NCAA to pay officials same for men’s and women’s basketball tournaments

The NCAA announced it will pay officials for the women’s and men’s tournaments the same amount in a move toward gender equity.

“All basketball officials, regardless of the gender of sport participants, will be receiving equal pay for championship games officiated in 2022 and beyond,” the NCAA said in a statement.

The NCAA will pay basketball officials for the women's tournament the same amount it pays the officials for the men's competition. https://t.co/g4N7bSKivm

— ESPN Women's Hoops (@ESPN_WomenHoop) December 17, 2021

Men’s and women’s referees were compensated equally from 2001 to 2012, but men’s officials have made more than women’s officials since 2012, according to ESPN.

The NCAA’s announcement comes after the organization came under fire last year for disparities in facilities and resources for the men’s and women’s tournaments.

Since then, the NCAA commissioned a gender equity report that recommended utilizing the phrasing “March Madness” for both men’s and women’s tournaments, among other improvements.