Battle of the sexes: USA Soccer Edition

[The Federalist Engineer]

I think the men’s lawyers are arguing the wrong point. The men make more because they generate more revenue. The idea that the men carry more weight is completely subjective. The revenues, jersey sales, and TV stats are not disputable.

Just make a fixed pay schedule .... say 5 or 10% of attributed net goes to the players. Distribution to specific players based on games and minutes played.

BAM! Who ever generates the greater profits gets the most pay.

[R2Dawg]

It's actually not quite that simple, although it's close. First, there is the issue of how the pay is structured. You get paid more for taking on more risk. Playing on the men's team is basically a side gig for the players. THey make their money as pros and they can afford to take on more variable pay. THey don't need benefits like health insurance or paternity leave. They don't need large minimum guarantees.

Second, there is the issue of what to include in compensation. THe Federation claims (and I assume they are telling the truth) that they subsidize the women teams in the US, including the salaries they pay the players that end up on the woman's team. To the extent that money can't be tracked directly to the players' compensation, it may be a fair argument that the federation's money to promote the women's game shouldn't count against their compensation (although on the other hand, if they didn't subsidize the women's teams, they might have trouble having a professional league to play in in the US).

The Federation should just figure out the percentage of revenue that men get and offer the women the same thing, structured the same way (which I think they basically did already except they offered women a higher percentage of the revenue they generate). Then just make them pay for benefits using a third party provider. IF they want maternity, let them buy short term disability through a voluntary policy. If they want insurance, offer a plan without an employer match.

OK, deep dive in details there are fine points but the guiding principal is that simple. Again see NBA and WNBA. End of discussion on equal pay.

The other topic of wanting to see them play would be interesting and must see TV. Even if women had good skill the athleticism of men would take over game.

In 9th grade, my boys basketball team played our high school girls (made state championship game and had 6 college players on it). They competed but we beat them. They were humbled. I think their coach did it on purpose before they made their run to state to let them know that they could be beat.

[dantheman4248]

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/06/19/us-w...than-mens.html

"That?s according to audited financial statements from the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF) obtained by The Wall Street Journal. In 2016, women?s games generated $1.9 million more in revenue than men?s games. From 2016 to 2018, women?s games generated approximately $50.8 million in revenue, compared with $49.9 million for men?s games."



Sure, but that still means the generated more, and for that reason they deserve more.

Soccer plays most things in 4 year rotations. Why only look at a sample of 3 years unless they have an agenda. That's the thing about stats, you can practically make them say whatever you want when you're good enough at them.

This would be a non-issue if they were each paid as a group in percentage of revenue generated that was the same. The women have a higher slice of their pie in that regard. So that will never happen, but it's what would ultimately be fair (and could in the long run be better for future women as women sports more and more gain popularity. America has the best female athletes and we love winners. Keep winning and the money will roll in.)

[The Federalist Engineer]

If the female money gets good...this dude is ahead of his time. Dominating women’s handball

[Joebob]

All I know is the women are a lot more fun to watch, so I say pay them.

By the way, can anyone even name a single player on the men’s team?

[The Federalist Engineer]

All I know is the women are a lot more fun to watch, so I say pay them.

By the way, can anyone even name a single player on the men’s team?

This guy, Christian Pulisic, plays for Chelsea FC



He costed Chelsea $73M to transfer from Borussia Dortmund (2nd biggest German team) and he gets paid about $1M per year.

One sad thing for the women is that they basically only make money by playing for the national team, they don't have a steady paycheck from a professional club like Pulisic and the US Men. The money from the "National Team" is just fun money for the boys. If they stopped playing for the USNT, then they would just have more vacation time.

Only the most famous women make six or seven figures. Rapinoe only makes $25K from her club, probably makes more from endorsements to sell products to fellow Democrats. The average (not the best) salary for men in MLS is approximately $350K per year with major stars making seven figures. BTW, all the USNT players are major stars.

[Johnson85]

All I know is the women are a lot more fun to watch, so I say pay them.

By the way, can anyone even name a single player on the men?s team?

I suspect people that actually watch soccer more than once every four years will be able to name a lot more men players and will actually be able to name players not on the national team.

The only player I can name off the woman's team is Rapinoe (sp?) and that's because she comes off as an awful enough human being that it's memorable. She may be a great person in real life, but in snippets, she seems horrible.

And there's one named Gabby or something that is kind of attractive?

[THE Bruce Dickinson]

All I know is the women are a lot more fun to watch, so I say pay them.



By the way, can anyone even name a single player on the men’s team?

More fun to watch because they win more.The game moves at about half speed compared to the men.