A Big Win for Women’s Sports
USWNT celebrate their 2022 She Believes Cup Championship in Frisco, Texas
The Journey to Equal Pay
Since March 2016, the United States Women's National Team (USWNT) has argued for the equitable treatment of female athletes, a fight that finally concluded on Tuesday. The class-action lawsuit against the US Soccer Federation (USSF) outlined a $24 million payout to the players and a pledge to equalize pay between the men's and women's national teams. The sum was far less than the original $66.7 million the players were seeking in backpay. The USSF is expected to distribute $22 million to the USWNT players, with the remaining balance being placed into a separate account to assist USWNT players in their post-career endeavors as well as further charitable contributions related to women's and girls' soccer. The charitable contributions are another way to reinforce the effort to ensure the growth of the sport at the grassroots level.
Hear from the Players
What’s at Stake
The USSF's pledge to equalize pay in all matches, including the FIFA World Cup, is a victory, but the fight is still far from over. The promise of equal pay is contingent on the ratification of a new contract between the federation and the USWNT. Cindy Cone, President of US Soccer, insists that the men's and women's national teams, in conjunction with the USSF, figure out a way for both teams to be paid equally. In order to reach an agreement, the men's team will have to agree to the sharing of potential World Cup prize funds, which have been significantly uneven in the past.
However, pay is not the only thing up for negotiation. The USWNT is also pushing for various other amendments such as extended maternity leave, according to USWNT captain Becky Sauerbrunn. A topic that will require in-depth discussion with head coach Vlatko Andonovski.
Recent Wins Across Women’s Sports
Trinity Rodman, a rising star in the NWSL and on the USWNT, signed the largest contract in league history: a four year deal valued at $1.1 million
ESPN sold out of advertisement space for the Women’s NCAA Tournament in March
The WNBA raised $75 million in the league’s first-ever funding round, catapulting the league to a $1 billion valuation
Job’s Not Finished
All of these events add to the momentum of growing the women's sports industry. Through our Fan Project Research we found that the pipeline of talent for women’s professional sports has grown at 6x the rate of the men’s pipeline since the 1980s. There is a massive wave of talent entering the women’s sports market, and the industry needs to have the resources to accommodate that wave. The media industry needs to create stories beyond the field of play and profile these incredible athletes that are changing the game. It was great to see Robin Roberts and Good Morning America provide the USWNT players the platform to celebrate and share their success, but much more can be done. The old adage still rings true, if you can see it you can be it. With the 50th anniversary of Title IX coming up in June, it is the perfect time to continue investing and creating opportunities for women in sport to succeed.