For a SS with prize money of US$200,000, the BWF has come out with a guideline as follows: Men's Singles 1. Champion: $16,000 (8.00% of total prize money $200,000) 2. Runner-up: $6,400 (3.20%) 3. Semi-finalist: $2,560 x 2 = $5,120 (2.56%) 4. Quarter-finalist: $1,000 x 4 = $4,000 (2.00%) 5. Last 16: $600 x 8 = $4,800 (2.40%) 6. Last 32: $300 x 16 = $4,800 (2.40%) 7. Total Men's Singles prize money $41,120 (20.56% of $200,000) Doesn't seem to be much more for the champion in absolute terms but those who clear the MS first round get at least $300 to cover part of their expenses! The Champion gets almost $10,000 more than the RU. So nothing beats being the MS champion! Women's Singles 1. $13,800 (6.90%) 2. $5,520 (2.76%) 3. $2,200 ($4,400 or 2.20%) 4. $880 ($3,520 or 1.76%) 5. $500 ($4,000 or 2.00%) 6. $300 ($4,800 or 2.40%) 7. $36,040 (18.02%) Men's Doubles 1. $14,400 (7.20%) 2. $5,760 (2.88%) 3. $2,300 ($4,600 or 2.30%) 4. $1,000 ($4,000 or 2.00%) 5. $800 ($6,400 or 3.20%) 6. $600 ($9,600 or 4.80%) 7. $44,760 (22.38%) Women's Doubles 1. $12.200 (6.10%) 2. $4,880 (2.44%) 3. $1,950 ($3,900 or 1.95%) 4. $1,000 ($4,000 or 2.00%) 5. $800 ($6,400 or 3.20%) 6. $600 ($9,600 or 4.80%) 7. $40,980 (20.49%) Mixed Doubles 1. $11,600 (5.80%) 2. $4,400 (2.20%) 3. $1,750 ($3,500 or 1.75%) 4. $1,000 ($4,000 or 2.00%) 5. $700 ($5,600 or 2.80%) 6. $500 ($8,000 or 4.00%) 7. $37,100 (18.55%) What do you think? Can an average professional in the world top 60 make a living? Depends on his country's cost of living I suppose, eg China, Indonesia, Malaysia versus Europe, US, Canada. Can you devise a better and more equitable structure? I suppose this will be the payout for the first Malaysian Super Series from 16-21 Jan 2007. The second Korea SS held from 23 - 28 Jan 2007 commands a higher prize money of US$300,000. Hopefully, it will attract many of the best to converge in Seoul.
Just because she is born a female, she shouldn't earn less Hi Loh, I am not pleased that there are such payment disparities among the Men's and Women's Events. Both sexes train as hard as required to be professional players, so they should earn same prize money. I feel that that there should equal payments; 20% to each event, MS, WS, MD, WD and XD. Unfortunately, each player who plays in a Doubles Event will only earn half of their combined prize reward. This is only because it is his/her choice to play in a Doubles Event. But for anyone who plays in a Singles Event, he/she has no option. Just because she is born a female, she shouldn't earn less. BTW, is BWF trying to challenge women players to enter in the Men's Events...... like I see in some Kung Fu movie ??? Cheers... chris@ccc
yup, the total prize money for the finals at the end of the year is 500k, though you have to be in the top 16 (?) to enter. wow, there's such a disparity between champion and runner-up, i thought it was pretty standard that the runner-up gets half of what the champion gets, this is way less than half.
Agreed to the equity problem. Also, there is no way even a world-class player from North America could get much above the poverty line.
Thanks for sharing that...and interesting.. Loh, thanks for sharing those infos...Hmm, just wondering: 1. has this prize-money distribution formula been used for previous/other tournaments in previous yrs??.. 2. will they use the same percentage no. in figuring out the prizes in different tournaments?? Or they will proportionately use the same percentage??.. I would also assume those prize monies will be divvied-up again amongst the players' respective coaches, player's association(s) and other entities. Not to mention they have to pay taxes. So, in the end, the total amt the players *actually keep* will be much less than the actual monies they've won/received. UNLESS, of course, they are playing independently for themselves(ie. Candra & Tony G.)...
The prize money isn't change too much compare w/ the previous 'Old GP'. So far, Korea SuperSeries is the biggest grand total of prize money between the other 11 SS (USD.300,000). Even All England (The Oldest and Prestigious bdm tourney) only can provide USD.200,000! For Indo SS, maybe there are little increasing from last year's USD.250,000. Hmm,still far distance to tennis...
such practice is common isn't it? we see it everywhere... except now we have the table tennis federation who actually decided to have equal prize money for both guys and ladies. hopefully one day IBF will follow in the footsteps of ITTF.
Proposed Incentive Structure If we adopt Chris' equity proposal, which I tend to support, ie: 1. The prize money be divided equally among the 5 events, ie, $40,000 each for a total prize money of $200,000. 2. Treat men and women equally as a universal ideal and since they all train hard as professionals, as well as to encourage more talented women into the sport. Therefore the incentives for MS and WS as well as for XD should be the same. Granted that the men's game is different from the women's because they are endowed differently. My proposed $200,000 incentive structure would be: $40,000 (each for the 5 events MS, WS, MD, WD and XD) 1. Champion: $14,000 (35%) 2. Runner-Up: $6,000 (15%) 3. Semi-finalist: $6,000 (15%) ($3,000 x 2) 4. Quarter-finalist: $4,000 (10%) ($1,000 x 4) 5. Last 16:$4,000 (10%) ($500 x 8) 6. Last 32:$6,000 (15%) ($250 x 16) Notes: 1. Champion's winnings slightly reduced and Runner-up gets closer to half the champion's prize. 2. Semi-finalists get half of RU, which they deserve and slightly higher than previously. 3. Quarter-finalists remain at $1,000 each. 4. Last 16's prize reduced by $100 each, from $600 to $500. 5. Last 32's prize also reduced by $50 each, from $300 to $250. 6. Calculations intended to be more simplified as subtotals are all in thousands of dollars and percentages rounded. 7. This reward scheme is meant to favour those from the semi-finals onwards and to compensate the others for expenses. Other thoughts: 1. I believe each national association has its own formula of dividing its players winnings. Some asssociations reward the players' efforts by letting them retain their all their winnings as these associations may already have a better scheme to source for funds and sponsors. 2. I doubt this BWF guideline was used faithfully in every tournament in the past. Whether it will be used in 2007 is left to be seen. 3. Winning just one SS may not be enough for a professional. But there are 12 SS plus one Grand one ($500,000) to look forward to. Depending on where the players comes from, whether from Asia or Europe/US, the winnings could mean differently because of their respective countries' cost of living. If a player wins say two SS which gives him a total of US$28,000, it is not too bad if he comes from Asia but it may be worse than the poverty line in Europe/US as what Westwood 13 has commented. Grand SS Prize of US$500,000 Based on my proposed formula, the figures will be: 1. $175,000 2. $75,000 3. $75,000 ($37,500 x 2) 4. $50,000 ($12,500 x 4) 5. $50,000 ($6,250 x 8) 6. $75,000 ($4,687.50 x 16) Now, this looks vastly different and surely an added incentive for the professionals to win. Maybe closer to tennis, a long tern goal of BWF to be the foremost racket sport!