The US Women’s National Team (USWNT) recently filed suit against the US Soccer Federation for alleged gender discrimination. But one sponsor says it will work to bridge the pay gap between the USWNT and the nation’s male national team players.
Announced for Equal Pay Day, nutrition bar brand LUNA Bar is giving each of the 23 women named in the 2019 Women’s World Cup squad $31,250, which will comprise the difference between the women’s and men’s World Cup roster bonus.
“When Luna Bar approached us in January to support and recognize the USWNT players in this way, I was speechless,” said USWNT Players Association executive director Becca Roux. “Many brands raising awareness for equal pay use the USWNT’s fight as an example, but don’t go the extra step to offer a solution to the problem. ”
Speaking to Yahoo Sports, USWNT star Christen Press said: “Where you have a brand that says, ‘Hey, we believe in you, we believe in you guys as a soccer team, and we believe in you guys as women, and deserving equal pay to your male counterparts, and generally the goal of treating women better,’ it was amazing.”