Assemblywoman Annette Quijano has introduced legislation aimed at closing the gender wage gap in professional soccer.
The resolution (AJR-104) urges the United States Soccer Federation to provide the U.S. Women’s National Team with equal pay and playing conditions.
“The U.S. Women’s National Team has taken home the gold medal at the last three Summer Olympics and the 2015 FIFA World Cup. In 2015, they generated nearly $20 million more in revenue than the men’s team,” said Quijano (D-Union). “The U.S. Women’s National Team is our flagship national sports team and packs stadiums worldwide. It’s offensive that our female players are not paid on the same relative terms as the men and are forced to play in conditions that the men never would be subjected to.”
Male soccer players are paid $5,000 for a loss in a friendly match and as much as $17,625 for a victory, while female players are paid $1,350 for wins, but receive nothing for losses or ties, Quijano noted. Additionally, the women’s team has been forced to play on artificial turf, while the men’s team does not. Artificial turf can lead to increased injuries, burns and a significantly higher field temperature that exposes players to a greater risk of heat exhaustion.
The team has numerous players from New Jersey, including 2015 World Cup MVP Carli Lloyd, Tobin Heath, Heather O’Reilly and Christie Rampone.