Former champion Brandi Chastain reacts to news of equal pay for men's and women's national soccer teams
Brandi Chastain reacts to news of equal pay for men's and women's national soccer teams
In a landmark agreement with U.S. Soccer, the men's and women's national teams will receive equal pay. This comes after a years-long fight on behalf of the women's players. For Brandi Chastain, former U.S. national team member, it's a game changer.
SAN JOSE, Calif. - In a landmark agreement with U.S. Soccer, the men's and women's national teams will receive equal pay. This comes after a years-long fight on behalf of the women's players.
For Brandi Chastain, former U.S. national team member, it's a game changer.
In her career, there have been lots of moments she'll never forget. There was the Olympic victory, the World Cup win, and now this.
"I had this... I was going to say emotional breakdown, but I think I had this emotional breakthrough just thinking about all the women that came before us as leaders, as examples," says Chastain.
Those women fought for this change, both with lawsuits and through collective bargaining. The victory grants them not only equal paychecks, but equal prize money too, in tournaments like the World Cup. The men and women will pool...and then split their winnings.
"For women in soccer, it's just the beginning. This day means the beginning of soccer on a stage that has not existed before," says Chastain.
And for young women just starting out, it sends a valuable message says Chastain's husband Jerry Smith. He's coached women's soccer at Santa Clara University for 35 years.
"This helps us in our education of young people saying that you can accomplish anything, you can do anything, you can make the same amount of money. And that's very empowering," says Smith.
The couple hopes this will inspire other countries and other sports to follow suit.
"It's long overdue quite honestly. And we hope the rest of the world will follow the United States Soccer's lead on this," says Smith.
Chastain spent her morning exchanging ecstatic messages with her former teammates. One of them, Cindy Parlow Cone, is now the head of U.S. Soccer.
Chastain says when she thinks of how far they've come she is more than grateful, she is proud.
"Now we have this opportunity to show them that the standard has been set. And there's no going back," says Chastain.
Some players already have an idea of how they'd like to celebrate this milestone. It involves staging a very large game and concert and then inviting girls and young women from around the country to attend.