Thursday morning’s news that five United States national team players lodged a complaint against U.S. Soccer with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission spent the day reverberating around the world. From being the lead story on CNN’s website to some testy Twitter exchanges involving Landon Donovan, this is a story that grew legs quickly and used them to stay in the conversation all day.
The complaint was filed one day after an explosive New York Daily News story illustrated the depth of the inequities between the men’s and women’s national teams. It also comes as the players head to a camp ahead of two matches next week against Colombia. Those matches are to prepare for the Olympic Games, an event that could be hindered by the complaint and a pending lawsuit between the players and U.S. Soccer.
Meg Linehan landed an interview with some of the players and attorney Jeffrey Kessler. The story was posted on Excelle Sports.
Former men’s national team star Landon Donovan piped up on Twitter and his opinions were not met kindly.
Both #USMNT and #USWNT should be paid commensurate w/ the revenues they produce, not based upon what the other makes https://t.co/Di7yUzf4Te
— Landon Donovan (@landondonovan) March 31, 2016
@HalesBells99 Does he realize how damaging his comments are when this isn’t really about the men at all? @landondonovan #disappointed
— Catherine the Great (@cathymo13) March 31, 2016
U.S. Soccer put out two statements Thursday, second and more intricate one…
USSF statement on #USWNT below. Specifically mentions NWSL and youth development, and that debated CBA. pic.twitter.com/k5Oy9kQgC5
— Jeff Kassouf (@JeffKassouf) March 31, 2016
…failing to impress the players involved in the complaint.
Where in this statement do they address, or even attempt to refute, the pay discrepancy? #equalplayequalpay @GrantWahl
— Becky Sauerbrunn (@beckysauerbrunn) March 31, 2016
Sauerbrunn also tweeted that while only five names–arguably the five most promient–are on the complaint, the entire team stood behind it.
Five players signed the complaint, but the decision to file was whole-heartedly supported by the entire team. #equalplayequalpay #thegals
— Becky Sauerbrunn (@beckysauerbrunn) March 31, 2016
Meanwhile, labor unrest in Australia and Colombia have put a damper on Olympic preparations for both teams. The Women’s Game reported that a funding has complicated Australia’s preparations, at least in the short term. And Jonathan Tannenwald reported that a pay dispute in Colombia has Las Cafeteras’ trip to the states next week in question.
Breaking further: I’m hearing that a pay dispute with the Colombian WNT may see them strike and not come to the U.S. next week
— Jonathan Tannenwald (@thegoalkeeper) March 31, 2016
