Mac’s paid 10 times more? You cannot be serious...
Navratilova shocked by BBC pundits’ pay gap
TENNIS legend Martina Navratilova has hit out at the BBC after finding out fellow Wimbledon pundit John McEnroe is paid at least 10 times more than her.
McEnroe’s pay packet, of £150,000 to £199,999, was revealed in a list of the BBC’s top-paid talent last summer.
Navratilova, 61, told Panorama she is paid around £15,000 by the BBC for her commentator role.
She said: “It was a shock because John McEnroe makes at least £150,000.
“I get about £15,000 for Wimbledon and unless John McEnroe’s doing a whole bunch of stuff outside of Wimbledon, he’s getting at least 10 times as much money.”
Navratilova said she was told she was getting paid a comparable amount to men doing the same job.
She added: “We were not told the truth, that’s for sure.
“( I’m) not happy. It’s shocking. It’s still the good old boys network.
“The bottom line is that male voices are valued more than women’s voices.”
Navratilova, who was crowned Wimbledon ladies’ champion nine times, said that her agent will ask for more money in future.
BBC Spo r t told Panorama, to be broadcast tonight, that McEnroe, 59, and Navratilova “perform different roles in the team and John’s role is of a different scale, scope and time commitment”.
They added: “They are simply not comparable. John’s pay reflects all of this, gender isn’t a factor.”