Sarah Lawrence College DigitalCommons@SarahLawrence Women's History Theses Women’s History Graduate Program 5-2016 “Venus to the Hoop,” But Not to the Bank: Gender Inequity in Professional Basketball Mercedes Ann Townsend Sarah Lawrence College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.slc.edu/womenshistory_etd Part of the Women's History Commons Recommended Citation Townsend, Mercedes Ann, "“Venus to the Hoop,” But Not to the Bank: Gender Inequity in Professional Basketball" (2016). Women's History Theses. 16. https://digitalcommons.slc.edu/womenshistory_etd/16 This Thesis - Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by the Women’s History Graduate Program at DigitalCommons@SarahLawrence. It has been accepted for inclusion in Women's History Theses by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@SarahLawrence. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. “Venus to the Hoop,” But Not to the Bank: Gender Inequity in Professional Basketball Mercedes Ann Townsend Master’s Thesis Women’s History Graduate Program Submitted in partial completion of the Master of Arts Degree at Sarah Lawrence College, May 2016 TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements…………………………………………………………………………...…ix Introduction………………………………………………………...………………………….....1 Chapter One How the NBA Came to Control Professional Women’s Basketball in the United States…/…....11 Chapter Two The Family-Friendly Ladies of the WNBA…………………………………………...……........20 Chapter Three “Spin Moves:” The Marketing Maneuvers of the WNBA………………………………………34 Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………………43 Bibliography………………………………………………………………………………….....47 . ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This thesis has been, as they say, a team effort. While much of the work is a solitary endeavor, this project would not have been possible without the love and support of my starting lineup—my family, friends, and mentors, who have all taken on the roles of cheerleader, color commentator, and coach throughout this process.