Sedona Prince Called Out the NCAA, and Orangetheory Answered

A college athlete's call for the NCAA to offer more equitable training facilities for women was heard by millions in social media—including a brand willing to step in and help fill the gap. Workout studio chain Orangetheory Fitness noticed a video from Sedona Prince, who plays for the Oregon Ducks women's basketball team. In the short but impactful clip—which now has more than 10 million views on Twitter—Prince exposed the meager fitness amenities afforded to her and her teammates during March Madness, which she notes is "the biggest tournament in college basketball for women." Her video shows a single rack of weights, which the entire team was expected to share. Prince then cuts to the men's workout room, which includes a sprawling array of machines and equipment. "When pictures of our weight room got released ... the NCAA came out with a statement that said it wasn't money that was the problem, it was the space," Prince tells the camera. She then pivots the view to show a vastly empty, unused practice area, which ideally would provide more than enough room for exercise equipment. https://twitter.com/sedonaprince_/status/1372736231562342402 Orangetheory was among the thousands of Twitter responders expressing solidarity with Prince and her team, but the brand went a big step further than just supporting her call for equal treatment. The company offered equipment and studio time to help the women prepare for a grueling tournament. "Orangetheory will make its studios available for private sessions with any team, or we will bring water rowers and a full range of floor and weight equipment to any central location," the company tweeted from its official account. "We want to help." https://twitter.com/orangetheory/status/1372979451873656835 "As a female pioneer in the fitness industry, I have experienced firsthand the challenges that women face as they pave the way," said Ellen Latham, founder of Orangetheory Fitness. "Reading about the disparities that the NCAA female athletes are experiencing broke my heart, and the brand knew that we had to do whatever was in our power to rectify the situation. We hope that by offering our studio spaces and equipment the women of NCAA basketball are able to train properly and, most importantly, feel supported." The brand is offering to bus teams to its San Antonio locations while maintaining social-distance protocols to ensure their safety. UPDATE, March 21, 2021: On Saturday, the NCAA VP of women's basketball, Lynn Holzman released an apology for the weight room discrepancies. "As a former women's basketball student-athlete, it's always been my priority to make this event the best possible experience for everyone involved," Holzman wrote in a statement. "We fell short this year in waht [sic] we've been doing to prepare in the past 60 days for 64 teams to be here in San Antonio." Dan Gavitt, VP of men's basketball, also apologized for "dropping the ball" when it came to providing equitable resources: "We have intentionally organized basketball under one umbrella (at the NCAA) to ensure consistency and collaboration. When we fall short on these expectations, it's on me." In addition, the NCAA reconsidered its previous assessment of the women's workout room and furnished the team with the equipment they deserve. Prince shared a video of the new and improved facilities with her supportive Twitter following. https://twitter.com/sedonaprince_/status/1373365271277223938

Women in Sports

When Sedona Prince Called Out the NCAA for Unequal Facilities, Orangetheory Stepped Up

Her video shows a single rack of weights, which the entire team was expected to share

Shannon Miller

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Shannon Miller