OVERVIEW Good News:
Since Title IX was enacted 34 years ago, female high school athletic participation has increased by 904% and female college athletic participation has increased by 456%.
Bad News: High school female athletes receive only 41% of participation opportunities, which is 1.25 million fewer than their male counterparts.
Even though female students comprise 57% of their college student populations, female athletes received only 43% of participation opportunities which is 56,110 fewer participation opportunities than their male counterparts.
Female college athletes receive only:
- 38% of sports operating dollars, which is $1.17 billion less than male college athletes.
- 45% of college athletic scholarship dollars, which is $148 million fewer scholarship dollars than male college athletes, and
- 33% of athletic team recruitment spending, which is $43 million less recruiting female athletes than male athletes
HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS PARTICIPATION DATAGirls comprise 49% of the high school population (NCES, 2003-2004) but only receive 41% of all athletic participation opportunities.
1 High school female athletes received only 41% of participation opportunities, which is 1.25 million fewer participation opportunities than male high school athletes.
2 Participation numbers for both boys and girls increased over the previous year.
3
- Girls' athletics experienced a smaller increase of 44,965 participants compared to a 96,230 increase for boys.4
- The boys' participation rate of 4,206,549 is the second-highest yearly participation overall.5
- The girls' participation rate of 2,953,355 set an all-time high for female participation.6
COLLEGE SPORTS PARTICIPATION DATA– NCAAFemales comprise 57% of the college student population (NCES, Fall 2003) but only receive 43% of all college athletic participation opportunities.
7Female college athletes receive 56,110 fewer college athletic participation opportunities than male college athletes.
8 Between 2003-2004 and 2004-2005, the participation of female college athletes at NCAA institutions increased by 3,976 while men's participation increased by 5,529.
9 Contrary to some media reports, male athletes have not lost opportunities as a result of Title IX.
- From 1988-1989 to 2003-2004, NCAA member institutions have added 2,346 sports for men while dropping 2,276 men's sports during that same period for a net gain of 70, while adding for women 3,592 sports and dropping 1,490 sports for a net gain of 2,102.10
- NCAA male sports participation has increased from 169,800 in 1981-1982 to 222,838 in 2004-2005.
It appears that NCAA Division I institutions are dropping men's sports teams in order to put more resources into men's football and basketball.
- From 1988-1989 to 2004-2005, NCAA Division I schools suffered a net loss of 239 men's teams while Divisions II (+44) and III (+265) enjoyed net gains.11
- In a study of both NCAA and NAIA schools, from 1981-1982 to 1998-1999, the net outcome of added and discontinued teams was +36 for men and +3,784 for females. Division II and III schools were found more likely to add teams and less likely to drop teams compared to Division I schools.12
COLLEGE SPORTS BUDGET DATA– NCAAFemale college athletes receive only 45% of college athletic scholarship dollars, which is $148 million fewer scholarship dollars than male college athletes.
13 Female college athletes receive only 38% of sports operating dollars, which is $1.17 billion less than male college athletes.
14 NCAA colleges spend 33% of recruitment money on women, which is $43 million less recruiting female athletes than male athletes.
15___________________________________________________________
1National Federation of State High School Associations, 2005-2006
2Ibid
3Ibid
4Ibid
5Ibid
6Ibid
7National Collegiate Athletic Association, 2004-2005
8Ibid
9NCAA Sports Sponsorship, 2004-2005
10Ibid
11Ibid
12Government Accountability Office Report, 2001
13NCAA Gender Equity Report, 2003-2004
14Ibid
15Ibid
*
2005-2006 represents the latest high school (National Federation of State High School Athletic Associations -NFHS) and college (National Collegiate Athletic Association-NCAA) athletic participation data. 2003-2004 represents the latest high school and college general student body statistics (National Center for Education Statistics-NCES). 2003-2004 represents the latest college budget data (National Collegiate Athletic Association-NCAA).Contact the Women's Sports Foundation Advocacy Department at 1-800-227-3988.