League of Fans Endorses the WNBA Petition to Preserve and Enforce Title IX

To: President George Bush and Secretary of Education Roderick Paige

We, the undersigned, respectfully request that you act to preserve and more strongly enforce current Title IX athletic policies.

Since the passage of Title IX in 1972, the number of women in college sports has grown dramatically from 32,000 to 163,000 today ñ a gain of 400%. Girlsí participation in high school sports has increased 847%, from 294,000 to almost 2.8 million.

Even with these advances, discrimination still limits girlsí and womenís opportunities in sports. Although women in Division I colleges represent 53% of the student body, they receive only 41% of opportunities to play sports, 36% of overall athletic operating budgets and 32% of the dollars spent to recruit new athletes. In high schools, the situation is even more concerning, with many schools still failing to administer boysí and girlsí programs in an equitable manner.

Title IX is a fair and flexible law. Menís sports opportunities have not suffered as a result of Title IX; in fact, nationwide, menís participatory opportunities, numbers of teams and sports budgets have all grown since Title IX was enacted.

Despite these facts, the Commission on Opportunity in Athleticsí recent report proposes a number of recommendations that could weaken Title IX and limit girls and womenís future opportunities in sports. In response, Commissioners Julie Foudy and Donna de Varona issued a minority report detailing concerns with the majority report and outlining suggestions for strengthening enforcement of the current law.

Americans overwhelmingly support Title IX. A USA Today/CNN/Gallup poll in January 2003 found that 7 of 10 adults familiar with Title IX think the law should be strengthened or left alone.

We, the undersigned, urge you to preserve Title IXís mandate of equal opportunity for all by adopting the minority report and by pushing for greater enforcement of current Title IX policies.

Val Ackerman, WNBA President

David Stern, NBA Commissioner; Russ Granik, NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer; Adam Silver, NBA Entertainment President and Chief Operating Officer; Heidi Ueberroth, Executive Vice President, NBA and WNBA Global Media Properties and Marketing Partnerships; Paula Hanson, WNBA Chief Operating Officer; Tim Andree, Senior Vice President, NBA and WNBA Communications; Teri Schindler, WNBA Vice President of Broadcasting; Renee Brown, WNBA Vice President of Player Personnel; Bob Lanier, NBA Legend

Marlies Askamp, Los Angeles Sparks Center; Tricia Bader Binford, Cleveland Rockers Guard; Missy Bequette, Seattle Storm Director of Operations; Gayle Bibby-Creme, Cleveland Rockers Vice President of Business Operations; Bernie Bickerstaff, Charlotte Sting Vice President and General Manager; Carol Blazejowski, New York Liberty Senior Vice President and General Manager; Janice Braxton, Cleveand Rockers Assistant Coach; Rushia Brown, Cleveland Rockers Forward; Janell Burse, Minnesota Lynx Center; Van Chancellor, Houston Comets Head Coach; Stacy Clinesmith, Detroit Shock Guard; Michael Cooper, Los Angeles Sparks Head Coach; Nancy Darsch, Minnesota Lynx Assistant Coach; Tamecka Dixon, Los Angeles Sparks Guard; Anne Donovan, Seattle Storm Head Coach; Simone Edwards, Seattle Storm Center; Kelley Gibson, Houston Comets Guard; Judy Holland-Burton, Washington Mystics Senior Vice President; Dan Hughes, Cleveland Rockers Head Coach; Kelly Krauskopf, Indiana Fever Chief Operating Officer; Trudi Lacey, Charlotte Sting Head Coach; Takeisha Lewis, Seattle Storm Forward; Pamela McGhee, Detroit Shock Assistant Coach; Katie Smith, Minnesota Lynx Guard; Dawn Staley, Charlotte Sting Guard; Kate Starbird, Seattle Storm Guard; Steve Swetoha, Charlotte Sting, Senior Vice President for Business Operations; Sheryl Swoopes, Houston Comets Forward; Ed Tapscott, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, RLJ Basketball; Tina Thompson, Houston Comets Forward; Penny Toler, Los Angeles Sparks General Manager; Michele Van Gorp, Minnesota Lynx Center

Shawn McCarthy, director of League of Fans

Add Your Name to the Petition and Fight for Title IX!

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Fans and others have until the start of the WNBA season on May 22, 2003 to sign the petition.

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Founded by Ralph Nader, the mission of League of Fans is to improve sports by working as a sports industry watchdog to increase awareness of the industry's relationship to society, expose irresponsible business practices, ensure fan accountability, and encourage the sports industry to contribute to societal well-being.