Women's basketball teams finally will be paid for playing games in the NCAA Tournament each March just like the men have for years under a plan approved Wednesday at the NCAA convention. The unanimous vote by NCAA membership was met by a round of applause both inside the ballroom and around the sport.

Women's basketball teams finally will be paid for playing games in the NCAA Division I tournament each March, just like the men have for years.

In a historic vote Wednesday at the NCAA convention in Nashville, the organization approved a plan to pay women's basketball teams for making the NCAA Tournament. Men's basketball teams have been reaping the benefits of the same revenue sharing plan for many years.

Now, so-called performance units that represent revenue will be given to women’s teams playing in the tournament. A team that reaches the Final Four could bring its conference roughly $1.26 million over the next three years.

This was the final step toward a pay structure for women playing in March Madness after the Division I Board of Governors voted unanimously for the proposal in August. NCAA President Charlie Baker joined others in giving credit for the creation of a performance fund to those who came before and helped build women’s basketball.

Women’s basketball teams will be paid for playing games in the NCAA Tournament each March just like the men have for years under a plan approved Wednesday at the NCAA convention