U.S. women’s soccer players demand equal pay for equal play

Following last summer’s Women’s World Cup win, five top U.S. women’s soccer players say it’s time for them to be paid the same as their male counterparts.

The players — including goalkeeper Hope Solo, midfielder Carli Lloyd and forward Alex Morgan — filed a complaint with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission accusing U.S. soccer of wage discrimination. The women claim they earn four times less than the U.S. men’s team, despite generating $20 million more in revenue.

“We continue to be told we should be grateful just to have the opportunity to play professional soccer and to get paid for doing it,” Solo said on the Today Show on Thursday.

In response, U.S. soccer released a statement saying it is “committed to and engaged in negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement that addresses compensation.”

Former goalkeeper Brianna Scurry played on the national team from 1994 to 2008 and also took part in efforts to end disparities between the women’s and men’s teams throughout her career on the team.

“I really hope it doesn’t come down to the women’s team feeling they have to strike in order to get their equal pay for equal play,” she said.

pay equity – “equal pay for equal work” is the concept that individuals doing the same work should receive the same wages, salary and benefits regardless of gender