Equal pay for equal sports is a good idea. However it does not work if both genders have equal chances in the sport. For centuries, the sport of tennis has been dominated primarily by men. Basketball and tennis were not the same for women historically. The 60-metre sprint is not an area where women have had equal opportunities. There are two reasons for this, biology and scheduling.
Equal pay for women's national soccer teams
A lawsuit brought by the women's national soccer team in the United States has been dismissed, based on the USSF's argument that it did not discriminate against women. USSF had claimed that women are more likely to play soccer than men and therefore should be paid the same salary. The argument was rejected by the women's national teams, who argued that the CBA they were offered did not offer the same compensation as for the men's team.
In response, the women's national soccer team has been outspoken in their efforts to ensure equal pay and equal play. Fans of the team chant "equal" at every professional soccer game. Additionally, the team has testified before House Oversight Committee pointing out how long it takes for women to earn equal wages as men.
Analyse of the USWNT battle for equality
Analyzing the USWNT struggle for equal pay, we examine the players' stories. The USWNT is a sport with a long history that has seen its players underpaid and valued. This lawsuit by the USWNT seeks to correct this inequality on and off of the field. The players' experiences also highlight the need for increased legislation in order to close the gender pay gap.
The USWNT began its fight for equal pay with a lawsuit against the United States Soccer Federation. The players sought equal pay for equal play, a campaign that has been ongoing since 2015. The players also sought corporate sponsorships, as well as social media postings, to support their campaign. The USWNT attracted international attention and has received support from the public before and after the World Cup.
The USWNT was able to take significant steps in equality advocacy after the lawsuit. Megan Rapinoe, Carli and Alex Lloyd, their strong captains have voiced concern about this issue. They have also spoken out publicly about equal pay in sports.
California bill to require equal prize pool for sporting competitions held on public land
California's legislature recently passed a bill that will require equal prize pool allocations for sports competitions on state and municipal lands. Assemblymember Tasha Borner Horvath was the one who drafted the new law. Her concern about the gender pay gap within sports led to this bill. She said that competition arenas are athletes’ workplaces and that women and men should share the same prize money.
The bill was passed unanimously and signed by Governor Gavin Newsom. It is only applicable to sporting competitions held on California state land and will not impact private events. Examples of such events include professional surfing competitions that take place on state beaches and bicycle races that take place on state roads. Such events require permits.
The bill also includes provisions to allow the expansion of gambling on tribal lands. If passed, the legislation would allow casinos and horse racing tracks to accept legal sports bets. This would allow Californians more opportunities to place bets on these events and keep the state's gambling laws in line.