In fact, under the new agreement, womens team members are paid a guaranteed salary and then collect bonuses on top of that, while the mens team players are paid only a bonus, the Associated Press reported. Sponsoring womens sports may be of particular interest to sports apparel vendors, which earn revenues of about US$80 billion per year, of which womens apparel accounts for about US$27 billion. "Specifically, we are committed to the concept of a revenue-sharing model to address the US Soccer Federation's 'market realities' and find a way towards fair compensation.". BT Sport has committed to show 30 live matches per season, while the BBC is showing one live match per week via online or on-demand channels.35, Englands Football Association (FA) has appointed a company to manage the next round of rights sales from 20212022 onwards, with the expectation that coverage will be in exchange for fees.36 The FA has also appointed an agency for international sales of the WSL, and announced a three-year rights deal with Sky Mexico and the Scandinavian broadcaster NENT in September 2019.37, In France, Canal Plus and TF1 jointly obtained rights for Euro 2021 at a reported deal value of 13million,38 more than double the 5 million paid for the prior tournament in 2017.39, In Spain, the Womens Association of Football Clubs (ACFF) announced a three-year deal worth 9 million for the rights to Liga Iberdrola, the first Spanish womens football division.40Four of the clubs in ACFF have additional rights to show selected games on their own video platforms.41. Indeed, by the time of the next FIFA Womens World Cup in 2023, we expect all womens teams to have at least one sponsorship agreement distinct from the mens teams.56. The United States three games in the 2019 SheBelieves Cup (an invitational round robin between the United States, England, Japan, and Brazil) recorded an average viewership of 439,667 in the United States. to receive more business insights, analysis, and perspectives from Deloitte Insights. The US women's soccer team now makes more revenue than the men's But the teams compensation remains the subject of considerable controversy. Thats a difference of less than 2% in the womens favor. And several Democratic presidential candidates have taken up the teams cause. Our only agenda is to publish the truth so you can be an informed participant in democracy. Paul has published 32 columns in the Financial Times, specializing in analysis of current trends in the TMT sector from a numerical perspective. Please enable JavaScript to view the site. Learn about Deloittes offerings, people, and culture as a global provider of audit, assurance, consulting, financial advisory, risk advisory, tax, and related services. They are in a position to negotiate contracts that are not as restrictive as for many of the mens teams. The lawsuit states if the men's and women's teams won each of the 20 non-tournament games they are contractually required to play, women's team players would earn a maximum of $99,000 ($4,950 per game), while men's team players would earn $263,320 ($13,166 per game). It's facts and data that are often the things that appeal to those people. U.S. Women's Players and U.S. Soccer Settle Equal Pay Lawsuit - The New Tennis, for which the prize money at Grand Slam events is the same for women as men, is arguably the best example. That followed a wage discrimination complaint in 2016 with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Womens sports gets down to business: On track for rising monetization has been saved, Womens sports gets down to business: On track for rising monetization has been removed, An Article Titled Womens sports gets down to business: On track for rising monetization already exists in Saved items. A German Soccer Team's Radical Fix for Declining Attendance: Free Tickets Fortuna Dsseldorf, a club in Germany's second division, has launched a pilot project to replace ticket revenue with . US women's soccer games now generate more revenue than men's Anfield, Liverpool FCs stadium, drew 23,500 fans to its local derby against Everton, the first-ever WSL match it had hosted.54 The United States WNBA recorded attendance of 1.33 million for the 2019 season, with the Los Angeles Sparks having the highest home-game attendancea total of 192,224 across all home games with an average of 11,307 fans per game. Part of the issue is the overall state of the womens and mens soccer games around the world. "When the U.S. Soccer Federation defends its differential treatment of women players by pointing to market arguments, they fuel old stereotypes that people are not interested in womens sport and womens sport is not interesting," she said. Since there is more money in the mens soccer globally, the teams and players get a larger payout. The most unbalanced element of the mens and womens teams compensation is the money players get for playing in and winning the World Cup. In some cases, the ability for womens sports to thrive on a sustained basis has been artificially constrained. That's according to audited financial statements from the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF) obtained by The Wall Street Journal. That's a difference of less than 2% in the women's favor. Most of the pay for the U.S. women's soccer team, which won its fourth World Cup in . But this is not directly at issue in the suit, because its ultimately shaped more by the international soccer governing body, FIFA, than by U.S. Soccer. "It is legally and morally wrong.". Equal Pay and the U.S. Soccer Federation: FAQ Historically, these occasions have been infrequent. The story is roughly the same for womens tennis. ITHF marks 50 years of the groundbreaking Women's Tennis Association The system is not set up that the men and women have access to the same pot of money and the men are given a larger helping. Facebook; Twitter; Facebook Messenger; Pinterest; Email; print; THE CHANTS BEGAN almost as soon as the U.S. women's soccer team won the World Cup last July. In some cases, they have been negotiated for the very first time, sometimes with little or no money changing hands, with the trade being the guarantee of TV coverage. The team's employer, U.S. Soccer, is a non-profit that has a different mission than professional leagues. "Women deserve equal pay for equal (or better!) Says Kamala Harris wants to eliminate beef. Equal pay for women's World Cup players? Seriously? | RSN These women are heroes and I think that carries great value.". (1:08). The U.S. Women's National Soccer team is the best in the world. Clubs reported year-on-year commercial revenue growth of 33% -- indicating growing interest from sponsors. The 2019 FIFA Womens World Cup in France generated record viewership: A total of 993 million people watched it on TV, with a further 482 million accessing it via digital platforms. Jenny Nguyen: How The Sports Bra became haven for women's sports fans In the United States, a recent investigation found systemic abuse and misconduct in the National Women's Soccer League, the sport's top pro tier in the country. But there's also room for growth. In 2018, Visa signed a seven-year deal to become the first-ever sponsor of Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) womens football, becoming the main partner of flagship events such as the UEFA Womens Champions League and the UEFA Womens European Championship.57 Also in 2018, financial advisory company Vitality was named sponsor of the 2019 Netball World Cup as part of an three-year extension to an existing sponsorship deal.58 In July 2018, Stanley Black & Decker became the Catalan football team FC Barcelona Femens first shirt sponsor. The money, due to sponsors, television rights and merchandise is far greater in basketball than hockey. This has catalyzed increased interest in bidding for TV rights and sponsorship deals. There are also at least 22 players who are allocated to National Women's Soccer . Deloitte Insights delivers proprietary research designed to helporganizations turn their aspirations into action. The suit also states that from 2013 to 2016 women players earned $15,000 for making the national team while the men earned $55,000 in 2014 and $68,750 in 2018. Together, we can help you imagine, deliver, and run your business, whereveryou compete, using the latest technologies like cloud and cognitive, from strategy developmentthrough implementation. This is also why a major league hockey all star will earn a small fraction of what an NBA basketball player takes home. Similar changes are taking place in Europe. Womens teams should slipstream mens teams, but also keep their distance. In the eight FIFA World Cup tournaments held on the womens side, the U.S. womens team has won four and either came in second or third place in the others. Women's soccer set viewership records in 2020 - CNBC What explains the pay gap in women's soccer? - Big Think The coaches would then place their kids and the other children they favored in coveted positions, offering more playing time and treating them better than the rest. Why The U.S. Women's National Soccer Team Earns Less Than The Men's For instance, the Mexican womens football league, the Liga MX Femenil, played some of its first (20172018) seasons initial games at training grounds with minimal room for fans. The recent Women's Africa Cup of Nations had 50,000 on hand for the final between Morocco and South Africa, and 91,000 fans were at Camp Nou for a UEFA Champions League quarterfinal match. The mens league, Major League Soccer, had a multi-year, multi-million contract to broadcast their games on major TV networks like ESPN and Fox Sports. Women deserve equal pay for equal (or better!) Like this story? Paul Lee is a UK Partner and the Global Head of Research for the technology, media, and telecommunications (TMT) industry at Deloitte. Why Female Athletes Earn Less Than Men Across Most Sports - Forbes What critics get wrong about the US women's soccer pay debate U.S. Soccer commissioned the investigation following the dismissal last year of North Carolina Courage coach Paul Riley after two former players accused him of harassment and sexual coercion in a story in The Athletic last fall. "The @USWNT is #1 in the world & contributes higher revenues for @USSoccer than the mens team, but theyre still paid a fraction of what the men earn," Warren said. That's nearly three times as much as the $6 million in ad money collected by ESPN for airing the 2011 women's World Cup. The women are estimated to have brought in $131 million in 2019. Women in September 2020 for a record fee.43. An array of rappers performed a tribute to the 50th anniversary of hip-hop at the 65th Grammy Awards in February. However, this calculation was made under the old collective bargaining agreement. The resumption of elite sports will ideally embrace womens as well as mens sports. United States Women's National Team earns more money from men's World These partnerships are an important part of EA SPORTS's ongoing commitment to elevate and authentically represent . In 2016 Predictions launched in more than 50 countries and its points of view are featured in broadcast, online, and published media around the globe. That basically means no windows, no nothing., Dr. THE FILIPINAS are bringing back the core of their AFF Women's Championship-winning team as they hunt for a historic gold medal in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) in Cambodia. For instance, an analysis of 250,000 news articles in more than 80 languages found that womens tennis grand slam events received 41% less coverage than the mens events.22 This may slow womens tenniss momentum, as greater awareness would likely increase viewing yet further. Fortunately, the mass-market appeal of televised womens sports across a variety of sports is being repeatedly demonstrated, though coverage remains rare relative to that for mens sports. Sports federations at both the global and national level should set targets for female representation on boards,just as has been the case in the general business world. For womens sports to fulfill its potential, however, requires action by all interested parties: Broadcasters should continue to invest in womens sports. In the United Kingdom, 11.7 million people watched the United States beat England in this game, representing just over half of the total TV audience at that time. The prize money for the womens 2019 World Cup was about $30 million, of which the winner takes home about $4 million. The Swiss Football Association has agreed to a deal with public service broadcaster SRG SSR to give it selective rights to the 20202021 Swiss Womens Super League season, giving womens football greater media exposure in the country.26, In the United Kingdom, Sky has expanded its coverage of womens sports with distribution via its YouTube channel. TV rights are the biggest source of revenue for major sports rights holders. The value of these deals is modest by comparison to mens sports, but it is rising. For example, in January 2020, FC Barcelona Femen added a second sponsor with the announcement of the clubs first official street clothing partner, Naulover.69, Sponsors are more likely to commit to spending equal amounts on womens teams as mens teams if they are sponsoring both. 20006, Florida Five of the 10 coaches in the NWSL last season were either fired or stepped down because of misconduct. ", "The vast majority of Americans believe that climate change is real and we need to do something about it.". His industry experience spans film, television, home entertainment, broadcasting, over-the top, publishing, licensing, and games. (In 2021, of course, this recommendation applies only in markets where matchday gathering is possible.). This story is fascinating and well worth a read to see how much attitudes have changed: Kathrineswitzer.com, . "While doubling the prize money for the womens tournament, FIFA did so while also raising the prize money for the men. U.S. women's soccer games have generated more revenue than U.S. men's games over the past three years. In addition, Nike has announced that womens jersey sales are setting records for either men or women. Womens teams should also consider that they have the ability to define how they would like their relationship with sponsors to work. "Woman's football is on a growth trajectory unlike any other sport in this world. Kevin is an author of Deloittes Digital Media Trends Survey a co-author of Deloittes Digital Media Maturity Model, and speaks regularly on media consumption trends. Venus and Serena Williams fought for equal pay at Wimbledon here's their next big challenge, This 23-year-old is the only full-time female trader at the New York Stock Exchange, Why companies pay women less, according to a salary negotiation lawyer, 'Over-mentored and underfunded'the biggest challenges facing AAPI entrepreneurs, Barbara Corcoran's secret to negotiating: It's about 'ego and timing,' not price, This congressman wants to make the 32-hour workweek the new standard by law. Refuting the "Revenue Argument" in Women's Soccer Pay Inequality Megan K. Baloutch Published on 13 April 2022 Richard Heathcote (Getty Images) The US women's soccer team has won four FIFA World Cup titles in the nearly 37 years since its first game in Italy in 1985. The tournament's 32 games were staffed by a safeguarding official as well as a representative from Costa Rica's National Children's Institute. The men's national team has issued a statement of support for the women's team lawsuit against the USSF and for this revenue-sharing model. "U.S. Soccer believes that all female athletes deserve fair and equitable pay, and we strive to meet this core value at all times," he said. https://t.co/ftOSrjRyOE. 86,174 fans watched the T20 World Cup final between Australia and India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the largest crowd ever for a womens sports event in Australia.49 The Womens Six Nations rugby tournament has also been popular among fans. The successes of womens sports events are prompting a growth in coverage, especially on secondary or online channels, albeit from a low base (see sidebar, TV coverage of womens sports is growing). But womens teams should also make sure that they stand apart when it comes to negotiating sponsorships and TV rights so that that womens sports becomes valued in its own right, and becomes more investable as a result. Marketing and sponsorships, which includes the sale of broadcast rights, is hard to credit to either the men or women, because these transactions are made as a bundle, not separately for each team. Do we inculcate a certain bias in our children at an early age to favor mens sports, as opposed to womens? US soccer equal pay explained: How revenue is divided so that USWNT and But for this to happen, the entire sports industryspanning federations, leagues, teams, sponsors, and regulatorsneeds to invest on a sustained basis in creating more opportunities for womens sports to prove its commercial worth. Our friends at the Washington Post Fact Checker did obtain a copy of the new agreement. Face masks may raise risk of stillbirths, testicular dysfunction and cognitive decline, study warns., When fentanyl burns it smells like popcorn.. By contrast, there have been 21 FIFA World Cup tournaments, but the U.S. mens team did not qualify for about half the tournaments, and only placed as high as third once in 1930. Meanwhile, the most recent women's final was the most-watched soccer match ever in the U.S. In 2016, the. 50, FIFA flags Women's World Cup blackout in Europe, Man United in pole position for top four, but can't take their eyes off Liverpool, Transfer Talk: Manchester United see Lautaro Martinez as a striker option, The VAR Review: Red cards for Jota, Skipp; Richarlison penalty claim, When goal celebrations go bad: Liverpool boss Klopp pulls hamstring, Liga MX review: Dominant Monterrey clinch top playoff seed ahead of America, Chivas, How Premier League clubs can qualify for Europe this season, Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, MLS, more (U.S.), NWSL needs higher attendance to make money: how to do it, recent investigation found systemic abuse and misconduct in the National Women's Soccer League. The women are estimated to have brought in $131 million in 2019. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. I write actionable interview, career and salary advice. There are many epic stories to be told of women who triumph despite adversity. Unfortunately, the reality is that although the women win more than the men, it is irrelevant to the equal-pay argument, as they play in a different league. Other appealing factors are likely the relative ease of concluding a deal as well a steeper potential growth trajectory. Creating a womens team within an existing successful franchise best known for its mens team provides instant brand recognition and can also provide immediate access to facilities. Is there an underlying reason why more people tend to follow mens leagues? The United States Women's National Team (USWNT) earned more money from its male equivalent reaching the knockout stages of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar than it did from winning its own. Suhas Raviprakash is a senior analyst at Deloitte Support Services India Pvt. These achievements are even more notable given what the womens team argues in the lawsuit: that U.S. Soccer has given them fewer resources and does not announce their games with enough time to get the biggest audience. Indeed, tennis is the only sport in which female athletes were among the top 100 best-remunerated sports stars in 2019. On this basis, the global womens sports industry (excluding mixed events),1 measured by the aggregate of TV rights, sponsorship, and matchday (live-event) revenues, is unlikely to qualify in 2021. One notable difference, Cooky said, is that when the women returned from their 2015 World Cup win, the games for the womens professional league, the National Womens Soccer League, were broadcast on YouTube. July 8, 2019, Washington Post, "USWNT, USSF agree to mediation in gender-discrimination lawsuit after World Cup," June 21, 2019, Markets Insider, "Nike is selling a record number of USA women's soccer jerseys thanks to World Cup fever," June 28, 2019, Hadley Heath Manning, "The so-called 'wage gap' doesn't apply to the women's soccer team," July 9, 2019, Email interview with Elizabeth Warren Senate office, June 17, 2019, Email interview with Jeffrey Kessler, attorney with the firm Winston & Strawn who is representing the womens team, July 10, 2019, Email interview with Ryan J. The challenge in 2021 and beyond will be for womens sports to pull in substantial TV and stadium (as permitted) audiences consistently across multiple sports. 1800 I Street NW Revenue breakdown of leading soccer clubs worldwide 2021-2022 Soccer clubs with the highest revenue worldwide in 2021/22, by stream (in million euros) Most expensive soccer transfers. A Division of NBC Universal, Carli Lloyd of USA Women during the World Cup Women match between USA v Chile at the Parc des Princes on June 16, 2019 in Paris, France. The fan interest is there: A recent multicountry study found that 66% of people were interested in at least one womens sport, and among sports fans (of whom 49% are female), that figure rises to 84%.3 And the COVID-19 pandemic has catalyzed fundamental reappraisals of many aspects of society, one of which is how womens sports should be perceived, promoted, and commercialized. Is it possible that the electricity, charisma and winning of the U.S. womens team could be the catalyst for change? With MyDeloitte you'll nevermiss out on the information you need to lead. As sponsorship interest grows, rights for womens teams are increasingly being sold individually rather than being bundled with the mens team. However, its harder to say whether the women are ultimately paid less than the men, due to the lack of transparency and the complicated variables that feed into the compensation. Number of viewers of the Women's Soccer World Cup Final in . Joe Biden was older on his first day as president than Ronald Reagan was on his last day.. But in spite of that, we are including this topic, as we believe we should, because we predict that womens sports will grow to be worth a great deal more than a billion dollars in the years ahead.