Is it reasonable for gender pay equality to be achieved in the sports world on the eve of the Women's World Cup in New Zealand?

According to The Washington Post, female members of the Western Springs Association Football Club in New Zealand recently reached an agreement with management to have their salaries and resources increased to match those of male players Is it reasonable for gender pay equality to be achieved in the sports world on the eve of the Women's World Cup in New Zealand?

According to The Washington Post, female members of the Western Springs Association Football Club in New Zealand recently reached an agreement with management to have their salaries and resources increased to match those of male players. The ninth edition of the FIFA Women's World Cup, co-hosted by New Zealand and Australia, will also kick off in New Zealand on July 20.

Pip Meo, a former member of the New Zealand national team and a driving force behind the agreement, pointed out that the fight for pay equality is not just about salaries, but about the value of women's sports and sending positive messages to generations of young girls who wear soccer shoes.

Meo added, "We can't celebrate yet because we still have to see how this deal plays out, and we've only received what we should have gotten."

The Washington Post reported that while New Zealand's global image has been improving, their soccer industry has long had issues with gender pay disparities and unequal distribution of resources. Most of New Zealand's soccer clubs are amateur clubs run by volunteers, and the maximum salary a player can receive is regulated by the national soccer federation at around $94 per week. However, whether the clubs will distribute salaries equally has not received much attention from the government. In the New Zealand soccer scene, women receive much lower salaries, fewer training opportunities, and less access to facilities and coaching staff compared to men. Typically, women's teams have only one coach while men's teams have several.

Last year, members of the Manukau United soccer team in New Zealand launched a campaign for equal pay and resources for men and women, but it ended in failure. Maia Jackman, a team member, stated, "Many female players from various teams would stand up for themselves, but they would face setbacks and eventually give up. However, the people at Western Springs are different. They have consistently stood by their beliefs and never backed down."

Meo and Jackman joined the Western Springs Association, where almost all board members are male, in an attempt to achieve gender equality in the soccer world once again in 2023.

After two months of struggle, Meo and Jackman, along with two pro bono lawyers, reached an agreement with the club's management through a 12-hour marathon mediation session and the threat of a strike, achieving gender equality.

The club also issued a statement acknowledging past flaws and offering apologies.

Regarding the successful negotiation, Meo responded that the new agreement has not yet been officially implemented, so they cannot be too happy too soon, while Jackman stated, "Ultimately, we just want to play football without any restrictions or concerns."

Jackman said her focus will now be on the World Cup, hoping that through this event, the world can see the charm of women's soccer. According to reports from CBS and Lexology, gender pay inequality is prevalent in many sports worldwide. Taking basketball as an example, the average annual income for male NBA players is $5.3 million, with even higher earnings for star players like Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant, who earned $45.7 million and $42 million in annual salaries last year, respectively.

In comparison, the average annual income for female WNBA players is only $130,000, and the highest-earning player in the league makes only $230,000 per year.

However, the reports also point out that the main reason for the large wage gap between men and women in sports is the lower popularity and resulting revenue and ticket sales in women's sports, which naturally leads to lower salaries.

The NBA generated approximately $10 billion in revenue last season, while the WNBA only had $60 million. However, when focusing on American football, the U.S. women's soccer team has generated more revenue and attracted more viewers than the men's team since 2019, yet their income and prize money for winning were still lower than their male counterparts until last year.

According to Lexology, the most effective way to promote gender equality in sports is to increase the promotion of women's sports. Encouraging media and advertising to highlight female athletes and encouraging businesses to invest in women's sports and athletes through commercial partnerships and sponsorships will garner more attention for female athletes, generate more ticket sales, and contribute to achieving gender pay equality.