Who did the most to change how athletes get paid?

Court cases, boycotts and one contract signed for a single dollar. Nobody here got paid more for winning the argument.

1. 1
   Marvin Miller

   Ran the baseball players' union from 1966 and turned it into the strongest in American sport, winning free agency.
   1000pts
2. 2
   Gladys Heldman

   The publisher who staged the breakaway Houston tournament in 1970 that became the women's professional tour.
   710pts
3. 3
   Curt Flood

   Refused a trade in 1969 and took baseball's reserve clause to the Supreme Court, losing the case but cracking the system.
   624pts
4. 4
   Billie Jean King

   Signed a $1 contract with eight others in 1970 over a purse gap of $12,500 to $1,500, then founded the WTA.
   485pts
5. 5
   Megan Rapinoe

   A named plaintiff in the US women's team suit that won a $24m settlement and equal pay in 2022.
   485pts
6. 6
   Catfish Hunter

   Baseball's first modern free agent in 1974, whose contract fight showed everyone what the market was worth.
   397pts
7. 7
   Bob Cousy

   Organised the first NBA players' association in 1954, when the league had no pension and no minimum wage.
   397pts
8. 8
   Jean-Marc Bosman

   A Belgian midfielder whose 1995 European court win let footballers leave for nothing at contract's end.
   291pts
9. 9
   Andy Messersmith

   Played a season without a contract in 1975 and won the arbitration that ended the reserve clause for good.
   291pts
10. 10
    Nneka Ogwumike

    Led the WNBA players' union through the deal that raised salaries and then the opt-out that reopened the fight over revenue share.
    291pts
11. 11
    Ed O'Bannon

    Sued the NCAA over the use of his likeness in a video game, starting the chain that ended amateurism.
    162pts
12. 12
    Oscar Robertson

    Lent his name to the 1970 antitrust suit that blocked the NBA-ABA merger and delivered NBA free agency.
    162pts