Pay should follow revenue. Men's leagues generate vastly more viewership, ticket sales, and sponsorships—paying equal salaries off unequal income isn't fairness, it's a subsidy.
Equal work at the pro level deserves equal pay. If the league profits from their talent, women athletes should get the same respect and paycheck as men.
The debate over athlete compensation pits the principle of equal pay for equal effort against the economic realities of league revenue and market viewership.
Men's sports generate way more revenue from tickets, TV, and sponsors, so the pay gap just reflects market demand. Forcing equal pay would crash leagues that can't afford it.
