Kate Hawkesby: The embarrassing thing about the Silver Ferns' $25k bonus

Why didn't the sponsors front with the money in the first place for the Cup Winning silver ferns in the first place, asks Kate Hawkesby. Photo / AP

COMMENT:

We started the week with a triumphant World Cup netball win ... can you believe that was just 5 days ago?

But soon after the win, came the stories about lack of payment, inequality in women's sport, sponsors and broadcasters not putting enough behind them to warrant prize dollars.

Comparisons were made between the netballers and the cricketers, Black Caps collecting $3 million for finishing runners up, the netballers - zero.

Stories about how top Silver Ferns players earn about $130,000, while a top All Black can earn over a million.

Countless stories about the inequality of sponsorship and exposure. About the fundamental lack of money for women's sport.

And yet we end the week with what?

Money headed the Silver Ferns' way - $25,000 apiece.

Sadly, none for coach Noelene Taurua but this is the direct result of sponsors coming together and contributing the payment.

Sky, ANZ, MYOB and Puma have all made this happen.

And while that's a good thing and not bad to come up with just 5 days after the win isn't it also a little embarrassing?

Embarrassing that they had to be shamed into it?

Embarrassing that it's the direct result of public pressure and fan fury?

Wouldn't it have been amazing if the sponsors had backed them, and fronted with the money in the first place?

Don't get me wrong, a bonus is a bonus and I'm sure the Silver Ferns are immensely grateful.

Netball NZ has said it's stoked, and to be fair, didn't expect it.

The International Netball Federation pointed out that prizemoney's just not something that's on the table for netballers, because netball is still at the early stages of commercial development.

So what can we take away from this?

I'd like to think if we've learned anything this week, it's that women's sport deserves the sponsorship and the backing from the get-go.

That girls growing up playing netball learn that it's a viable career move.

That professional sport is recognised up front as being potentially as lucrative for women as it can be for men.

Because if the only way women are going to get paid for sporting achievements is by sponsors being pressured into it after the fact, then we still have a long way to go.