The female players on the USA National Soccer Team argue that they are required to play more games than the men’s team, win more games, and yet still receive less pay from the federation, according to The New York Times. Most women’s sports teams do not get paid as much as the men’s teams. When women’s teams win big events and the men don’t, the men still get paid more. Women’s teams show up to win, and when they do they get punished for it. Men’s teams show up to play, but when they don’t win they get rewarded. The minimum starting salary in the NBA is approximately eight times the average as WNBA players, according to the New York Times. Men and women teams need to get paid the same amount for their starting salary, and throughout the season. This is a big problem for the women’s sports teams around the world, and the federations won’t take it seriously. 

Some people may say that women athletes do not deserve to get equal pay because some women’s sports do not compete on the world stage. Although this claim may be reasonable, the Aussie Sevens women’s rugby team swept the World Series tournament, making them favorites for gold at Rio 2016. Even though some women’s sports do not compete in the world stage, when they do, they prove that they can be just as good as men. Women have to show up and fight harder to get paid what they deserve, while men don’t have to fight at all to get paid what they deserve.

Female athletes do not get paid enough and it is a big problem in sports. When women’s teams win big events, they should get paid extra. According to Forbes, NBA players receive about 50 percent of the league’s basketball-related income. Meanwhile, WNBA players get less than 1/5 of league revenue. The NBA and WNBA players need to get paid the same amount. 

The US Women’s Soccer Team filed a law suit against the US Soccer Federation for equal pay to the US men players. The suit states that from 2013 to 2016, women players earned $15,000 for making the national team, and the men earned $55,000, according to ESPN. Men and women teams need to get paid the same amount for their starting salary and throughout their seasons. This change needs to occur so young girls like me can keep fighting for our dreams to play professional sports and get paid what we deserve.