Massive Pay Gap Between Lebron James and Sue Bird Has Twitter Talking

John Newby

10/20/2020 10:04 pm EDT

Wage disparities are often discussed when comparing sports and professional athletes. For example, the United States women's national soccer team members filed a federal lawsuit on March 8 for gender discrimination due to being paid less than their male counterparts. The conversation continued recently when a WNBA player compared the championship bonuses earned by LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers and Sue Bird of the Seattle Storm. Both basketball stars won their fourth championship in October but earned very different bonuses. James reportedly walked away with $370,000, while Bird only collected $11,356.

When the Twitter users saw the comparison featuring two 17-year veterans of the sport, they reacted in very different ways. Some said that Bird "doesn't deserve" to earn as much due to an inability to pull off a 360-degree dunk. Others noted that the wage gap is due to differences in revenue. However, several other users did not agree with these opinions and said that there is systemic sexism in play. The arguments continued as more people saw the comparison photo.

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A common response to the comparison photo is that the NBA and WNBA salaries differ based on the number of viewers tuning in each week. The Twitter users cited the estimated $8.76 billion in annual revenue from the 2018-19 season. These people expressed the opinion that the difference in pay stems from the WNBA earning less money.

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The arguments about the revenue differences continued when the comparison photo surfaced. Many agreed that the lack of money in the WNBA leads to smaller salaries. Others, however, said that the major problem with the WNBA's revenue is its marketing. These Twitter users said that the league needs to improve in specific ways in order to earn more money.

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While many fans and critics alike argued about the differences in viewer numbers, others wanted to discuss the G League. These Twitter users said that the minor league players that work to earn spots the Memphis Grizzlies, Los Angeles Lakers and other teams still make a comfortable living despite the lack of a TV contract. These people expressed the opinion that the differences between the G League and the WNBA still boil down to sexism.

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When the Twitter users saw the comparison photo featuring Bird and James, they jumped to the conclusion that the WNBA players want the exact same pay as their NBA counterparts. Other people disputed this belief and expressed the opinion that Bird isn't seeking nearly $40 million annually. They said that the goal is to earn similar percentages of the revenue.

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Is there sexism in play when comparing the salaries of professional basketball players? Some fans thought so while others disagreed. One portion of Twitter users, however, said that the lack of revenue earned by the WNBA is actually evidence of sexism. They expressed the opinion that male fans don't want to watch female players in sports.

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There were many Twitter users acknowledging the differences in viewership numbers while arguing about pay. However, some were trying to make a different point. Specifically, there were multiple people commenting and saying that the WNBA just doesn't have the same size of fanbase due to the league's age. They expressed the opinion that the league is newer and that more and more fans will tune in with each passing year.

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According to many Twitter users, allocation is key. Several expressed the opinion that the NBA could increase the salaries across the WNBA by lowering its own salary cap and allocating more money. Others disagreed and said that the NBA loses money by keeping the WNBA in existence. The arguments continued for a considerable amount of time.

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