USSF: Hostile crowds give men different jobs than women’s players

The U.S. Soccer Federation says facing hostile crowds in Mexico and Central America makes playing for the U.S. men’s national team a different job than competing for the U.S. women. The USSF made the claim in documents filed Tuesday night in federal court in Los Angeles, where a lawsuit accusing the federation of gender discrimination is scheduled for trial starting May 5. The U.S. women are seeking more than $66 million in damages under the Equal Pay Act and the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

“MNT players routinely play matches (important World Cup qualifiers, in particular) throughout Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. The WNT does not,”the USSF said.“Opposing fan hostility encountered in these MNT road environments, especially in Mexico and Central America, is unmatched by anything the WNT must face while trying to qualify for an important tournament. Even the hostility of fans at home crowds for the MNT in some friendlies can be unlike anything the WNT faces. This is all evidence of substantially different jobs.”

The women and men have separate collective bargaining agreements and the women claim men receive more even though the women’s team is more successful. The USSF contends a large part of the difference is due to World Cup prize money. The USSF said the women claimed their ability level is the same as men “by ignoring the materially higher level of speed and strength required to perform the job of an MNT player.” The federation also said the men have averaged three times the TV viewers of women for matches with rights owned by the USSF.