The Big Lead

USWNT Stars Filed Wage Discrimination Complaint Against U.S. Soccer

By Ty Duffy

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USWNT stars Carli Lloyd, Becky Sauerbrunn, Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe, and Hope Solo have filed a complaint against U.S. Soccer with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

The players argue they are paid as little as 40 percent of their male counterparts. They also allege an array of slights regarding bonuses, etc.  They are represented by notable sports attorney Jeffrey Kessler, who was unequivocal.

"“This is the strongest case of discrimination against women athletes in violation of law that I have ever seen,” Kessler said."

For USMNT, the U.S. Soccer income is supplementary. U.S. Soccer is the primary income source for USWNT players.

The men generate more money, right? Wrong. U.S. Soccer’s budget figures project USWNT to earn approximately $2.5 million more than USMNT events for 2016. The budget for 2017 estimates USWNT events will earn approximately $8.5 million more.

Here is a closer look at the 2017 event budgets. U.S. Soccer figures expect greater team expenses for men, while the women generate more revenue. U.S. Soccer would earn a surplus of $5,187,838 on USWNT events vs. $963,523 for USMNT events. That surplus would be despite spending more than three times as much on event expenses, sending the USWNT to the Olympics.

U.S. Soccer responded with a preliminary statement, saying they are “disappointed by this action.”

This is hardly the first complaint about unequal treatment from women players. Payouts for the World Cup, controlled by FIFA, are far greater for men. At the last Olympics, Japan’s World Cup-winning women’s team flew coach to London, while the men’s team flew first class.

FIFA also used women as guinea pigs to test holding a tournament on artificial turf.

Players were critical about subpar playing surfaces during the USWNT victory tour. Eight of the 10 matches scheduled were on artificial turf. A match in Hawaii was cancelled due to unsafe conditions. Field conditions were blamed for Megan Rapinoe’s knee injury suffered in December.