Mark Emmert Agrees to Independent Review of Disparities Between NCAA Tournaments

Emmert says that "immediate fixes are not enough" in a letter obtained by the Washington Post.

President of the NCAA Mark Emmert has agreed to an independent review of the disparities between the men's and women's basketball tournaments, according to a letter obtained by the Washington Post. 

NEW: The NCAA's Mark Emmert has agreed to an *independent review* of gender disparities at its basketball tournaments, according to a letter sent to the NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics today & obtained by the Post.

Full letter: pic.twitter.com/wLs602fkl6

— Molly Hensley-Clancy (@mollyhc) March 23, 2021

In the letter addressed to Suzette McQueen, the chair of the NCAA committee on women's athletics, Emmert responds to her concerns around the NCAA women's basketball tournament. The initial outrage surrounding the women's tournament and its lack of resources were highlighted by the comparison between the men's and women's weight rooms. 

The women's tournament was given just a handful of dumbbells as opposed to the men's tourney that received a massive space with power racks and a plethora of exercising equipment.

Although the NCAA supplied the women's tournament with proper equipment following the major backlash, Emmert said immediate fixes weren't enough. 

"We must address the longstanding issues around gender equity to make certain that we do not see these disparities in the future and can uphold our values of inclusion and equity in the most tangible ways," Emmert said in the letter.

"I will be calling for an independent review to closely examine the circumstances surrounding the events that transpired in San Antonio," he said. "This review will also include an analysis of the allocation of financial and human resources, facilities, and decision-making processes and procedures to ensure that all student-athletes are equally supported at our NCAA championship events."

The letter surfaced just hours after the National College Players Association said that Emmert agreed to speak with a group of basketball players who started a social media campaign to protest inequities in college sports after March Madness. 

SI’s tournament newsletter analyzes everything you need to know about the Big Dance: what just happened and what’s happening next. Sign up for Morning Madness here.