Carli Lloyd leads US to wins 2015 World Cup against Japan.
Today five women from the United States Women’s National Team (USWNT) filed a claim against U.S. Soccer for wage discrimination. This comes long overdue with the success of the USWNT in the World Cup and recent Olympics, in contrast to the let downs of the men’s teams of years past. Many of our professional female players live in poverty, despite the fact the USWNT brought in $20-million more than the men’s team did last year for U.S. Soccer. So now that we set the table, let me explain how U.S. Soccer failed women.
In 2013 the league minimum for an MLS player was $35,125. Buzzfeed published an article about a young L.A. Galaxy player sharing an apartment with his brother (a doctor) and having to drive an hour to practice and games. the Galaxy also gave him $500 a month for housing in addition to his paycheck. It’s three years later, and now the league minimum is $60,000.
Let’s fast forward to today, the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) host almost every big name in the women’s game, including stars like Hope Solo, Alex Morgan, Carli Lloyd, and the rest of the USWNT as well as many international talents. The lowest salary a player can expect in what many believe is the best women’s league in the world… is $6,842. The season last six months. The maximum a NWSL player can make is $37,800. That’s right, Hope Solo, the best goalie in the world, will still not make the salary of a bench player on a terrible team.
The lack of pay leads many women to live like single-A baseball players, sticking 4-5 players in a small house or apartment. Or many asking for sponsors from families or strangers to help with housing.
But while this is a major issue, the claim isn’t against the pay gap between leagues. Though that is its own issue that needs to be addressed over time. This is about the 3-time World Cup champions and 4-time Olympic Gold Medalist USWNT making significantly less than the men’s side…who didn’t qualify for the Olympics, and had they of lost to Guatemala would have been eliminated from World Cup talks as well.
“Recently, it has become clear that the Federation has no intention of providing us equal pay for equal work,” Megan Rapinoe said in a press release.
A breakdown of the pay gap for the perennial World Cup/ Olympic champions compared to a team that struggles to make it out of group play… or in these tournaments at all.
A USWNT player earns $99,000 per player if the team wins 20 friendlies a year. 20-games a year which is the minimum both national teams have to play (not win, play). The Men’s for accomplishing that same goal… $263,320. Which is a 265% difference in pay.
Oh and if the Women’s team do reach that 20-win threshold so they get paid and decide to pay more games (because let’s face it, scheduling only 20-games hoping to win all 20 is a bad idea) they make a grand total in extra pay of… $000.00. The Men’s team for doing that exact same thing earn from $5,000 to $17,625.
“We are the best in the world, have three World Cup championships, four Olympic championships, and the [men] get paid more to just show up than we get paid to win major championships,” Hope Solo said.
The USWNT won the World Cup (again) and it was the most watched World Cup’s in American history. They earned $2-million. The Men’s team went 1-2-1 and were bounced in the round of 16…$9-million earned. That is a 450% difference in pay. The Men won one game. The Women won six. That’s $333,333 dollars a win for the Women. Men made $9-million for a lonely win.
So again, let remember despite the pay gap, the women’s team brought it $20-million more than the men’s team did for U.S. Soccer. What is your response U.S. Soccer?
” …while we have not seen this complaint and can’t comment on the specifics of it, we are disappointed about this action…”
That’s right, they are disappointed in the USWNT. How dare the USWNT demand equality for achieving something the Men’s team has never done. How dare they want the team that has claimed seven titles combined in the World Cup and Olympics, and place top-3 many other times get their equal (or arguable greater) cut of the pie. What selfish women would ever want such an over the top demand as equality for producing more money than their male counterparts…
It is noted the Men’s team players are backing the women fighting for equality, but have not openly mentioned any plans as players as to how they will back them outside of giving statements and quotes for the press.
So how can we help these women? Well first off support the NWSL. Watch it, tweet it, talk about it. Buy a jersey or scarf, just tell these women you are behind them. Teach your kids that these women are patriots just like the men are.
Those are my thoughts, hope you like, share, comment.
@scottcriscione is the social media handle.
