2021-22-23-24 News Thread

[jeffbear]

Considering the high end of the various suits could have been somewhere north of $120 million, I feel like US Soccer should be happy with this outcome ... although I suspect they are nothing of the sort. There's nothing that decrepit organization hates more than shelling out money to the talent instead of hoarding it for administrative use. I'm a little surprised the ladies settled for only $2 million in the post career transitional fund. That's just not enough to provide a meaningful endowment that could generate sufficient funds without burning through the funding. Otherwise ... good on 'em.

 

[andyt]

Considering the high end of the various suits could have been somewhere north of $120 million, I feel like US Soccer should be happy with this outcome ... although I suspect they are nothing of the sort. There's nothing that decrepit organization hates more than shelling out money to the talent instead of hoarding it for administrative use. I'm a little surprised the ladies settled for only $2 million in the post career transitional fund. That's just not enough to provide a meaningful endowment that could generate sufficient funds without burning through the funding. Otherwise ... good on 'em.

I think the settlement only covers the 28 players who sued. They’re eligible for $50k each but that‘s only $1.4 million.

Interesting that Carlos Cordeiro, who took a hard line with the women, is running for President again, against Cindy Parlow Cone. What’s he trying to prove?

 

[VinatieriDefinesClutch]

I think US Soccer probably would have won the suit if a settlement wasn't reached and this was a number that felt appropriate to mitigate the risk if they had somehow lost. The fact that the Women's team was offered the same contract as the Men's team and they turned it down, because they wanted more guaranteed money and benefits makes it hard to argue there was gender discrimination. The inequality is in the starting point. The players on the Men's team don't need to get benefits through US Soccer, because they get them through their club teams. Hell the broadcast for the women's world cup is basically a throw in on the FIFA deal even though the US WNT gets better ratings than any of the Men's world cup games. FIFA is where the real gender disparity happens as the payouts for the Men's teams are not even in the same planet as the Women's teams. Obviously the Men's WC brings in more money overall, but by selling broadcast rights together they can say that the Women's WC broadcast rights for the US are a tiny amount and FOX can just bundle them all together and overpay slightly for the Men's rights and underpay a disgusting amount for the Women's rights.

 

[Ed H in Pasadena]

Gio Reyna made his first start for Dortmund in 6 months but was forced off after 27th minute. The injury doesn’t appear to be serious and unrelated to the hamstring issue that kept him off the pitch.

And now Weston McKennie with a serious injury in the CL match today.

Sources: USMNT's McKennie out for 8-12 weeks

USMNT star Weston McKennie is looking at a lengthy spell on the sidelines after sustaining a broken foot in Juventus' 1-1 draw against Villarreal.

www.espn.com

 

[jeffbear]

I think US Soccer probably would have won the suit if a settlement wasn't reached and this was a number that felt appropriate to mitigate the risk if they had somehow lost. The fact that the Women's team was offered the same contract as the Men's team and they turned it down, because they wanted more guaranteed money and benefits makes it hard to argue there was gender discrimination. The inequality is in the starting point. The players on the Men's team don't need to get benefits through US Soccer, because they get them through their club teams. Hell the broadcast for the women's world cup is basically a throw in on the FIFA deal even though the US WNT gets better ratings than any of the Men's world cup games. FIFA is where the real gender disparity happens as the payouts for the Men's teams are not even in the same planet as the Women's teams. Obviously the Men's WC brings in more money overall, but by selling broadcast rights together they can say that the Women's WC broadcast rights for the US are a tiny amount and FOX can just bundle them all together and overpay slightly for the Men's rights and underpay a disgusting amount for the Women's rights.

I mean ... if you account for the basic inequality of the FIFA revenues and then layer in US employment law requirements, you start to understand just how thorny the whole issue is right from the start. And fans and commentators making bad faith arguments (or just stupid ones) illustrate pretty clearly just how much work there is to do in general. The thing I like moving forward is that this deal clears the decks on the labor dispute and allows the next CBA to start fresh without trying to make up for past wrongs ... real or perceived. It also breaks the allocation model moving forward, which forces NWSL to stand on its own two feet. That's the real reason so many of the smaller market, lesser capitalized clubs were shedding national team players this off season. But from this point forward, it's a pretty clear professional relationship that hinges on a CBA that isn't being negotiated with the specter of a World Cup cycle looming. Up until now, US Soccer has used that hammer to force favorable terms in EVERY single CBA negotiation ... but the timing here means that this CBA has a chance to be the first one negotiated in actual good faith.

 

[jeffbear]

Interesting that Carlos Cordeiro, who took a hard line with the women, is running for President again, against Cindy Parlow Cone. What’s he trying to prove?

Cordeiro needs to eff all the way off out of soccer administration. The fact that he hasn't been laughed off his platform already is concern.

 

[jeffbear]

And now Weston McKennie with a serious injury in the CL match today.

Yeah ... that sucks. At least it's not Adams ... I say while knocking all the wood I can find.

 

[andyt]

Schalke is removing Gazprom from their jerseys. The sponsorship is said to be worth €9 million per year but are likely affected by sanctions.

 

[Ed H in Pasadena]

In case you missed it, Hope Solo is quite critical of the agreement on "pay parity" that was reached.

'Not a win': Ex-USA goalkeeper Hope Solo launches attack at Megan Rapinoe after equal pay settlement

Former USA goalkeeper Hope Solo has launched a scathing attack on Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan in the wake of the US women’s national team’s $24 million (£17.8m) equal pay settlement, claiming her former team-mates “both know this is not a win”.

sports.yahoo.com

Former USA goalkeeper Hope Solo has launched a scathing attack on Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan in the wake of the US women’s national team’s $24 million (£17....

 

[jeffbear]

In case you missed it, Hope Solo is quite critical of the agreement on "pay parity" that was reached.

And I've always been quite critical of Hope Solo's obvious lack of understanding of how labor negotiations actually work. In her mind, you can go hammer out 100% of what you want if you're just hard/stubborn enough and anyone who doesn't do that is soft or bought off. She's a fantasist who puts the personal axe she has to grind ahead of everything else. All told, she's been nothing but a distraction to the process of getting the women a vastly more fair labor deal.

 

[jeffbear]

Schalke is removing Gazprom from their jerseys. The sponsorship is said to be worth €9 million per year but are likely affected by sanctions.

Of course Gazprom's money was just fine after the last incursion into Ukraine, but ... thanks for growing a conscience Schalke.

 

[Ed H in Pasadena]

The pressure on Russia intensifies. FIFA, of course, won't have the courage to stand for what's right and I'm sure Poland's team may well have to capitulate. Still good to read this today

Poland, Sweden and Czech Republic refuse to play Russia in FIFA World Cup qualifiers: 'We all want war to end'

Teams are taking matters into their own hands as FIFA tries to wait to make a decision

www.cbssports.com

 

[jeffbear]

I'm sorry but there are things more important than soccer and EVERY team should take the forfeit if FIFA is spineless enough to allow a Russian team to compete while there's a shooting war where their country is the obvious aggressor. Period. Even if that means walking away from the Cup. Screw that noise.

 

[Ed H in Pasadena]

I'm sorry but there are things more important than soccer and EVERY team should take the forfeit if FIFA is spineless enough to allow a Russian team to compete while there's a shooting war where their country is the obvious aggressor. Period. Even if that means walking away from the Cup. Screw that noise.

Oh I agree 100%. However I'm also a pessimist when it comes to FIFA, and players being pressured by their fan bases to abandon principle for the chance (however remote) at World Cup "glory", whatever that may be.

 

[Ed H in Pasadena]

The League Cup final was played today. Best 0-0 match I've ever seen. Chances galore, and two goals controversially ruled out (though Lukaku's offside was far more dicey than Virgil van Dyke's "interference" on Reece James).
Came down to penalties, and the man Chelsea put in goal to stop at least one Liverpool shot, Kepa, didn't. And when it came down to the 11th kick, he was the one to miss. Liverpool win the League Cup 11-10 on penalties.

 

[Ed H in Pasadena]

FIFA has no spine, as we suspected.

Ukraine crisis: Russia told not to compete under national flag

Fifa orders Russia to complete upcoming matches without their flag, anthem and as the Football Union of Russia in neutral territory.

www.bbc.com

 

[andyt]

FIFA has no spine, as we suspected.

This is my shocked face.

 

[jeffbear]

Oh I agree 100%. However I'm also a pessimist when it comes to FIFA, and players being pressured by their fan bases to abandon principle for the chance (however remote) at World Cup "glory", whatever that may be.

Thus far ... and it's early days to be sure ... it looks like players for countries like Poland (who bloody know they could be next if Putin can just waltz in and take Ukraine) are setting the tone by taking a stand against playing any Russian team. I haven't seen any push back yet, but again ... it's early days. I mean, honestly, expecting players from any former Soviet satellites to play against those guys anytime soon (regardless of the flag they represent at the time) is cold-blooded even by FIFA's vampiric standards. If FIFA is forced to choose between Russian representation and 10-15 other federations, that could legitimately force their hand.

 

[andyt]

The IOC has urged sports bodies to exclude Russian athletes and officials from international events. If the governing bodies were waiting for cover, this is it. Theoretically, this clears the way for FIFA to ban Russia from the World Cup. It also applies to Belarus, but that’s not a factor for soccer at this point, but it could affect the World Hockey Championships, scheduled to be played in Finland in May.

IOC calls for Russia to be excluded from sports

The International Olympic Committee urged sports bodies on Monday to exclude Russia's athletes and officials from international events.

www.espn.com

 

[andyt]

UEFA has ended its partnership with Gazprom across all competitions, effective immediately.