In '16, HOFers Billie Jean King and Rosie Casals met with WTA CEO Steve Simon to ask for a pensiongetty images
The WTA has "agreed to pay" $1.25M over five years to create a Legacy Fund for pioneers of the women's tour from the '70s and '80s who "missed out on a pension," according to Stuart Miller of the N.Y. TIMES. Nearly 250 players "will each receive a one-time payment of $5,000," with the first group paid last month. Former player Paula Smith said, "I hoped for a lot more, but we're lucky they did it at all." The process of a deal with the WTA began in '16 when HOFers Billie Jean King and Rosie Casals met with WTA CEO Steve Simon in Indian Wells to "ask for a pension." Simon said that it was "too late to establish a pension" and instead created the Legacy Fund. Simon said of the deal, "We felt it was positive and efficient and we got support of our board and the group of players." Simon said that the WTA also will "collect stories from each woman" about the "camaraderie and challenges of life on the early tour." Those stories will be used in marketing and to "celebrate the coming 50th anniversary of key milestones." Meanwhile, some women felt those who "played longer should get more money," but the WTA decided that "all players should be equally paid." Simon: "The money isn't going to change anybody's life. This seemed like the cleanest, easiest and most fair way." The WTA has now begun "lobbying the four Grand Slam tournaments to match the WTA's contributions to the Legacy Fund." Former player Pam Austin said that the former players "might also approach early sponsors like Virginia Slims and Colgate" to contribute to the fund (N.Y. TIMES, 11/3).
