Women's games should see larger stage

This University has one of the most storied athletic traditions in the country. From the legendary women’s soccer and men’s basketball programs to the less publicized but equally talented women’s field hockey program, citing UNC as the University of National Champions isn’t unfitting.

However, little attention is often paid to some of the more successful teams on campus. Scheduling a women’s basketball game in the Dean E. Smith Center could help bring attention not only to the single game or team, but also to women’s athletics as a whole.

Ranked sixth in the nation, UNC’s women’s basketball team is one of the most successful — and underappreciated — programs in the nation. One would be hard-pressed to find a team more deserving of the limelight.

Historically, women’s college athletics have been undervalued. There are 63,000 fewer spots on rosters for female athletes at NCAA institutions and they receive $183 million less in NCAA athletic scholarships.

Despite this, as of 2012, female participation in college athletics is at an all time high — with an average of 8.7 female teams per campus.

Therefore, it seems there is no time more appropriate than now to draw attention to this disparity between participation and funding.

Headed by Christy Lambden, the Executive Branch of student government has toyed with the idea of having the men’s basketball team play a game in Carmichael Arena. This is an entertaining idea that would benefit fans but may ultimately be unfeasible due to the high potential for revenue loss.

However doing the reverse — bringing the women’s team to the Smith Center — seems much more feasible and beneficial to many more parties involved.

Carmichael Arena has seating for just 8,010 fans, paling in comparison to the 21,750 seats in the Smith Center.

Though the women’s team would likely not be able to regularly draw enough spectators to fill the arena, or even cover operating costs through ticket sales, choosing a noteworthy game, such as one versus Duke University or another high profile team, could draw the necessary crowd.

To make such a game a success there would have to be a well-thought-out and thorough publicity strategy to engage the larger campus community.

Even at this University, which can boast an unprecedented 21 women’s soccer national championship titles, women’s sports are often overlooked.

By literally putting a women’s team on the same stage that their male counterparts play on, the University could spark greater interest in a whole realm of athletics. Moving a game to the Smith Center would not only further legitimize it but also send a message about how the University is making a conscious effort to promote all sports, regardless of gender.

It is delusional to believe one game could completely change the way the public watches sports, but it is a good place to start.