NOT EQUAL BUT MORE

USWNT players have been fighting for equal pay to the USMNT players and it seems like they have achieved the push they needed all along to win their lawsuit against U.S. Soccer, players like Megan Rapinoe are leading the charge. The players lost the battle in court back in May but it seems like the war isn’t over yet. Last Friday, the WNT players filed a brief to take their case back into district court so that it can be heard by a jury.

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USNSTPA, the legal body which represents the USMNT player, filed a brief a couple of days ago backing the claims of their fellow counterparts and arguing that USWNT players don’t just deserve equal pay, they deserve more than the men’s team. Although the players from the men’s team have shown their support for the equal pay case many times in the past, this time around, they have made a bold and powerful move which just might be enough to get the case back on trial.

WHAT IS THE LAWSUIT ABOUT?

The U.S. Soccer Federation has been saying ‘One Nation, One Team’ for nearly 30 years but there has always been some level of discrimination between male and female players. USWNT have had more success on the international stage than their male counterparts having won the past 2 FIFA World Cups. On the other hand, USMNT failed to even qualify for the 2018 World Cup.

All we ask for is what we rightfully deserve. #EqualPayDay pic.twitter.com/eHqY3UtGWW

— Alex Morgan (@alexmorgan13) April 2, 2019

28 players from the USWNT have filed a lawsuit against the U.S.Soccer Federation on the lines of ‘ Institutionalised Gender Discrimination’. They claim this has perpetuated gender-based pay disparities in nearly every aspect of their employment.

Although the president of USSF has claimed that the USWNT players have earned more in the last 10 years compared to the USMNT players, the former has stated that this is utterly untrue. The players also wanted $66 million in damages.

The issue is that the men’s team and the women’s team have a completely different pay structure which is why the players feel they are being cheated. According to their claims, if the Men’s team had found the same success the WNT found, they would have earned lots more than what they received.

WHAT NEXT FOR USWNT

Unfortunately for them, the District Court Judge ruled against the players back in May since the WNT players have earned more than the men’s team according to their records. Although it is true that the MNT players have the potential to earn a lot more than WNT through incentives, the players haven’t found the success to earn that much. The lawsuit was dismissed on these grounds.

To @USWNT: don’t give up this fight. This is not over yet.

To @USSoccer: equal pay, now. Or else when I’m president, you can go elsewhere for World Cup funding. https://t.co/XK6t9oM94k

— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) May 2, 2020

Although the USSF has been facing a lot of public scrutinies since the lawsuit began, the court ultimately ruled in favour of them. The briefing filed by USMNT players is surely going to be helpful for the plaintiffs in their appeal. There are also chances that both parties agree upon an out-of-court settlement but as of now, nothing has come to light. The U.S. Soccer would file their own opening brief by 22nd September and the players’ legal team will have 21 days to respond again if they want to.