04/18/24
March 12, 2020
U.S. Soccer President Resigns Over Sexist Legal Strategy: The president of U.S. Soccer resigned Thursday after the organization's legal filing in a wage discrimination suit with USWNT used inflammatory sexist claims to denigrate female athletes. The filing called it "indisputable science" that women have less ability than men and it is "materially influenced by the level of certain physical attributes, such as speed and strength."
Whoah! An owlhouse sighting!
posted by NoMich at 08:01 AM on March 13, 2020
He resigned but did US Soccer withdraw the filings behind it?!?!
posted by billsaysthis at 11:19 AM on March 13, 2020
Wait...we're arguing that women aren't fast and strong as men are? Society figured that out millennia ago, but because some people are now offended by facts, it's suddenly wrong to say that. *sigh*
That said, that argument has nothing to do with why the women shouldn't be paid the same as the men are. The correct reason is that the women don't generate anywhere near the same revenue that the men do. Basic economics doesn't magically change just because one group of people has ovaries.
posted by TheQatarian at 11:57 AM on March 13, 2020
I believe that since the Women's World Cup of 2015, the US women have brought in more money than the men. TV viewership is much higher for the women than for the men.
posted by NoMich at 12:33 PM on March 13, 2020
Wait...we're arguing that women aren't fast and strong as men are? Society figured that out millennia ago, but because some people are now offended by facts, it's suddenly wrong to say that. *sigh*
We are not arguing that women aren't as fast and strong as men are. We are arguing that that is not sufficient justification for a pay disparity.
posted by bender at 12:46 PM on March 13, 2020
Basic economics doesn't magically change just because one group of people has ovaries.
Refer to comments by nomich and bender, above.
One of my supervisors some years ago told me that most are not paid by what they are worth, nor by what we earn. The pay is determined by what we negotiate. On a value basis, Women's Soccer has more value in the US media market (TV) than men's. This is a solid negotiating chip to be used, but since all soccer in the US is controlled in some way by FIFA, the bias against the women persists. Should US Soccer begin paying the women equally, women's teams elsewhere will demand the same treatment. The Grand Poobahs of the Pitch would then suffer paroxysms of anger; demanding to know how these delicate creatures could possibly think they are the equals of the stalwart men.
My point, not elegantly expressed, is that for US Soccer to do the right thing, it will need to overcome the Neanderthal thinking and corruption at FIFA. That's going to take a revolution.
posted by Howard_T at 02:50 PM on March 13, 2020
I would not be opposed to replacing FIFA (and IFAB). Tomorrow is probably a good day to start!
posted by billsaysthis at 04:45 PM on March 13, 2020
Within each team, an argument can be made for different pay scales. You can pay each male the same as each other male or you can pay them based on their individual skills (e.g. the best male makes more than the worst male).
Revenue should play into it, but country is slightly different than club. At a club, you can shop your skills around to the highest bidder. You cannot do that for your country (for the most part). That gives the USSF (and other federations) an unfair bargaining chip.
If a federation is going to pay the worst male the same as the best male, then each female's pay should be very close to that same amount, with some allowance being made for the difference in revenue whether it be in the favor of the men or women.
posted by Ricardo at 05:59 PM on March 13, 2020
Wow! Cindy Parlow Cone has been named President in Cordeiro's place. This will get interesting I suspect.
posted by Ricardo at 12:24 AM on March 14, 2020
This is the kind of sports administrator that makes me want to Chuck all over my Blazer.