Title IX, a law that opened the door for women in athletics, celebrated its 35th anniversary in 2007.

Even though men and women are beginning to receive equal opportunities in sports, they have not received equal fan support. This is something that will take a while and something we haven’t even come close to mastering here at Elon.

I know that there’s not a big percentage of students here at Elon who attend the athletic events. But the fan support that the women’s basketball team has received this season is downright pathetic.

The Nest is full of empty seats. The fans who are there are the players’ families and a few select students, but that isn’t nearly enough.

Based on the number of fans in attendance at the Phoenix’s home games, you walk into the arena and you receive the impression that it is a girls’ JV high school basketball game taking place, not a Division I game.

Many people who attend the men’s games, and not the women’s games, make the snide remark, “I don’t like women’s basketball.”

A large number of these people have never even watched a women’s college basketball game.

They make the common mistake that men’s and women’s basketball are the same game. They are not. They are two separate games and cannot be compared to one another.

One simple point to note is that the men play above the rim and quite simply the women don’t. Men are more athletic and have the ability to slam it down.

High-flying dunks are not the only thing that makes the game of basketball exciting. If that’s all you watch basketball for then you are not a true basketball fan.

While the dunk gets fans out of their seats at the men’s game, a beautifully crafted give and go will excite the women’s game.

Women play a more fundamental game. They set hard screens, play tough defense and are not afraid to dive on the floor for a loose ball.

Earlier this month, the Elon men’s basketball team hosted Davidson in a tough conference game. Even though the Phoenix came up short, it played superbly. I guarantee that those players played some of their best basketball all season because they played in front of a sold out crowd.

By no means am I saying that the only way the women’s team will win is if they play in front of a sold out crowd, but it will help. Players feed off the energy in the stands, and it’s time that we start making some energy in the crowd.

It will take some time for the women to fill a stadium like the men did against Davidson, but it’s time to start to take that step in the right direction.

Columnist: Pam Richter - 01/23/07