Equal play should mean equal pay for professional female athletes

Over 25 million Americans were captivated this summer as they watched the United States Women’s National Soccer team (USWNT) raised the World Cup trophy for the first time since 1999. Fans might not have been captivated, however, if they knew the fraction of the amount of money that these champions were paid compared to their male counterparts.

In 2014, Germany, the winners of the FIFA Men’s World Cup were awarded $35 million, compared to the $2 million awarded to the USWNT. In total, the prize money for the men’s tournament was $576 million and $15 million for the women’s side. Bot
h teams had the same amount of players on their roster and played the same 90 minute game. Why, you might then ask, is there such a difference in the prize money.

There are a few points that could be made by Fédération
Internationale de Football Association, (FIFA) when it comes to the men getting more money. There were 32 teams in the men’s tournament and 24 in the women’s, so although both sides played the same amount of games in a near equal amount of time, there were technically more teams to beat on the men’s side. The men’s tournament, which was held in Brazil, also made a larger profit with more sponsorships and higher attendance. The men averaged just over 53,000 fans at each match, while the women averaged out at about 26,000.

So it makes a bit of sense that the men earn more money than the women because their tournament as a whole makes a larger profit, but should the women be earning just about two percent of what the men do? I don’t think so.

These players could not make a living playing for their country, so all but one of the players on the USWNT also play professionally in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). The league consists of nine teams from across the country made up of players from the U.S. and abroad. Some of these players play both professionally and for their country, while others solely play for the league.

As the league wraps up its third season, many players are beginning to question whether or not playing in the NWSL will keep them in a place of financial stability. These women are professional athletes, but many are forced to have other jobs in order to keep their homes and support their families.

Ella Masar, who is captain of the Houston Dash in the NWSL, went as far as to say that at 29-years-old, she may retire from doing what she loves because of the financial side of the game. “I have a family I need to support. You know, there’s certain things that come up when you’re with the same person,” Masar said. “You know, there’s just finances -- we have a mortgage at home. You’re twenty-nine, thirty years old next year, it’s not kids games anymore. It’s about finding what makes it work financially, and then going from there.”

Professional athletes play for the love of the game, and should expect to make a living considering it is their job. These women have to find other ways of income besides the sacrifices they make that include leaving their families and living out of suitcases. Sure, being a professional athlete in any league has its perks. Players get to travel the world doing what they love, but is that really worth it when you are barely making enough money to support yourself?

However there is hope for the NWSL, and it comes courtesy of the Division I men’s league in the United States, Major League Soccer (MLS). When the league began in 1996 with 10 teams, it experienced a drop in attendance and a loss of revenue. It took major changes in the league that included changing venues, and even success in a FIFA World Cup to have a resurgence throughout the league. MLS now consists of 20 teams with an average salary of $226,454.

After victory in the FIFA Women’s World Cup, the NWSL has already seen an 18% increase in attendance. Fans are becoming attached to players and teams for more than just the national team players. This victory could ha
ve been what the league needed in order to expand and gain more fans. This would inevitably lead to a salary increase for players in the NWSL.

Young female athletes need people to look up to and aspire to be like. If players are unable to support themselves then the league will not be able to hold up and young soccer players won’t have a professional league to watch or play in.

So it’s up to you, fans. Keep watching games and supporting local teams so organizations see that there is an interest and pay these women what they deserve.

Jennifer Graylock/INFphoto.com