U.S. Soccer president resigns after court filing argued women players did not deserve equal pay

CBS "News" ^ | March 12, 2020 | BY VICTORIA ALBERT

[Alberta's Child]

When the lawsuit is a discrimination case you HAVE to give reasons why you can legitimately pay one group of people less than another. That's because the facts about the pay differential are not in dispute here (nobody questions the pay structures for men vs. women).

The CBA isn't a factual argument to make that is intended to be weighed by a jury or an arbitrator. The CBA is a legal basis for having the case thrown out entirely (juries don't decide legal matters; judges do). On that point, the defendant in this case basically mounting an affirmative defense that says: "We don't argue with any of the facts that are presented, but the law is clear that a contract between two parties overrides any claims that one party may have against the other about the terms of the contract."

[Alberta's Child]

I only disagree with what you've posted there to the extent that it's comprised almost entirely of political/PR points, not legal ones.

This isn't a case like a Chick-fil-A boycott or a Gillette idiocy. It's a lawsuit, not a PR campaign. The USWNT has no real leverage here on the PR side. What are they going to do, tell fans to boycott their own games? Tell fans and sponsors to stop supporting the U.S. Soccer Federation? The organization is a non-profit organization for a sport that most Americans don't care about at that level anyway.

U.S. Soccer's last filing was a public relations disaster. The only thing I can think of is that a bunch of high priced lawyers with no feel either for the game or the larger public context sat around and drafted an "everything including the kitchen sink" brief, thinking that no one except the judge would ever read it.

That's not how legal briefs work. The primary audience for a legal brief is the other party in the lawsuit.

This is Wile E. Coyote level strategizing, and it had the same predictable result. The bomb blew up in their faces. It didn't take a week: Carlos Cordeiro has resigned.

He didn't resign over a stupid legal brief. He resigned for apologizing afterwards -- because his apology probably cost the U.S. Soccer Federation $66 million. How does the president of an organization that is the defendant in a $66 million lawsuit explain himself in a deposition when he publicly apologized for a legal brief that was filed on his organization's behalf?

I'd love to get a copy of that legal brief. It almost certainly has an attestation/certification section with the signature of a U.S. Soccer Federation representative on it. There's a good chance he resigned today because that signature is HIS.

Any half-assed lawyer will tell you that when you're defending yourself against a $66 million lawsuit (or a $66 lawsuit), you're best served by just keeping your 'effing mouth shut in public about any matters related to the litigation. How many times do you read a media story about a case like this, where the person or organization involved simply refers all media questions to their legal counsel?

[Alberta's Child]

Sorry for ranting, but USSF's stupidity is aggravating a very complex negotiation.

P.S. -- It's not a negotiation. It's a LAWSUIT! :-)

[discostu]

Yeah true. The revenue is though since they go to different competitions with different TV contracts and ticket prices. Last I heard the women were getting a higher percentage of their sport’s revenue than the men. Smaller pie, smaller pay. Pretty easy math.

[KyCats]

The women are waaay overpaid based on the amount of income they generate. They should be paid exactly the same percentage of revenue as men.

[Stevenfo]

Time for a divorce. Let women run their own show like the LPGA does. Then all this bickering will instantly stop.

[Pearls Before Swine]

Here’s an idea: separate into two organizations.

GMTA. That was my exact reaction on reading that the argument about which group brought in more viewers and revenue didn't fly. Separate the organizations; have an umbrella co-ordinator if necessary that isn't involved in the detailed business (training, logistics, TV revenues, etc) if needed.

Like, the WNBA and the NBA. Or, the short-lived Lingerie League and the NFL.

[willyd]

The solution is easy:.. just have one league and the teams pick who they want and pay them what they want.

[scrabblehack]

Is there a worldwide U13 competition?

[deadrock]

Clydesdales have more grace than female footballers.

[ml/nj]

Is there a worldwide U13 competition?

I don't know. But if there is, I'm quite sure the top teams would destroy the US Women's team.

ML/NJ

[ml/nj]

Is there a worldwide U13 competition?

I don't know. But if there is, I'm quite sure the top teams would destroy the US Women's team.

ML/NJ

[MichaelRDanger]

While it is true woman’s soccer generates more money than men’s soccer it is not true world-wide:

https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/about-that-alleged-world-cup-pay-gap/

[HamiltonJay]

It’s not a matter of ability it’s a matter of revenue.

Women are 51% of thr buying public, want to make more money as a woman athlete get them to buy tickets to watch you play and stop bitching and blaming men.