Women’s World Cup Salaries

Recently I put a post on Facebook that ranted against the Women’s World Cup athletes’ campaign for parity in wages with the Men’s World Cup athletes.  My justification was, and is, simple.  According to my quick research, the Women’s World Cup generates $131 million and the Men’s World Cup generates $4 billion.  That means that the women garner 3,275% of the revenue of the men.  I understand the desire for parity, I really do.  I do not understand the justification, I really do not.

We do not even have to leave the sport to find a comparison.  In the United States, we have what is called Major League Soccer.  I can imagine what would happen if the athletes decided to demand wage parity with Premier League.  They are not even in the same conversation now.  Some would argue that the Premier League players are better.  I do not know.  I do know that the Premier League teams bring in much, much more money.  Hence, the bigger salaries.

In fact, if the revenue figures I stated above are correct, the Women World Cup players are overcompensated right now.  I know there will be an outcry that that is a sexist remark.  It is not, it is mere economics.  If they do not bring in the revenue, they do not deserve the compensation.  It does not get any simpler than that. 

How often we see professional sport leagues start up and fail for that very reason, whether for male or female athletes.  They have an idea for a sport.  What with the startup costs and the operating expense, including salaries, they fail.  The latest I can think of was a pro football league that failed this last spring.  And keep in mind, salaries were minimal compared to the NFL. 

Just because it sounds good on the surface, you have to look a little deeper and see what is involved.  The knee-jerk reaction is that, hell yes Women’s World Cup players should be paid the same as Men’s.  However, if you spend a couple of minutes looking at the numbers, it just does not make any sense.

It is not sexist.  I believe in wage parity because it only right.  But, if you are selling a product, in this case Women’s soccer, you can only share in the monies garnered.  If revenues rise, get more of it.  Until then, take the money and run. fffffffffffff

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