The pay gap

“The UAAP remains committed to raising officiating standards through a referee development program, which aims to ensure its pool of referees meets FIBA standards. The adoption of the tiered system marks the initial step of the league to elevate these standards.” – UAAP statement

A few days ago, a howl was raised over the disparity created between the pay of the referees of the women’s basketball tournament and the men’s basketball games of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines. Naturally, there are several opinions on the matter, particularly from those favor pay equality. Regardless of the argument, there are several sticking points.

First, the league’s intentions are good, if these measures are meant to standardize and raise basketball officiating in the league. However, the public was not aware of such changes. So the initial reaction is one of surprise, which also carries certain emotional volume. As we all know, many do not investigate any further than their first impression, particularly if the information came from social media.

Second, the meaning that people infer is that officiating women’s games is somehow inferior than men’s basketball. At the pro level (like the NBA vs. the WNBA) that may be true. At the college level, it may not be demonstrable yet in the Philippines. Speed of play and physicality between the sexes’ games has not been clearly established. Whether or not there is data to support this, again, public is not aware. It also runs counter to the great strides women’s basketball has made in the country in the last decade or more. Hence, even coaches in the league itself voiced there anxieties. Their fear is that it will somehow impact appreciating in the tournament, which is already ongoing. Already, perception has overtaken the facts.

Next, there’s the idea that FIBA itself does not discriminate, that basketball is basketball, regardless. Also, female, referees and referees of female basketball go through the same process that their male counterparts do. This is being used to illustrate that what the UAAP has done is unfair. If the international federation itself does not discriminate, why should we?

All of that may be defensible. However, for this writer, what is problematic is the supposed deduction from the pay of referees of women’s basketball and the addition to the compensation of referees for men’s basketball. That would be a giant step backward, and disrespectful to the referees officiating women’s and girls basketball. A baseline had already been established, a standard had already been set. Why punish one sector to the benefit of another? It would be more palatable if referees for men’s games were paid more, but not at the expense of their peers. Referees already spend their careers with no benefits, no standard compensation, and no guarantees. It is a sacrifice they often make for decades, even taking on more menial assignments just to have income.

All that the UAAP has to do is communicate more clearly, and perhaps restore what was taken away. There is no problem with raising one group pay, as long as it is not taken away from their equals. It sends the wrong message to those who have invested so much in the basketball community. The bottom line is it may just be an omission in communication, one that can easily be rectified.