March Madness will pay women’s teams under a new structure approved by the NCAA
4 min read
North Carolina State guard Saniya Rivers (22) shoots a 3-point shot as Texas forward Madison Booker (35) defends during the first half of an Elite Eight college basketball game in the women's NCAA Tournament, Sunday, March 31, 2024, in Portland, Ore. The 3-point line for the women's NCAA Tournament at Moda Center had a discrepancy in distance at each end of the court that went unnoticed through four games over two days before Texas and North Carolina State were informed of the problem ahead of their Elite Eight matchup on Sunday. (AP Photo/Howard Lao)
In a historic move, women’s basketball teams will finally be compensated for participating in the NCAA Tournament, commonly known as March Madness, under a new payment structure approved by the NCAA on Wednesday. This decision ensures that women’s teams will receive payments based on their performance, just like their male counterparts, who have been receiving similar benefits for years.
The approval, which was met with widespread applause, marks a significant victory for women’s basketball. It follows a unanimous vote by the NCAA membership, with support from NCAA President Charlie Baker, who praised those who laid the groundwork for this moment. “We’re the lucky ones,” Baker said. “We got to be here on the day it became a reality,” acknowledging the decades of work that led to the creation of the performance fund.
With the new plan, performance units, which represent the revenue generated by teams during the tournament, will be allocated to women’s teams starting this year. This is the 43rd edition of the women’s tournament, and the changes are expected to bring substantial financial rewards to the teams. A team that advances to the Final Four could bring approximately $1.26 million to its conference over the next three years.
The payout structure is part of a broader agreement that sets aside $15 million in the first year, representing 26% of the media revenue generated from the women’s basketball deal. This share is expected to grow to $25 million by 2028, which will account for 41% of the revenue. Notably, the percentage allocated to women’s teams in the first year mirrors what men’s basketball teams received when the performance unit program was first established.
While the payment system won’t be implemented immediately for the 2024 tournament, coaches and players alike are celebrating the news. North Carolina head coach Courtney Banghart, who also serves as president of the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association, called it a “great day” and a well-deserved recognition of the efforts made by athletic departments to invest in women’s basketball. “Women’s basketball is more popular than ever before, seats are filled, arenas are sold out, and games are on national TV almost every night,” she said.
The changes were debated in two votes on Wednesday. The first vote, which concerned the allocation of payments starting with the next NCAA Tournament, saw one dissenting vote, while the second vote, which established the performance fund itself, received unanimous approval from all 292 members present.
The new plan is modeled after the men’s basketball performance unit program, which distributes revenue based on each team’s success in the tournament. Each of the 32 conferences with an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament will receive one unit, with additional units awarded to teams that receive at-large bids to the 68-team field. As teams progress further in the tournament, the number of units their conference earns increases. For the men’s tournament, each unit was worth about $2 million in 2024.
The women’s tournament has seen significant growth in recent years. The NCAA’s new media rights deal with ESPN values the women’s basketball tournament at $65 million per year, marking a massive increase from the previous contract. As the value of the women’s tournament grows, the percentage of revenue allocated to women’s teams also increases, ensuring a more equitable distribution of funds.
Louisville head coach Jeff Walz also expressed his approval, calling the approval of the performance fund a long-overdue recognition for women’s basketball. “It’s great that women’s basketball is getting the financial reward it has earned for NCAA postseason success,” he said.
Julie Roe Lach, commissioner of the Horizon League and a member of the Division I women’s basketball oversight committee, hailed the creation of the fund as a “huge step” for women’s sports overall. She emphasized the importance of using the funds strategically, saying that conferences and institutions will have the flexibility to reinvest the extra dollars into programs that prioritize strong schedules, performance, and postseason success.
The move also marks an important milestone in the fight for gender equity in sports. With women’s college basketball gaining popularity at an unprecedented rate, including a record-breaking 18.7 million viewers for the 2023 national championship game, which outdrew the men’s championship, this new payment structure will help further elevate the sport. The women’s tournament has also seen record attendance, with arenas consistently sold out throughout the season.
In addition to the historic decision for women’s basketball, the NCAA’s Division I also approved a championship for women’s wrestling, with Divisions II and III expected to vote on adding it in the near future. As women’s sports continue to grow in popularity, the NCAA’s decision to invest in the women’s March Madness tournament and its increased visibility will help pave the way for future opportunities in women’s athletics.
As women’s basketball reaches new heights, it’s clear that the sport is poised for even greater success, and the landmark decision to allocate performance-based pay to women’s teams is just one step in ensuring its continued growth and recognition on the national stage.
About The Author
