USMNT players union says USWNT deserves to be paid more than men's team
The USMNT fully supports the USWNT as it appeals a ruling that dismissed an equal pay lawsuit. In an amicus brief Friday, the USMNT players union argued the women don't just deserve equal pay, but that the women should be paid more than the men's team.
The brief was filed in support of the women, who appealed Ninth Circuit Court asking it to reverse a district court ruling that dismissed the women's equal pay lawsuit against the U.S. Soccer Federation.
In the brief, the men's union argue the women deserve "at least triple the compensation provided for in the men’s agreement."
"While the women are correct that the Federation has refused to provide them with equal pay, the reality is that equal should have been an absolute minimum under the facts of this case. Because of the Federation’s dramatic increases in revenue associated with the USMNT and USWNT in the years preceding the 2017 collective bargaining agreement, the women’s agreement should not have provided simply for appearance fees and performance bonuses equal to those in the men’s 2011 agreement; it should have provided the women higher pay. The USMNT Players Association expected the Federation to agree in 2017 to pay the women far in excess of what the men were being paid under their agreement negotiated in 2011 and was stunned to see that the Federation did not even agree to pay the women at the same level it had negotiated with the men six years earlier. See 5-ER-1070. Given the Federation’s dramatically improved financial circumstances, the women were due at least triple the compensation provided for in the men’s agreement."
The USWNT has been far more successful than the USMNT in recent years. The women's team won the 2019 World Cup, and is in the process of making a run toward an Olympic medal in Tokyo. The USWNT made progress on that front Friday, beating Netherlands on penalty kicks to reach the semifinals.
The USMNT failed to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.
USWNT has fought for equal pay for years
Even before their World Cup victory, members of the women's national soccer team have pushed for equal pay. Months before the 2019 World Cup, the women sued the U.S. Soccer Federation for gender discrimination.
The issue received more attention during the women's World Cup run, gaining support from fans and politicians.
That August, a judge ruled that the women would head to trial with U.S. Soccer over the issue. During that trial, which took place last May, a judge ruled the women's arguments were insufficient, and did not warrant a trial. The women vowed to immediately appeal that ruling.
That appeal was filed July 23, a day before the USWNT defeated New Zealand 6-1 in the group stage of the Olympics.
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