Basketball is the second most popular sport in the USA.
The legends produced by this game are astonishing. The likes of LeBron James and Michael Jordan have changed American basketball forever. It is more than a community, and its fan base worldwide is always excited for a new NBA season.
The popularity is massive among both males and females. However, there are a few differences in their playing rules regarding playing professionally. Although men’s basketball is more popular than women’s, the game’s love remains the same.
What are the differences between men’s and women’s basketball?
Both the men's and women's basketball teams won the American Midwest Conference Championship!
This is the men's team's first AMC Championship in program history! The women's team won the AMC Championship for the second-straight year!
Congrats to both teams! #GoScotsGo pic.twitter.com/dN2KJyHaQS
— Lyon College (@LyonCollege) February 22, 2021
Size of the ball
The first difference is in the basketball itself. Usually, women have smaller hands, for which the basketball is one or one and a half inches smaller in circumference than men’s. The basketball used in women’s play ranges from 28.5 to 29 inches, while in men’s play, the range is 29.5 to 30 inches.
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Three-point line
Three-pointers hold an integer value in a basketball match. Therefore, scoring more three-pointers increases the chance of winning. In college, the distance of the three-point line from the rim for men is 20 feet 9 inches, and for women, it is 19 feet 9 inches. In the NBA, the distance varies from 22 to 23 feet 9 inches, and in WNBA, the distance is 20 feet 6 inches from the hoop.
Gameplay
The style of play is a bit different between men and women. Men, naturally stronger and taller, tend to score more three-pointers, and data shows their aim is better. On average, men score five points more at the college level. However, the free throw shooting is even for both.
Playing rule
In college basketball, the men have a 10 seconds rule in which they have to cross the half-court line and must shoot within 35 seconds after having possession. However, in women’s play, the 10 seconds rule doesn’t apply, but the offensive team has to shoot within 30 seconds. The same rule applies in the WNBA, while the NBA allows only 24 seconds to make a shot.
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Popularity
Men’s basketball has a rich history and has been a mainstream sport since the 1940s. Women are also playing for just as long, but they gained popularity in the mid-1980s. From television ratings, match attendance, to fan following, all metrics of men’s basketball are far more than women’s basketball.
Length of season
Along with several differences between men’s and women’s basketball, the length of the NBA and WNBA seasons vary. A regular NBA season is 82 games long with four post-season playoffs. An NBA team in the season at most can play 110 games, while in the WNBA, the regular season has 34 games and three post-season playoffs. The highest number of games a team in the WNBA can play is 45. With fewer matches comes less gate money and sponsorship.
Revenue
The gap between the NBA and WNBA in league revenue is huge. While the NBA generates around $9 billion on average, the WNBA is way far behind and can only generate $75 million. The difference trickles down as well; NBA shares 50% of the total revenue with the players, while WNBA shares only 20% of the revenue with the players.
Payscale
The average salary in the NBA is $7 million, whereas the average salary of a player in the WNBA is only $80,000. This low pay also reflected in the highest earning for a player. Stephen Curry makes around $43 million per season, while Sue Bird, the highest-paid player in the WNBA, makes only $221,000 per season.
These major differences are because of the viewership, sponsors and audiences’ interest. Indeed the NBA attracts more eyeballs and has a strong fan base around the world, it also makes the NBA spreads more interesting.
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