAA Announces Division II Implementation Committee

In an effort to become more malleable across all of its bodies, the NCAA has spent considerable...

ByAndrew Pistone | Thu Dec 30 2021
College Basketball: How The Pac-12, ACC, and Big Ten Alliance Affects Mid-Major Programs

College Basketball: How The Pac-12, ACC, and Big Ten Alliance Affects Mid-Major Programs

It has been a long time since three commissioners of Power 5 conferences sat down to talk about a...

ByScotty Jenkins | Sun Dec 12 2021
NCAA Creates Championships Channel For LG Smart TV Streaming

NCAA Creates Championships Channel For LG Smart TV Streaming

The end product on the field of play is usually a sight to behold. Collegiate athletes putting...

ByAndrew Pistone | Fri Dec 10 2021
Women's Basketball: How the sport evolved into the popular WNBA

Women's Basketball: How the sport evolved into the popular WNBA

Women's basketball has come to stay, after many years of turbulence and a lot of challenges. 1891...

ByScotty Jenkins | Mon Dec 06 2021
Women’s Golf Championship Format Update

Women’s Golf Championship Format Update

When the very best female golfers tee off for the NCAA Division I Women’s Golf Championship’s next...

ByAndrew Pistone | Fri Dec 03 2021
Can College Athletes Be Considered Employees?

Can College Athletes Be Considered Employees?

There’s been a whirlwind of change surrounding the rights of college athletes that has taken place...

ByAndrew Pistone | Mon Nov 29 2021
Gender Equity Examination In College Sports Continues For NCAA

Gender Equity Examination In College Sports Continues For NCAA

As the NCAA continues [https://ncaagenderequityreview.com/]to assess itself in an effort to make...

ByAndrew Pistone | Fri Nov 19 2021
Women’s Basketball: Preseason Poll Released For 2021-2022 Season

Women’s Basketball: Preseason Poll Released For 2021-2022 Season

As the WNBA season wrapped up in mid-October, some of the younger women's basketball talent is just...

ByAlexis Peltzer-Harding | Thu Nov 11 2021
Four Players Who Improved Their Game Under Coach K

Four Players Who Improved Their Game Under Coach K

College basketball's greatest coach is finally saying goodbye. Over 46 seasons as a Division I...

ByBryan Armetta | Wed Nov 03 2021
Could The Women’s NCAA Basketball Tournament Field Expand?

Could The Women’s NCAA Basketball Tournament Field Expand?

For many years, both the men’s and women’s NCAA basketball tournament field was set at 64 teams. It...

ByAndrew Pistone | Tue Nov 02 2021
Checking The Books: How Utah Colleges Are Subsidizing Their Athletic Departments

Checking The Books: How Utah Colleges Are Subsidizing Their Athletic Departments

In September, the Utah office of the State Auditor unveiled its findings related to athletic...

ByAndrew Pistone | Fri Oct 29 2021
Men's Soccer: Top Division-I Players Who Found Success Early In The Season

Men's Soccer: Top Division-I Players Who Found Success Early In The Season

After this week of men's soccer there were some outstanding players that made it out of the herd...

ByAlexis Peltzer-Harding | Fri Oct 22 2021
Women's Basketball: Looking Back at Three WNBA Finals Stars’ College Careers

Women's Basketball: Looking Back at Three WNBA Finals Stars’ College Careers

The WNBA Finals matchup has two star studded teams doing battle, and the league has to be thrilled...

ByAndrew Pistone | Wed Oct 20 2021
Recent Examples Of Disparity Between Men’s and Women’s College Sports

Recent Examples Of Disparity Between Men’s and Women’s College Sports

A concern for society as a whole is how women are treated in comparison to men. There are ongoing...

ByAlexis Peltzer-Harding | Mon Oct 11 2021
College Basketball: NCAA Discusses Combining Future Men’s and Women’s Final Fours

College Basketball: NCAA Discusses Combining Future Men’s and Women’s Final Fours

When we tune into March Madness for the men and women’s NCAA basketball tournament, we’re used to...

ByAndrew Pistone | Sat Oct 09 2021
Men's Basketball: The Darkhorse Program For Each Major Conference

Men's Basketball: The Darkhorse Program For Each Major Conference

In college basketball, there are no guarantees. Win streaks are broken. #16 seeds can take down...

ByBryan Armetta | Thu Oct 07 2021
NCAA Attempts To Modernize Division-I Basketball Offseason Rules

NCAA Attempts To Modernize Division-I Basketball Offseason Rules

While the NCAA has been a popular punching bag for many pundits, one of the most consistent...

ByAndrew Pistone | Wed Oct 06 2021
Celebrating the Pre-Eminent Elder Stateswoman of College Sports Fandom

Celebrating the Pre-Eminent Elder Stateswoman of College Sports Fandom

Any time anyone lives to be 102 years old, major props and a celebration are in order. When the...

ByAndrew Pistone | Wed Sep 29 2021
Former Georgetown Tennis Coach Pleads Guilty In Admissions Scandal

Former Georgetown Tennis Coach Pleads Guilty In Admissions Scandal

Gordon Ernst was the head coach of the tennis team at Georgetown. He began his coaching career...

ByAlexis Peltzer-Harding | Fri Sep 17 2021
COVID-19's Effects on Fall Sports at the Collegiate Level

COVID-19's Effects on Fall Sports at the Collegiate Level

Since the Pandemic started and many Spring athletes had to miss out on their 2020 season, coaches...

ByAlexis Peltzer-Harding | Tue Sep 14 2021
Rethinking Female Team Names In College Sports

Rethinking Female Team Names In College Sports

The Baylor Lady Bears women’s basketball team made an emphatic statement last week. Don’t call us...

ByAndrew Pistone | Mon Sep 13 2021
Could College Athletes Make Money Before NIL?

Could College Athletes Make Money Before NIL?

As a retired collegiate athlete, making money during school and sport seasons would be absolutely...

ByGrace White | Sat Sep 11 2021