1 00:00:00,320 --> 00:00:02,840 Speaker 1: Long Shot is a production of McClatchy Studios and I 2 00:00:02,920 --> 00:00:09,560 Speaker 1: Heart Radio previously on payback. Does equal mean identical or 3 00:00:09,640 --> 00:00:13,000 Speaker 1: does equal mean being treated in a fair and equitable way? 4 00:00:13,480 --> 00:00:15,200 Speaker 1: This is when they talk about, like we have to 5 00:00:15,200 --> 00:00:20,320 Speaker 1: find a way to take steps to actually change the system. 6 00:00:20,400 --> 00:00:25,640 Speaker 1: That's it usual, All thousands and thousands of people chanting 7 00:00:25,720 --> 00:00:29,639 Speaker 1: equal pay. I was like, this is gonna be global. 8 00:00:40,360 --> 00:00:50,280 Speaker 1: Running back back to back in the summer of Jessica 9 00:00:50,360 --> 00:00:55,520 Speaker 1: McDonald became a world champion, from the scorched playing fields 10 00:00:55,520 --> 00:01:00,080 Speaker 1: of Glendale, Arizona, to Phoenix College, then Chapel Hill and 11 00:01:00,120 --> 00:01:03,080 Speaker 1: then professional teams around the world. The peak of jessice 12 00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:06,080 Speaker 1: soccer journey may have come on the pitch in Leon, France, 13 00:01:08,880 --> 00:01:11,200 Speaker 1: but even there, among the confetti, it was clear that 14 00:01:11,280 --> 00:01:14,319 Speaker 1: Jessic's journey had already become intertwined with something far larger 15 00:01:15,040 --> 00:01:18,040 Speaker 1: and as yet undone. Jess and her teammates were on 16 00:01:18,080 --> 00:01:22,560 Speaker 1: a symbolic journey for women everywhere, for generations of women 17 00:01:22,560 --> 00:01:26,119 Speaker 1: discriminated against in the past, for future generations of women 18 00:01:26,120 --> 00:01:29,280 Speaker 1: on the national team, in the pro game, and in 19 00:01:29,360 --> 00:01:33,320 Speaker 1: locker rooms, in boardrooms. While beyond major news, this morning 20 00:01:33,319 --> 00:01:35,560 Speaker 1: in the year's long fight for equal pay by the 21 00:01:35,560 --> 00:01:39,399 Speaker 1: women's national soccer team, and Jessica McDonald has never met 22 00:01:39,400 --> 00:01:42,839 Speaker 1: a fight she wasn't determined to win. Get another achievement 23 00:01:42,920 --> 00:01:46,440 Speaker 1: for one of the winningest teams in sports history. From 24 00:01:46,440 --> 00:01:50,440 Speaker 1: The Charlotte Observer, Robaig News An Observer, McClatchy Studios, and 25 00:01:50,520 --> 00:01:55,400 Speaker 1: I Heart Radio. This is payback. I'm Alexandreev and this 26 00:01:55,440 --> 00:02:08,959 Speaker 1: is part ten pay Up. Shortly after the whistle blew 27 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:11,960 Speaker 1: at that final in France, Jess McDonald celebrated on the 28 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:18,160 Speaker 1: field with her son Jeremiah. Shortly after that, Jeremiah left 29 00:02:18,200 --> 00:02:21,960 Speaker 1: with Dan, Martha and Isabelle Rockaway, and Jess found an 30 00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:27,600 Speaker 1: epic party in the U S women's national team's locker room. 31 00:02:27,720 --> 00:02:31,239 Speaker 1: Teammate Ashlen Harris captured the delighted chaos in videos you 32 00:02:31,320 --> 00:02:34,360 Speaker 1: posted online. Plastic sheeting can be seen covering all the 33 00:02:34,400 --> 00:02:37,760 Speaker 1: lockers and Jess and her teammates are wearing special jerseys. 34 00:02:38,360 --> 00:02:42,320 Speaker 1: They all have the number nineteen, and instead of last 35 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:52,640 Speaker 1: names on the back, they all simply read champions. Yeah Yeah. 36 00:02:53,120 --> 00:02:55,639 Speaker 1: A few hours later, the team loaded onto a bus 37 00:02:55,960 --> 00:02:58,960 Speaker 1: for a nearby after party for friends and family. On 38 00:02:59,080 --> 00:03:09,320 Speaker 1: the bus. The celebration continued at the after party. The 39 00:03:09,320 --> 00:03:12,639 Speaker 1: players were greeted as conquering heroes as the crowd parted 40 00:03:12,639 --> 00:03:15,239 Speaker 1: to welcome the champions. Jess was wearing a black T 41 00:03:15,400 --> 00:03:19,160 Speaker 1: shirt with gold lettering that read us A Beat Everybody, 42 00:03:19,760 --> 00:03:21,919 Speaker 1: and she was leading another rendition of a song heard 43 00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:33,800 Speaker 1: often that night. Badly watching Jess go through everything that 44 00:03:33,840 --> 00:03:36,400 Speaker 1: she's gone through, then like see her at the place 45 00:03:36,400 --> 00:03:40,040 Speaker 1: where she always wanted to be. With such a crazy experience, 46 00:03:40,760 --> 00:03:43,680 Speaker 1: eighteen year old Isabel Rockaway has become the sister Jess 47 00:03:43,680 --> 00:03:46,600 Speaker 1: never had. The party at the end when they won 48 00:03:46,640 --> 00:03:50,760 Speaker 1: the championship was such a once in a lifetime experience. 49 00:03:54,360 --> 00:03:57,120 Speaker 1: And the party that Isabel was talking about started at 50 00:03:57,200 --> 00:03:59,400 Speaker 1: nine o'clock at night after we won the World Cup 51 00:03:59,440 --> 00:04:01,400 Speaker 1: and lasted to like five or six in the morning 52 00:04:01,800 --> 00:04:06,040 Speaker 1: at this private little courtyard that was walled in, Damn Rockaway, 53 00:04:06,320 --> 00:04:09,320 Speaker 1: and we just went there and everybody was there. It 54 00:04:09,400 --> 00:04:13,880 Speaker 1: was amazing. And at the party, do you remember, Julie 55 00:04:13,880 --> 00:04:16,840 Speaker 1: Earth came up to us and thanked us for taking 56 00:04:16,880 --> 00:04:20,760 Speaker 1: care of Jessica's child, of Jeremiah. So we had team 57 00:04:20,800 --> 00:04:24,160 Speaker 1: members that were like thanking us for helping Jessica out 58 00:04:24,560 --> 00:04:26,799 Speaker 1: and they have these stars come up to us thanking 59 00:04:26,960 --> 00:04:39,360 Speaker 1: is It was amazing. Just a few days later, Jess, Jeremiah, 60 00:04:39,560 --> 00:04:41,839 Speaker 1: and the national team were in New York for a 61 00:04:41,839 --> 00:04:44,560 Speaker 1: ticker tape parad along the same route once traveled by 62 00:04:44,600 --> 00:04:48,840 Speaker 1: Pope's queens and empresses. How cool is this? Hey, give 63 00:04:48,839 --> 00:04:52,160 Speaker 1: me a geez, give me a smile. Jeremiah joined Jess 64 00:04:52,160 --> 00:04:54,880 Speaker 1: atop one of the floats for a procession that moved 65 00:04:54,920 --> 00:04:57,440 Speaker 1: from the lower tip of Manhattan through the Canyon of 66 00:04:57,480 --> 00:05:00,880 Speaker 1: Heroes to City Hall. Jess and Jeremia we're wearing matching 67 00:05:00,880 --> 00:05:04,640 Speaker 1: black t shirts that read World Champions, and Jeremiah waved 68 00:05:04,640 --> 00:05:08,680 Speaker 1: to the adoring fans thousands of them. Some reports said 69 00:05:08,720 --> 00:05:18,600 Speaker 1: tens of thousands, some said hundreds of thousands. In videos 70 00:05:18,640 --> 00:05:22,160 Speaker 1: Jazz posted online, Jeremiah looks a bit shell shocked, Hi, 71 00:05:22,200 --> 00:05:30,599 Speaker 1: buddy je. In remarks at City Hall, then US Soccer 72 00:05:30,640 --> 00:05:33,760 Speaker 1: President Carlos Cordiro attempted to say many of the right things, 73 00:05:34,400 --> 00:05:38,320 Speaker 1: but sometimes the crowd interrupted him. US Soccer has invested 74 00:05:38,360 --> 00:05:41,520 Speaker 1: more in women's soccer than any country in the world, 75 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:50,719 Speaker 1: and we will and we will continue to invest. And 76 00:05:50,760 --> 00:05:53,159 Speaker 1: then he mispronounced the name of perhaps the most visible 77 00:05:53,160 --> 00:05:56,400 Speaker 1: women's soccer player in the world, winner of the Golden Boat, 78 00:05:56,440 --> 00:06:00,920 Speaker 1: the Torminance, top scorer, and the best Player, Megan Rappino. 79 00:06:02,720 --> 00:06:07,880 Speaker 1: Ripino was magnanimous in her remarks, Carlos, thank you. You 80 00:06:07,920 --> 00:06:11,320 Speaker 1: were incredible this World Cup. I'm gonna honest to stake 81 00:06:11,360 --> 00:06:14,200 Speaker 1: my neck out there a little bit. I'm gonna enwards Carlos. 82 00:06:14,720 --> 00:06:16,200 Speaker 1: I think he's with us. I think he's on the 83 00:06:16,279 --> 00:06:18,120 Speaker 1: right side of things. I think he's gonna make these right. 84 00:06:21,880 --> 00:06:24,599 Speaker 1: Later that same day, the women boarded a charter flight 85 00:06:24,640 --> 00:06:28,159 Speaker 1: to Los Angeles to attend the sp Awards. From being 86 00:06:28,160 --> 00:06:30,480 Speaker 1: in T shirts at a ticker tape parade to being 87 00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:32,480 Speaker 1: red carpet ready on the other side of the country, 88 00:06:32,760 --> 00:06:35,120 Speaker 1: a team of hair stylists and makeup artists went to 89 00:06:35,120 --> 00:06:39,039 Speaker 1: work on players in the air. Jessice plus one for 90 00:06:39,040 --> 00:06:42,360 Speaker 1: the evening, a stylish seven year old and slacks and suspenders, 91 00:06:43,040 --> 00:06:44,919 Speaker 1: and by the time the US women found their seats 92 00:06:44,920 --> 00:06:47,359 Speaker 1: at the front of the Microsoft Theater that evening, World 93 00:06:47,440 --> 00:06:50,159 Speaker 1: Cup trophy in hand, Jess and her teammates were ready 94 00:06:50,200 --> 00:06:53,200 Speaker 1: for their next big honor. The great team doesn't just 95 00:06:53,360 --> 00:06:57,359 Speaker 1: unify its players, It unifies its fans and all those 96 00:06:57,400 --> 00:07:02,320 Speaker 1: who appreciate sport at its best. Here the nominees, Sandra 97 00:07:02,400 --> 00:07:06,520 Speaker 1: Bullock presented the award for Best Team of The winner 98 00:07:06,640 --> 00:07:10,080 Speaker 1: is all those in favor of equal pay, say I 99 00:07:10,400 --> 00:07:17,280 Speaker 1: the women's national soccer teams. We have the support, we 100 00:07:17,360 --> 00:07:20,680 Speaker 1: have the fan base, we fill stadiums and we win. 101 00:07:21,760 --> 00:07:24,000 Speaker 1: We win, Like, what more do you need from us? 102 00:07:24,400 --> 00:07:29,160 Speaker 1: What more? Jess told me the Champagne, the honors, the 103 00:07:29,240 --> 00:07:33,360 Speaker 1: victory tour. They were once in a lifetime experiences. They 104 00:07:33,360 --> 00:07:36,160 Speaker 1: were exactly what she'd work her entire life to experience. 105 00:07:37,040 --> 00:07:39,960 Speaker 1: And at the same time, at some point, words are 106 00:07:39,960 --> 00:07:43,360 Speaker 1: only worth so much. There's not much more that we 107 00:07:43,400 --> 00:07:47,640 Speaker 1: can truly prove as female footballers because we've already proved ourselves. 108 00:07:47,840 --> 00:07:51,160 Speaker 1: We've done enough, and now it's time to pay up. 109 00:07:51,680 --> 00:07:57,040 Speaker 1: Times up. But if those celebrations and frustrations had begun 110 00:07:57,080 --> 00:07:59,880 Speaker 1: to feel somewhat routine to the US women, a new 111 00:08:00,000 --> 00:08:03,400 Speaker 1: indow of opportunities who opened because big changes were about 112 00:08:03,400 --> 00:08:07,120 Speaker 1: to unfold inside US soccer. We'll tell you about that 113 00:08:07,880 --> 00:08:20,560 Speaker 1: after this. Now the U s limits national team players 114 00:08:20,600 --> 00:08:24,880 Speaker 1: are back for the defending nws L champs. Once the 115 00:08:24,880 --> 00:08:27,840 Speaker 1: fanfare of the World Cup. Subsided just came back to 116 00:08:27,880 --> 00:08:31,440 Speaker 1: North Carolina, her bedroom in the Rockaways house and her 117 00:08:31,560 --> 00:08:36,440 Speaker 1: nws L team, the defending champion North Carolina Courage. McDonald 118 00:08:36,640 --> 00:08:41,280 Speaker 1: that the on the field just got right back to 119 00:08:41,320 --> 00:08:44,640 Speaker 1: her scoring ways, and before long, the courage we're heading 120 00:08:44,720 --> 00:08:52,199 Speaker 1: right back to another nws L championship game. Across just 121 00:08:52,360 --> 00:08:55,079 Speaker 1: scored in that title game and with a resounding four 122 00:08:55,160 --> 00:08:57,800 Speaker 1: to nothing wind at a end, another title to a 123 00:08:57,840 --> 00:09:03,880 Speaker 1: trophy case. However, off the field, the more attention Jeff got, 124 00:09:04,400 --> 00:09:07,920 Speaker 1: the more complicated things at home got as she lived 125 00:09:07,960 --> 00:09:11,160 Speaker 1: us as longer she became kind of more famous, it 126 00:09:11,240 --> 00:09:14,480 Speaker 1: was more her time was in more demand. I guess 127 00:09:14,840 --> 00:09:18,920 Speaker 1: Dan Rockaway as she won the World Cup, coming home 128 00:09:18,960 --> 00:09:21,920 Speaker 1: for a couple of weeks, you know, getting Jeremiah acclimated 129 00:09:21,960 --> 00:09:24,480 Speaker 1: again with his mother being around all the time and 130 00:09:24,640 --> 00:09:27,800 Speaker 1: disappearing for two weeks, so three times where like, oh, 131 00:09:27,880 --> 00:09:29,480 Speaker 1: now she's home for two weeks, but she's got to 132 00:09:29,520 --> 00:09:31,800 Speaker 1: fly here and do this commercial or fly there. So 133 00:09:32,760 --> 00:09:35,840 Speaker 1: we did see her schedule kind of go from you know, 134 00:09:35,960 --> 00:09:41,920 Speaker 1: being half full two completely full. Outside of her NWSL play, 135 00:09:42,120 --> 00:09:44,920 Speaker 1: Jess and Jeremiah remained with the U S national team 136 00:09:44,960 --> 00:09:56,000 Speaker 1: for the next nine months, jess as a beloved backup. 137 00:09:56,640 --> 00:10:00,000 Speaker 1: Jeremiahs the team's adopted son, and here in March twenty 138 00:10:00,040 --> 00:10:09,640 Speaker 1: twenty he's the birthday boy. Following the World Cup, jess 139 00:10:09,640 --> 00:10:11,440 Speaker 1: was on the roster with the national team for its 140 00:10:11,480 --> 00:10:17,680 Speaker 1: Olympic qualifying tournament Jessica McDonald and then the US team 141 00:10:17,760 --> 00:10:21,800 Speaker 1: that won. She believes Cup milaitrope in the cabinet for 142 00:10:21,920 --> 00:10:25,360 Speaker 1: this jug conulti but stay the false becoming all I 143 00:10:25,480 --> 00:10:33,239 Speaker 1: called Altoni the spulting world, but in the wild the world. Financially, 144 00:10:33,640 --> 00:10:35,760 Speaker 1: jess As time with the national team provided a sense 145 00:10:35,760 --> 00:10:40,280 Speaker 1: of security and opportunity she had never known. Women's team 146 00:10:40,320 --> 00:10:42,920 Speaker 1: players received more than fifty thou dollars for being on 147 00:10:42,960 --> 00:10:45,920 Speaker 1: the roster for the World Cup qualifiers, plus nearly a 148 00:10:45,960 --> 00:10:48,640 Speaker 1: hundred fifty thousand from the World Cup, including a roster 149 00:10:48,679 --> 00:10:51,439 Speaker 1: bonus and performance bonus for winning the title in France. 150 00:10:52,240 --> 00:10:54,920 Speaker 1: Then US Soccer paid a salary to a certain number 151 00:10:54,920 --> 00:10:57,800 Speaker 1: of women's players and paid the player's salary in the 152 00:10:57,880 --> 00:11:02,040 Speaker 1: NWSL All told during her time with the national team, 153 00:11:02,240 --> 00:11:03,880 Speaker 1: just told me that she was paid close to four 154 00:11:03,960 --> 00:11:07,000 Speaker 1: hundred thousand dollars by US Soccer, and that she took 155 00:11:07,000 --> 00:11:10,160 Speaker 1: home a little more than half that after taxes. Her 156 00:11:10,200 --> 00:11:14,079 Speaker 1: financial situation had changed a lot drastically from when she 157 00:11:14,200 --> 00:11:16,640 Speaker 1: moved in and had nowhere to go to being a 158 00:11:16,679 --> 00:11:20,559 Speaker 1: World Cup champion Dan rockaway. So we just sat down 159 00:11:20,600 --> 00:11:23,520 Speaker 1: and talked about it, and and then she ended up 160 00:11:23,600 --> 00:11:26,120 Speaker 1: going back to carry where her closer to her club 161 00:11:26,120 --> 00:11:28,920 Speaker 1: and everything. I just send it up that she was 162 00:11:28,960 --> 00:11:32,800 Speaker 1: moving out, and we're like, okay, all right, we're trying 163 00:11:32,840 --> 00:11:35,000 Speaker 1: to had over every couple of weeks just to catch 164 00:11:35,080 --> 00:11:38,640 Speaker 1: up and everything. That's the sort of thing a few 165 00:11:38,679 --> 00:11:41,920 Speaker 1: hundred thousand dollars can do. And just herself would be 166 00:11:41,960 --> 00:11:44,120 Speaker 1: the first to say it's a significant sum of money. 167 00:11:45,040 --> 00:11:47,839 Speaker 1: But when US Soccer said something similar in another legal 168 00:11:47,880 --> 00:11:50,480 Speaker 1: filing in the players lawsuit, it seemed to hit all 169 00:11:50,520 --> 00:11:54,480 Speaker 1: the wrong notes. In that filing, the federation said that 170 00:11:54,520 --> 00:11:57,720 Speaker 1: the women's complaints of unequal pay were invalid because during 171 00:11:57,760 --> 00:12:00,320 Speaker 1: the years covered in the lawsuit, the US men had 172 00:12:00,320 --> 00:12:02,920 Speaker 1: played a total of a hundred eleven games and had 173 00:12:02,960 --> 00:12:06,640 Speaker 1: been paid twenty four point five million dollars. That's an 174 00:12:06,679 --> 00:12:09,240 Speaker 1: average of about two hundred twenty thousand dollars per game. 175 00:12:10,200 --> 00:12:13,120 Speaker 1: US Soccer said that in comparison, the men's team played 176 00:12:13,120 --> 00:12:15,920 Speaker 1: eighty seven games in that time period and was paid 177 00:12:15,920 --> 00:12:19,480 Speaker 1: a total of eighteen point five million dollars. That's an 178 00:12:19,480 --> 00:12:21,920 Speaker 1: average for the men of two hundred twelve thousand dollars 179 00:12:21,920 --> 00:12:25,320 Speaker 1: per game, less per game than what the women received, 180 00:12:26,320 --> 00:12:32,080 Speaker 1: except those calculations prominently featured an anomalousen when the US 181 00:12:32,160 --> 00:12:35,040 Speaker 1: men didn't qualify for the World Cup at all and 182 00:12:35,080 --> 00:12:37,520 Speaker 1: a disastrous showing by the men's team. They missed the 183 00:12:37,559 --> 00:12:41,280 Speaker 1: tournament for the first time in thirty two years, so 184 00:12:41,360 --> 00:12:44,280 Speaker 1: in that bad the men received none of their standard 185 00:12:44,280 --> 00:12:47,600 Speaker 1: appearance and performance bonuses for the World Cup, while Jess 186 00:12:47,600 --> 00:12:50,840 Speaker 1: and the women's team won the whole thing. In that's 187 00:12:50,880 --> 00:12:53,280 Speaker 1: the only reason the men's and women's payouts were close. 188 00:12:54,040 --> 00:12:56,920 Speaker 1: Had the men simply made that World Cup, even if 189 00:12:56,960 --> 00:12:59,520 Speaker 1: they lost all their games there, the men's per game 190 00:12:59,559 --> 00:13:02,560 Speaker 1: average would have jumped well above the women's per game average, 191 00:13:02,760 --> 00:13:05,800 Speaker 1: even though the women won the World Cup title. There's 192 00:13:05,840 --> 00:13:13,720 Speaker 1: this argument that hypothetically women's compensation maybe bumping up as 193 00:13:14,080 --> 00:13:17,920 Speaker 1: equal to or or a little bit less than men's 194 00:13:17,960 --> 00:13:22,600 Speaker 1: compensation because it doesn't take into account the fact that 195 00:13:22,679 --> 00:13:27,760 Speaker 1: women won four times more than men. Molly Levinson is 196 00:13:27,800 --> 00:13:31,520 Speaker 1: the player's pr representative, and those World Cup payoffs and 197 00:13:31,520 --> 00:13:34,400 Speaker 1: what the women in their lawsuit called gender based discriminatory 198 00:13:34,440 --> 00:13:38,280 Speaker 1: policies by USSF formed the basis for the women's argument 199 00:13:38,440 --> 00:13:40,640 Speaker 1: that they were owed sixty six million dollars in back 200 00:13:40,679 --> 00:13:45,280 Speaker 1: pay they should be making there for three times the 201 00:13:45,360 --> 00:13:50,120 Speaker 1: amount that they actually made because they essentially have to 202 00:13:50,280 --> 00:13:55,200 Speaker 1: win all of their games while men lose many of 203 00:13:55,240 --> 00:13:59,520 Speaker 1: their games to make almost as much money as the men. 204 00:14:01,679 --> 00:14:03,720 Speaker 1: For so much of the world, and almost all of 205 00:14:03,760 --> 00:14:07,240 Speaker 1: the sports world, the rest of was eerily quiet due 206 00:14:07,280 --> 00:14:12,400 Speaker 1: to COVID nineteen, the NBSL season was canceled. Jess had 207 00:14:12,440 --> 00:14:16,120 Speaker 1: qualified for the Summer Olympics with the national team, and 208 00:14:16,280 --> 00:14:19,000 Speaker 1: that was pushed back a year, but there was plenty 209 00:14:19,000 --> 00:14:22,680 Speaker 1: of action within US Soccer, where the player's lawsuit and 210 00:14:22,720 --> 00:14:27,600 Speaker 1: the federation's misfiring responses caused shock waves. The president of 211 00:14:27,600 --> 00:14:30,640 Speaker 1: the US Soccer Federation has stepped down from his position 212 00:14:30,960 --> 00:14:34,720 Speaker 1: the federation, saying that biological science is the reason why 213 00:14:34,800 --> 00:14:37,640 Speaker 1: men should make more money than the women. You've got 214 00:14:37,640 --> 00:14:41,640 Speaker 1: to be kidding me, Carlos Cordero announced, his resignation Thursday 215 00:14:41,680 --> 00:14:45,480 Speaker 1: evening at the women's team's ticker tape parade, Cordierro had 216 00:14:45,520 --> 00:14:48,240 Speaker 1: pledged to work with them to find an equitable resolution. 217 00:14:48,920 --> 00:14:52,200 Speaker 1: Clearly that hadn't happened. How is this thing going to 218 00:14:52,320 --> 00:14:56,720 Speaker 1: move forward? Where's the leadership going to come from? That 219 00:14:56,960 --> 00:14:59,360 Speaker 1: leader told us she may have been the biggest accidental 220 00:14:59,360 --> 00:15:03,440 Speaker 1: president in US soccer history. She's the first woman president 221 00:15:03,480 --> 00:15:06,160 Speaker 1: of US soccer at all, someone who's known just for 222 00:15:06,200 --> 00:15:09,120 Speaker 1: nearly fifteen years and was a one time world champion 223 00:15:09,240 --> 00:15:11,840 Speaker 1: with the very same US women's team now suing the federation. 224 00:15:12,560 --> 00:15:16,000 Speaker 1: Cindy Parlo cone I joined the team when I was seventeen. 225 00:15:16,280 --> 00:15:19,960 Speaker 1: I still had a poster of the women's national team 226 00:15:20,080 --> 00:15:22,520 Speaker 1: up on my wall at home in my parents house. 227 00:15:23,960 --> 00:15:26,520 Speaker 1: Like her championships on the field as a national team player, 228 00:15:27,680 --> 00:15:30,360 Speaker 1: would cone be destined to succeed in US soccer leadership 229 00:15:30,640 --> 00:15:39,400 Speaker 1: in ways her male predecessors hadn't. It's a stunning day 230 00:15:39,440 --> 00:15:43,680 Speaker 1: in late September at soccer fields off Babiesford Road, north 231 00:15:43,720 --> 00:15:46,520 Speaker 1: of Charlotte, when I finally meet up with Cindy Parlow 232 00:15:46,600 --> 00:15:49,800 Speaker 1: cone I love coaching. I got my degree in middle 233 00:15:49,800 --> 00:15:54,080 Speaker 1: school education and I was trying to decide whether I 234 00:15:54,200 --> 00:15:56,960 Speaker 1: wanted to teach or coach, and you know, I just 235 00:15:57,000 --> 00:15:59,040 Speaker 1: felt like I could have a bigger impact on the 236 00:15:59,080 --> 00:16:02,600 Speaker 1: field because you have more unstructured time with the kids 237 00:16:02,600 --> 00:16:05,960 Speaker 1: and to be able to really have an impact on 238 00:16:06,080 --> 00:16:10,120 Speaker 1: their lives more so than justin soccer. There's light breeze 239 00:16:10,480 --> 00:16:13,680 Speaker 1: and birds chirping and about five or six youth soccer 240 00:16:13,680 --> 00:16:16,440 Speaker 1: matches happening on the fields. Children are playing on the 241 00:16:16,480 --> 00:16:18,520 Speaker 1: slides and swing sets on the side of the field. 242 00:16:19,280 --> 00:16:23,080 Speaker 1: You'll hear many of those sounds in our conversation. You'll 243 00:16:23,120 --> 00:16:25,960 Speaker 1: remember Cone from our earlier episodes as a national team member, 244 00:16:26,440 --> 00:16:29,080 Speaker 1: then assistant coach on jess as University of North Carolina 245 00:16:29,160 --> 00:16:32,880 Speaker 1: championship teams, then as the first coach of the Portland Thorns, 246 00:16:32,880 --> 00:16:34,720 Speaker 1: where Cone tried to trade for Jess in the end 247 00:16:34,720 --> 00:16:39,560 Speaker 1: of USL. I've coached youth f coach, college of coach professionally, 248 00:16:40,080 --> 00:16:42,760 Speaker 1: but somehow I keep coming back to the kids. There's 249 00:16:42,800 --> 00:16:46,040 Speaker 1: just something about them and like for me, I didn't 250 00:16:46,080 --> 00:16:49,360 Speaker 1: have that positive female role model at their ages, so 251 00:16:49,400 --> 00:16:51,520 Speaker 1: it's pretty cool to be able to provide that for 252 00:16:51,640 --> 00:16:54,720 Speaker 1: them and help guide them through UM I think some 253 00:16:54,760 --> 00:16:58,960 Speaker 1: of the most challenging years of a young girl's life. 254 00:16:59,840 --> 00:17:02,600 Speaker 1: As the President of US Soccer, Cone doesn't do many 255 00:17:02,600 --> 00:17:05,359 Speaker 1: of these sorts of interviews. It took months for us 256 00:17:05,359 --> 00:17:07,840 Speaker 1: to schedule this one, and she was able to squeeze 257 00:17:07,880 --> 00:17:10,840 Speaker 1: in this conversation at a tournament in North Carolina where 258 00:17:10,840 --> 00:17:13,440 Speaker 1: Cone was coaching a youth team from the Triangle. I 259 00:17:13,560 --> 00:17:16,040 Speaker 1: moved away a few times, but I always find my 260 00:17:16,119 --> 00:17:19,520 Speaker 1: way back to table Hill. It's home for me. Cone 261 00:17:19,520 --> 00:17:23,040 Speaker 1: began her pro career on the national team, but her 262 00:17:23,080 --> 00:17:26,480 Speaker 1: contributions to US Soccer almost immediately expanded off the field. 263 00:17:27,240 --> 00:17:29,919 Speaker 1: She was part of international initiatives to empower women and girls. 264 00:17:30,480 --> 00:17:33,320 Speaker 1: She joined US Soccer's Youth Task Force to develop future 265 00:17:33,359 --> 00:17:37,920 Speaker 1: generations of players, and much more. Thank you so much, 266 00:17:38,240 --> 00:17:41,600 Speaker 1: this is really amazing. By the time she was inducted 267 00:17:41,600 --> 00:17:44,879 Speaker 1: into the Pro Soccer Hall of Fame, it was clear 268 00:17:44,880 --> 00:17:47,359 Speaker 1: that Cone could be a force inside the federation. I 269 00:17:47,440 --> 00:17:49,600 Speaker 1: was so competitive as a kid and wanted to be 270 00:17:49,680 --> 00:17:51,679 Speaker 1: the best player on every team, and I wanted to 271 00:17:51,680 --> 00:17:55,040 Speaker 1: win every game that I rarely took the time to 272 00:17:55,080 --> 00:17:59,120 Speaker 1: support others on my team. Soccer is a universal language 273 00:17:59,400 --> 00:18:02,400 Speaker 1: and can and should be used to build bridges, increasing 274 00:18:02,520 --> 00:18:06,560 Speaker 1: tolerance of others and teach life skills. Let's continue to 275 00:18:06,680 --> 00:18:09,040 Speaker 1: use our game to make the world a better place. 276 00:18:12,160 --> 00:18:16,240 Speaker 1: In February, Cohn was elected the vice president of US Soccer, 277 00:18:17,160 --> 00:18:21,200 Speaker 1: serving under President Carlos Cordierro. I realized that I cared 278 00:18:21,280 --> 00:18:24,719 Speaker 1: even more than I thought I cared. It wasn't great timing. 279 00:18:24,800 --> 00:18:28,040 Speaker 1: I just had a kid and all that comes with that. 280 00:18:28,400 --> 00:18:31,320 Speaker 1: But to walk into the rooms that I walk into 281 00:18:32,040 --> 00:18:35,760 Speaker 1: and I'm often the only woman, often the only former player, 282 00:18:36,440 --> 00:18:40,240 Speaker 1: it was solidified in my thinking how important it is 283 00:18:40,320 --> 00:18:45,160 Speaker 1: to have the athlete perspective in these rooms when decisions 284 00:18:45,160 --> 00:18:47,800 Speaker 1: are being made at the highest levels about our sport. 285 00:18:48,400 --> 00:18:51,320 Speaker 1: As athlete, as a woman, you see things through a 286 00:18:51,359 --> 00:18:56,800 Speaker 1: different lens. That wasn't the only challenge of timing. Just 287 00:18:56,880 --> 00:18:59,560 Speaker 1: a few weeks later, Jess and the other women's players 288 00:18:59,600 --> 00:19:03,480 Speaker 1: drop the allsuit on the federation. Then, when US Soccer 289 00:19:03,480 --> 00:19:07,680 Speaker 1: bungled its response and Cordiera resigned, Cone found herself suddenly 290 00:19:07,680 --> 00:19:11,680 Speaker 1: promoted to the top position in US Soccer. I called 291 00:19:11,720 --> 00:19:15,639 Speaker 1: myself the accidental president of US Soccer. I ran for 292 00:19:15,800 --> 00:19:19,920 Speaker 1: vice president, never thinking I would become president. I wasn't 293 00:19:19,920 --> 00:19:22,240 Speaker 1: even looking for that. I wasn't even looking to be VP. 294 00:19:23,520 --> 00:19:26,560 Speaker 1: No one had ever resigned before as the president. It 295 00:19:26,600 --> 00:19:30,560 Speaker 1: was quite a transition jumping into the presidency role right 296 00:19:30,640 --> 00:19:35,240 Speaker 1: as Covid was hitting right on the backside of the 297 00:19:35,400 --> 00:19:40,080 Speaker 1: very offensive language in the legal brief. Just like every 298 00:19:40,119 --> 00:19:43,760 Speaker 1: other woman that read that language and that legal brief, 299 00:19:44,160 --> 00:19:47,359 Speaker 1: I was hurt and offended. So that was painful to 300 00:19:47,440 --> 00:19:52,520 Speaker 1: deal with. Cone became President of US Soccer at a 301 00:19:52,560 --> 00:19:55,480 Speaker 1: time when the women's team demanded more attention from the federation. 302 00:19:56,840 --> 00:19:58,920 Speaker 1: It's Cone's job to walk a tight rope and protecting 303 00:19:58,920 --> 00:20:01,840 Speaker 1: the interests of US Soccer her, which at least sometimes 304 00:20:01,840 --> 00:20:05,399 Speaker 1: means telling those women no. I think the Federation has 305 00:20:05,440 --> 00:20:09,119 Speaker 1: done a lot to help support the women's national team 306 00:20:09,160 --> 00:20:11,480 Speaker 1: and to help them stay on top of the world 307 00:20:11,560 --> 00:20:14,520 Speaker 1: and the investments that the federation is made. But at 308 00:20:14,520 --> 00:20:17,440 Speaker 1: the same time there's challenges in the FIFA World Cup 309 00:20:17,440 --> 00:20:20,720 Speaker 1: prize money. This issue of FIFA prize money is perhaps 310 00:20:20,760 --> 00:20:23,639 Speaker 1: the most intractable factor in debates between US Soccer and 311 00:20:23,680 --> 00:20:27,320 Speaker 1: the women's team. The difference in World Cup prize money 312 00:20:27,400 --> 00:20:29,360 Speaker 1: between the Men's World Cup and the Women's World Cup. 313 00:20:29,400 --> 00:20:35,560 Speaker 1: The FIFA offers is just dark. US Soccer's argument is 314 00:20:35,560 --> 00:20:39,760 Speaker 1: that FIFA, the game's international governing body, pays participants of 315 00:20:39,800 --> 00:20:42,240 Speaker 1: the men's World Cup dramatically more than it pays women's 316 00:20:42,240 --> 00:20:46,000 Speaker 1: tournament teams. In fact, I was told by US Soccer's 317 00:20:46,080 --> 00:20:48,679 Speaker 1: legal team that is part of the women's contract, the 318 00:20:48,720 --> 00:20:52,000 Speaker 1: federation gives of any prize money they earned through FIFA 319 00:20:52,040 --> 00:20:55,320 Speaker 1: matches to the women. The men's contract only pays them 320 00:20:55,320 --> 00:20:58,960 Speaker 1: about sev of the FIFA money they earned. Then US 321 00:20:59,000 --> 00:21:01,240 Speaker 1: Soccer used the anger of the men's payout to help 322 00:21:01,280 --> 00:21:05,879 Speaker 1: fund other programs like youth leagues and special Olympics. So 323 00:21:06,280 --> 00:21:09,240 Speaker 1: US Soccer told me they're simply more money available for 324 00:21:09,280 --> 00:21:12,080 Speaker 1: the men's team when those players negotiate their bargaining agreement. 325 00:21:13,000 --> 00:21:16,280 Speaker 1: And similarly, the women's team can't expect you, as soccer 326 00:21:16,320 --> 00:21:19,480 Speaker 1: to make up the vast financial divide. FIFA created. The 327 00:21:19,600 --> 00:21:23,080 Speaker 1: fact that our women won four million dollars for winning 328 00:21:23,119 --> 00:21:27,520 Speaker 1: the World cop and the men's winner gets thirty eight million. 329 00:21:28,119 --> 00:21:30,800 Speaker 1: For US Soccer to continuously have to make up the 330 00:21:30,880 --> 00:21:34,720 Speaker 1: gap that FIFA is creating and maybe even exacerbating that 331 00:21:35,040 --> 00:21:39,919 Speaker 1: is all untenable for US. There's a basic logic to 332 00:21:40,000 --> 00:21:43,000 Speaker 1: that but Jess and the other women's players insist that 333 00:21:43,040 --> 00:21:45,840 Speaker 1: it skips a step. FIFA does pay out more money 334 00:21:45,840 --> 00:21:48,480 Speaker 1: for the men's tournament than the women's, but it doesn't 335 00:21:48,480 --> 00:21:52,480 Speaker 1: actually pay the teams themselves. FIFA makes both payments directly 336 00:21:52,520 --> 00:21:56,320 Speaker 1: to US Soccer, so it's US Soccer who's actually deciding 337 00:21:56,359 --> 00:21:58,840 Speaker 1: what percentage of that combined total goes to which US 338 00:21:58,920 --> 00:22:05,040 Speaker 1: teams for equal pay. Con again, but the women's game 339 00:22:05,480 --> 00:22:09,320 Speaker 1: globally has been underinvested in right when you compare it 340 00:22:09,359 --> 00:22:13,200 Speaker 1: to the men's games. So the challenges is we're one 341 00:22:13,240 --> 00:22:17,400 Speaker 1: of two d and eleven member associations, so it's not 342 00:22:17,640 --> 00:22:21,359 Speaker 1: just US Soccer once it it's it's it's going to happen. 343 00:22:21,480 --> 00:22:24,720 Speaker 1: We have to bring everyone around along. If FIFA can 344 00:22:24,760 --> 00:22:27,720 Speaker 1: help out and push other in as invest equally in 345 00:22:27,760 --> 00:22:32,320 Speaker 1: the game and equalized prize money, equalized qualification money, it's 346 00:22:32,359 --> 00:22:35,320 Speaker 1: a top up and bottom down approach. At the same time, 347 00:22:37,480 --> 00:22:39,400 Speaker 1: we reached out to FIFA for their response to all 348 00:22:39,400 --> 00:22:41,760 Speaker 1: of this, and we're told that they had doubled the 349 00:22:41,760 --> 00:22:46,240 Speaker 1: Women's World Cup prize money from what it was and 350 00:22:46,320 --> 00:22:48,280 Speaker 1: would do so again for the Women's World Cup. In 351 00:22:50,040 --> 00:22:53,480 Speaker 1: a FIFA spokesperson told us that Women's World Cup will 352 00:22:53,520 --> 00:22:55,919 Speaker 1: expand the number of teams in the tournament to thirty two, 353 00:22:56,400 --> 00:22:59,520 Speaker 1: matching the current total of the Men's World Cup, and 354 00:22:59,560 --> 00:23:02,880 Speaker 1: the spokes person told us quote over one billion dollars 355 00:23:02,920 --> 00:23:05,800 Speaker 1: is budgeted to be invested at all levels of women's football, 356 00:23:06,280 --> 00:23:09,840 Speaker 1: including grassroots and the professional women's game, to develop and 357 00:23:09,840 --> 00:23:13,479 Speaker 1: professionalized women's football around the world. But none of those 358 00:23:13,520 --> 00:23:15,720 Speaker 1: things actually equalize the prize money for the men's and 359 00:23:15,720 --> 00:23:18,920 Speaker 1: women's participants. For me, yes, I would love to solve 360 00:23:18,960 --> 00:23:20,960 Speaker 1: the litigation. I would love BEFA to help me solve 361 00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:23,720 Speaker 1: that the equalizing the prize money. But for me, the 362 00:23:23,760 --> 00:23:26,439 Speaker 1: picture is bigger and grander than that. How do we 363 00:23:26,600 --> 00:23:30,520 Speaker 1: elevate the women's game globally? And I think through World 364 00:23:30,520 --> 00:23:34,360 Speaker 1: Cup qualification money, World Cup prize money. I think that 365 00:23:34,680 --> 00:23:39,800 Speaker 1: is a great way to grow our game. Seeing Cone 366 00:23:39,800 --> 00:23:43,440 Speaker 1: now sitting across from the players rather than alongside them, 367 00:23:43,480 --> 00:23:45,320 Speaker 1: it could be tempting to imagine her as a leader 368 00:23:45,320 --> 00:23:47,840 Speaker 1: of US Soccer's Death Star, denying the team that she 369 00:23:47,880 --> 00:23:51,480 Speaker 1: once played for. That wouldn't necessarily be accurate, and I 370 00:23:51,480 --> 00:23:53,960 Speaker 1: don't think it would be fair. I mean, then these 371 00:23:53,960 --> 00:23:57,399 Speaker 1: players don't know Cindy like obviously her teammates do from before, 372 00:23:57,600 --> 00:24:00,639 Speaker 1: But there's no one with a better, more compass in 373 00:24:00,720 --> 00:24:03,399 Speaker 1: terms of just like you want someone that's ethically you 374 00:24:03,440 --> 00:24:06,160 Speaker 1: know straight shooter is not going to screw you. I mean, 375 00:24:06,160 --> 00:24:08,320 Speaker 1: there were so many times you felt like, wait, no, 376 00:24:08,440 --> 00:24:12,360 Speaker 1: we didn't negotiate that. That's not right. Cone's former teammates 377 00:24:12,440 --> 00:24:15,520 Speaker 1: like Julie Faudy, who had all one thought together for equality, 378 00:24:16,000 --> 00:24:18,879 Speaker 1: cheered her rise to the presidency. What I've said to 379 00:24:18,920 --> 00:24:21,960 Speaker 1: the women, and Cindy knows well is the only thing 380 00:24:21,960 --> 00:24:24,760 Speaker 1: that moved the needle in negotiations is not lawyers screaming 381 00:24:24,760 --> 00:24:29,800 Speaker 1: at each other. It's not vitriolic press statements. It's actually 382 00:24:29,800 --> 00:24:32,880 Speaker 1: sitting at the table and saying this is what matters 383 00:24:32,920 --> 00:24:36,080 Speaker 1: to us, and this is why, and hashing it out 384 00:24:36,119 --> 00:24:41,240 Speaker 1: like player to federation, player to president, and in this case, 385 00:24:41,280 --> 00:24:45,040 Speaker 1: player to player, because Cindy would know right. What does 386 00:24:45,080 --> 00:24:47,200 Speaker 1: seem fair is that Cone is caught between the past 387 00:24:47,200 --> 00:24:50,080 Speaker 1: and the future and has the unenviable task of trying 388 00:24:50,119 --> 00:24:53,040 Speaker 1: to make them both right. That means writing past wrongs 389 00:24:53,040 --> 00:24:57,280 Speaker 1: at US Soccer, when women like Cone were undercompensated and underappreciated, 390 00:24:58,040 --> 00:25:00,840 Speaker 1: which doesn't always feel so long ago at all. I 391 00:25:00,840 --> 00:25:03,280 Speaker 1: think I deal with a lot of the same things 392 00:25:03,320 --> 00:25:08,120 Speaker 1: that women in higher positions deal with. Right I get 393 00:25:08,160 --> 00:25:12,040 Speaker 1: an agenda, and the attire is suit and tie. It's 394 00:25:12,080 --> 00:25:16,080 Speaker 1: things like that which may seem small to some, but 395 00:25:16,280 --> 00:25:21,640 Speaker 1: it's lacking inclusivity. The men have always run the programming, 396 00:25:21,680 --> 00:25:25,800 Speaker 1: they've always run FIFA, and then they're adding women. But 397 00:25:25,960 --> 00:25:28,600 Speaker 1: until you get to a certain percentage, the amount of 398 00:25:28,720 --> 00:25:32,199 Speaker 1: energy that goes into like what you're gonna wear when 399 00:25:32,240 --> 00:25:34,800 Speaker 1: you're going into this room, when you're the only woman 400 00:25:34,920 --> 00:25:37,119 Speaker 1: or one of only a couple of women, it's a 401 00:25:37,119 --> 00:25:42,399 Speaker 1: little unsettling. I'm not gonna lie. I think FIFA and 402 00:25:43,240 --> 00:25:48,080 Speaker 1: Conky Calf and US Soccer we've all come a long way, 403 00:25:48,119 --> 00:25:50,879 Speaker 1: but we still have a lot of area for improvement. 404 00:25:52,160 --> 00:25:55,600 Speaker 1: But as president of US Soccer, it's also coins responsibility 405 00:25:55,640 --> 00:25:58,320 Speaker 1: to safeguard the game's future in America and all of 406 00:25:58,440 --> 00:26:01,399 Speaker 1: US Soccer's interests. She told me that so long as 407 00:26:01,400 --> 00:26:04,600 Speaker 1: FIFA maintains such disparate payouts for men's and women's tournaments, 408 00:26:05,119 --> 00:26:07,640 Speaker 1: it would practically bankrupt the federation to offer the women 409 00:26:07,680 --> 00:26:11,639 Speaker 1: the same compensation as the men as a nonprofit supporting 410 00:26:12,119 --> 00:26:15,000 Speaker 1: twenty two national teams plus some more adding next year 411 00:26:15,520 --> 00:26:18,480 Speaker 1: to pay the women's national team sixty six million dollars 412 00:26:19,080 --> 00:26:23,600 Speaker 1: means no youth programming, no extended national team programming um 413 00:26:23,640 --> 00:26:28,040 Speaker 1: and probably limited senior national team program just making up 414 00:26:28,040 --> 00:26:31,000 Speaker 1: sixty six million and an unknown amount in the future 415 00:26:32,119 --> 00:26:37,000 Speaker 1: if we just can't do it. Digging through that, there's 416 00:26:37,040 --> 00:26:39,800 Speaker 1: also an implication that a major unspoken impediment to equal 417 00:26:39,800 --> 00:26:42,919 Speaker 1: pay for the women is an actually US Soccer, but 418 00:26:43,000 --> 00:26:46,000 Speaker 1: that it's the US men's team. If the women want 419 00:26:46,480 --> 00:26:49,240 Speaker 1: of the combined FIFA payout, the US Soccer seems to 420 00:26:49,240 --> 00:26:51,159 Speaker 1: be saying the US men have to agree to a 421 00:26:51,240 --> 00:26:53,919 Speaker 1: much smaller take in the future. This means that there 422 00:26:53,960 --> 00:26:56,159 Speaker 1: are more interests to consider than just those of the 423 00:26:56,160 --> 00:27:00,960 Speaker 1: Women's Players Association or p A and the federation. The 424 00:27:00,960 --> 00:27:04,960 Speaker 1: Men's Players Association is also a factor in these labor negotiations. 425 00:27:05,600 --> 00:27:09,320 Speaker 1: We've asked both the men's PA and the Women's p 426 00:27:09,520 --> 00:27:12,359 Speaker 1: A to come together with US Soccer to try to 427 00:27:12,520 --> 00:27:15,159 Speaker 1: find a path forward on how we can make it equal. 428 00:27:15,600 --> 00:27:17,800 Speaker 1: My hope is that that will happen, But then also 429 00:27:17,960 --> 00:27:22,560 Speaker 1: my grander hope is that FIFA will equalize it your position, 430 00:27:22,640 --> 00:27:25,720 Speaker 1: Like formerly as a player on this women's national team 431 00:27:25,720 --> 00:27:29,040 Speaker 1: that was kind of budding heads with the federation pretty often. 432 00:27:29,119 --> 00:27:32,159 Speaker 1: It's early history. So now sort of being on the 433 00:27:32,160 --> 00:27:35,199 Speaker 1: other side of the table in this case, you know, 434 00:27:35,280 --> 00:27:37,680 Speaker 1: how do you kind of like resolve that in your mind? 435 00:27:37,720 --> 00:27:39,800 Speaker 1: Do you think about that? Like, man, maybe I would 436 00:27:39,800 --> 00:27:43,240 Speaker 1: have been part of this lawsuit like years earlier. I mean, 437 00:27:43,280 --> 00:27:46,840 Speaker 1: you bring up a great point. I was absolutely fighting 438 00:27:47,119 --> 00:27:49,159 Speaker 1: for everything that we got when I was a women's 439 00:27:49,240 --> 00:27:53,280 Speaker 1: national team player fighting the federation. Has the federation been perfect? 440 00:27:53,320 --> 00:27:56,320 Speaker 1: Absolutely not, and I'll be the first to admit that. 441 00:27:56,520 --> 00:27:59,920 Speaker 1: But since I've come in, I've done everything to dress 442 00:28:00,440 --> 00:28:03,159 Speaker 1: the things that I can address. The one thing that 443 00:28:03,320 --> 00:28:07,600 Speaker 1: is really challenging for the federation to make up is 444 00:28:07,640 --> 00:28:12,520 Speaker 1: the difference in World Cup prize money. However, at the 445 00:28:12,600 --> 00:28:15,639 Speaker 1: very end of my reporting for this podcast, it became 446 00:28:15,680 --> 00:28:18,480 Speaker 1: clear that there might be a new path forward. We'll 447 00:28:18,480 --> 00:28:32,880 Speaker 1: tell you about that after this. In late something unusual happened. 448 00:28:33,440 --> 00:28:37,480 Speaker 1: The US women's national team lost the reigning World Cup champion. 449 00:28:37,640 --> 00:28:41,320 Speaker 1: US women's soccer team is vowing to fight on after 450 00:28:41,360 --> 00:28:44,360 Speaker 1: a judge dismiss their claim of unequal pay with their 451 00:28:44,400 --> 00:28:48,160 Speaker 1: male counterparts. The judge said that their claims are not 452 00:28:48,360 --> 00:28:52,040 Speaker 1: enough to warrant a trial lamps. At a key moment 453 00:28:52,040 --> 00:28:54,680 Speaker 1: in the players legal battle against the US Soccer Federation, 454 00:28:55,160 --> 00:28:58,800 Speaker 1: District Judge are Gary Klossner dismissed the players equal pay 455 00:28:58,800 --> 00:29:02,280 Speaker 1: claims on summary. Judge it Klassner's decision rested on two 456 00:29:02,320 --> 00:29:06,440 Speaker 1: basic ideas. First, he said that over the past five years, 457 00:29:06,600 --> 00:29:09,640 Speaker 1: the women's team received higher per game average compensation than 458 00:29:09,680 --> 00:29:12,360 Speaker 1: the US men your respective of how many games they've 459 00:29:12,360 --> 00:29:17,600 Speaker 1: played or how many tournaments they'd won. Secondly, Judge Lastner 460 00:29:17,640 --> 00:29:19,840 Speaker 1: said that the women were being compensated according to the 461 00:29:19,840 --> 00:29:24,800 Speaker 1: collective bargaining agreement they themselves agreed to. I'm Jeffrey Kessler, 462 00:29:25,360 --> 00:29:29,520 Speaker 1: and our firm has from the beginning been the class 463 00:29:29,640 --> 00:29:34,040 Speaker 1: council for the women's national team players and if I 464 00:29:34,160 --> 00:29:38,239 Speaker 1: freequel pay. We were surprised by the decision, There's no 465 00:29:38,360 --> 00:29:44,160 Speaker 1: question about that. Where we have a fundamental disagreement with 466 00:29:44,200 --> 00:29:50,160 Speaker 1: the judge is that he ruled it was equal pay. 467 00:29:50,160 --> 00:29:56,840 Speaker 1: Be course, over five years, the women collectively made almost 468 00:29:56,960 --> 00:29:59,640 Speaker 1: as much per game, even a little more per game 469 00:30:00,040 --> 00:30:04,280 Speaker 1: than the men. But the only way the women were 470 00:30:04,320 --> 00:30:11,800 Speaker 1: able to achieve that total comparability of compensation was by 471 00:30:11,800 --> 00:30:16,880 Speaker 1: playing many more games and winning many more games, because 472 00:30:16,960 --> 00:30:21,120 Speaker 1: you get compensated by bonuses for every game you win, 473 00:30:21,800 --> 00:30:26,720 Speaker 1: and that's not what we believe the law requires. It's 474 00:30:26,720 --> 00:30:31,040 Speaker 1: supposed to be equal opportunity, So if you both performed 475 00:30:31,160 --> 00:30:36,120 Speaker 1: the same, you'll get the same compensation. Judge Colostner agreed 476 00:30:36,160 --> 00:30:38,320 Speaker 1: with US Soccer that the women had been offered the 477 00:30:38,360 --> 00:30:41,200 Speaker 1: same structure of contract as the men's team and chose 478 00:30:41,240 --> 00:30:44,920 Speaker 1: instead a different arrangement. The players insisted that missed the 479 00:30:44,920 --> 00:30:47,880 Speaker 1: fundamental point, but they were never offered a contract with 480 00:30:47,920 --> 00:30:50,360 Speaker 1: the same total dollars as the men's team, so of 481 00:30:50,400 --> 00:30:55,800 Speaker 1: course they chose a different arrangement. Technically, both sides were correct. Yeah, 482 00:30:55,840 --> 00:31:00,160 Speaker 1: there's kind of a false narrative that the women and 483 00:31:00,320 --> 00:31:05,320 Speaker 1: could have had the men's deal, but shows a different 484 00:31:05,400 --> 00:31:09,960 Speaker 1: deal with a different structure that they preferred. So why 485 00:31:10,000 --> 00:31:13,840 Speaker 1: should they complain? The problem is that wasn't what happened. 486 00:31:14,480 --> 00:31:19,040 Speaker 1: What happened was the women said, would you give us 487 00:31:19,680 --> 00:31:23,880 Speaker 1: the same amounts as the men, the same structure and amounts, 488 00:31:24,840 --> 00:31:27,800 Speaker 1: and the Federation said, well, we'll give you the same 489 00:31:27,840 --> 00:31:33,920 Speaker 1: structure but much lower amounts, so in that context then 490 00:31:33,960 --> 00:31:37,640 Speaker 1: the women opted for a different structure. The players pledged 491 00:31:37,680 --> 00:31:40,480 Speaker 1: to appeal that dismissal, and they could still move forward 492 00:31:40,520 --> 00:31:42,800 Speaker 1: with a portion of their lawsuit that centered on unequal 493 00:31:42,800 --> 00:31:45,360 Speaker 1: working conditions compared to the men, But there was no 494 00:31:45,480 --> 00:31:47,640 Speaker 1: escaping the fact that the key part of their lawsuit 495 00:31:47,720 --> 00:31:54,000 Speaker 1: had been tossed out. Regardless of what Judge Klastner had decided, 496 00:31:54,480 --> 00:31:56,600 Speaker 1: it appears the players arguments were not lost on the 497 00:31:56,640 --> 00:32:00,720 Speaker 1: new president of US Soccer Major was this morning. In 498 00:32:00,720 --> 00:32:03,320 Speaker 1: the year's long fight for equal pay by the women's 499 00:32:03,440 --> 00:32:07,320 Speaker 1: national soccer team, a six year fight over equal pay 500 00:32:07,480 --> 00:32:11,120 Speaker 1: may finally have ended today the players reached a twenty 501 00:32:11,200 --> 00:32:15,520 Speaker 1: four million dollar settlement with the US Soccer Federation. In 502 00:32:15,520 --> 00:32:18,760 Speaker 1: a surprise move, the spring, Cindy Parlocone and the US 503 00:32:18,800 --> 00:32:21,720 Speaker 1: Soccer Federation appeared to extend in alive branch to the 504 00:32:21,720 --> 00:32:25,000 Speaker 1: players agreeing to settle the landmark case. The federation may 505 00:32:25,000 --> 00:32:27,320 Speaker 1: have been well on the way to winning. It's yet 506 00:32:27,360 --> 00:32:31,520 Speaker 1: another achievement for one of the winningest teams in sports history. 507 00:32:31,880 --> 00:32:34,680 Speaker 1: As part of that settlement, US Soccer agreed in principle 508 00:32:34,760 --> 00:32:36,760 Speaker 1: to pay the players in that lawsuit, a total of 509 00:32:36,800 --> 00:32:40,520 Speaker 1: twenty four million dollars. Of that, twenty two million will 510 00:32:40,560 --> 00:32:43,080 Speaker 1: be distributed to the national team players, but at the 511 00:32:43,080 --> 00:32:46,360 Speaker 1: time of recording this podcast, that distribution is still unclear. 512 00:32:47,200 --> 00:32:49,000 Speaker 1: That twenty two million was only a third of the 513 00:32:49,000 --> 00:32:51,760 Speaker 1: back pay the players had sought, but it still amounted 514 00:32:51,800 --> 00:32:54,160 Speaker 1: to an admission from US Soccer that for years it 515 00:32:54,200 --> 00:32:57,800 Speaker 1: had been under compensating the women. The remaining two million 516 00:32:57,840 --> 00:33:00,520 Speaker 1: from the federation settlement will go to charitable it's around 517 00:33:00,520 --> 00:33:03,720 Speaker 1: the women's game and what it called post career goals 518 00:33:04,000 --> 00:33:07,760 Speaker 1: for those players. Yeah, this is big time. I was 519 00:33:07,800 --> 00:33:11,720 Speaker 1: so ecstatic about the news. This was my final conversation 520 00:33:11,720 --> 00:33:15,080 Speaker 1: with jas for this podcast. This was like a hard 521 00:33:15,120 --> 00:33:18,600 Speaker 1: fought battle. As you guys know, this is for everybody, 522 00:33:18,680 --> 00:33:21,240 Speaker 1: you know, every female out there who deserves equity and 523 00:33:21,320 --> 00:33:26,320 Speaker 1: equality wherever their workplace is. In fact, the settlement includes 524 00:33:26,320 --> 00:33:29,920 Speaker 1: a key safeguard for future generations. US Soccer said that 525 00:33:29,960 --> 00:33:32,720 Speaker 1: it will now provide quote an equal rate of pay 526 00:33:32,800 --> 00:33:35,360 Speaker 1: going forward for the women's and men's national teams and 527 00:33:35,360 --> 00:33:38,880 Speaker 1: all friendlies and tournaments, including the World Cup. That was 528 00:33:38,920 --> 00:33:41,960 Speaker 1: the fundamental principle driving the players lawsuit and far more 529 00:33:42,000 --> 00:33:44,240 Speaker 1: than a lump sum of back pay could change the 530 00:33:44,280 --> 00:33:48,640 Speaker 1: financial playing field moving forward. Today is a huge day. 531 00:33:48,680 --> 00:33:51,320 Speaker 1: It's a win for everyone. It's a win for US Soccer, 532 00:33:51,440 --> 00:33:55,080 Speaker 1: the players, for women's sports, and for women in general. 533 00:33:55,920 --> 00:33:58,320 Speaker 1: Here Con was speaking to me and other reporters at 534 00:33:58,320 --> 00:34:01,440 Speaker 1: a press conference announcing the agreement. Now, I'll be the 535 00:34:01,480 --> 00:34:04,400 Speaker 1: first admit of the federation is main mistakes in the past, 536 00:34:04,560 --> 00:34:08,360 Speaker 1: and as a former player, I definitely understand the frustration 537 00:34:08,440 --> 00:34:11,200 Speaker 1: of being treated that way and of dealing with my predecessor. 538 00:34:11,880 --> 00:34:13,719 Speaker 1: But I'm very proud of the work that we've done 539 00:34:13,760 --> 00:34:16,360 Speaker 1: and continue to do on equal pay, and this is 540 00:34:16,440 --> 00:34:20,920 Speaker 1: just one step towards rebuilding our relationship with the women's team. 541 00:34:21,040 --> 00:34:24,120 Speaker 1: Just days after that settlement was announced, Cone was reelected 542 00:34:24,160 --> 00:34:26,480 Speaker 1: to a new four year term as president of US Soccer. 543 00:34:27,440 --> 00:34:30,520 Speaker 1: Almost three dozen women's national team players endorsed as a candidate, 544 00:34:31,040 --> 00:34:33,120 Speaker 1: and they clearly believe in our ability to next change 545 00:34:33,160 --> 00:34:36,120 Speaker 1: on behalf of the women's game. It was time, you know, 546 00:34:36,160 --> 00:34:40,120 Speaker 1: it's two and sadly it took this long, but you know, 547 00:34:40,239 --> 00:34:43,680 Speaker 1: we really did this for our future generation. And my 548 00:34:43,719 --> 00:34:46,319 Speaker 1: conversations with Jess, she was proud that this fight for 549 00:34:46,320 --> 00:34:49,319 Speaker 1: equality cannot be part of her legacy as well. You know, 550 00:34:49,400 --> 00:34:51,960 Speaker 1: the little girls who are going to be in our 551 00:34:51,960 --> 00:34:55,320 Speaker 1: shoes one day, we're going to be playing for our country. 552 00:34:55,719 --> 00:34:58,000 Speaker 1: We got to fight for that and pave the way 553 00:34:58,040 --> 00:35:00,920 Speaker 1: for them. This absolutely means the world to me and 554 00:35:00,960 --> 00:35:06,440 Speaker 1: I can't wait till everything is obviously shuttin stone. That, however, 555 00:35:07,120 --> 00:35:09,640 Speaker 1: is the other critical piece of this potential settlement that 556 00:35:09,680 --> 00:35:13,280 Speaker 1: hasn't gotten as much attention. The agreement between US Soccer 557 00:35:13,480 --> 00:35:15,920 Speaker 1: and the women's team is contingent upon the women's and 558 00:35:16,040 --> 00:35:19,279 Speaker 1: men's national teams agreeing to new collective bargaining agreements with 559 00:35:19,320 --> 00:35:23,600 Speaker 1: the federation. Among other things, those agreements will codify exactly 560 00:35:23,640 --> 00:35:25,719 Speaker 1: what the men's teams will have to give up so 561 00:35:25,800 --> 00:35:28,360 Speaker 1: that US Soccer can then distribute equal prize money to 562 00:35:28,400 --> 00:35:31,879 Speaker 1: the women, and as of recording this episode, those new 563 00:35:31,920 --> 00:35:37,400 Speaker 1: cbas haven't been ratified publicly. The remains widespread optimism from 564 00:35:37,440 --> 00:35:39,880 Speaker 1: both the women's teams, players and the Federation that it 565 00:35:39,920 --> 00:35:42,600 Speaker 1: will happen. But in the fight for equal pay in 566 00:35:42,640 --> 00:35:47,040 Speaker 1: American soccer, just in your teammates haven't actually won, at 567 00:35:47,120 --> 00:35:53,360 Speaker 1: least not just yet. Year number ten of the NWS 568 00:35:53,480 --> 00:35:56,000 Speaker 1: i'll be games tonight as Racing Louisville and the Kansas 569 00:35:56,040 --> 00:35:59,440 Speaker 1: City Current kick off the third annual Challenge Cup. By 570 00:35:59,480 --> 00:36:02,600 Speaker 1: early twenty twenty two, that settlement agreement meant the landscape 571 00:36:02,640 --> 00:36:06,319 Speaker 1: was shifting for the national team players. As for Jess 572 00:36:06,360 --> 00:36:09,880 Speaker 1: and her NWSL career, there was another shift coming as well, 573 00:36:10,080 --> 00:36:12,520 Speaker 1: and while this offseason was the shortest in league history, 574 00:36:12,719 --> 00:36:15,080 Speaker 1: it certainly was not short un player movement, as the 575 00:36:15,120 --> 00:36:17,400 Speaker 1: league's all time assist leader Jess McDonald made her way 576 00:36:17,440 --> 00:36:21,120 Speaker 1: to Louisville before the start of this NWSL season. Jess 577 00:36:21,160 --> 00:36:23,880 Speaker 1: was traded by the North Carolina Courage to Racing Louisville 578 00:36:24,160 --> 00:36:27,120 Speaker 1: for the sixth overall pick in the league's draft. That 579 00:36:27,239 --> 00:36:30,200 Speaker 1: made Jess a Trailblazer yet again. Racing is now her 580 00:36:30,200 --> 00:36:33,320 Speaker 1: seventh different nws L team, the most for any player 581 00:36:33,560 --> 00:36:37,680 Speaker 1: in league history. In Jessic final year with the Courage, 582 00:36:38,080 --> 00:36:41,319 Speaker 1: she told me she was paid around forty two dollars 583 00:36:41,320 --> 00:36:44,040 Speaker 1: this season in Louisville. She said she'll make about seventy 584 00:36:45,360 --> 00:36:47,840 Speaker 1: as part of her contract. That base pay will increase 585 00:36:47,920 --> 00:36:51,520 Speaker 1: next year. Ze guys are three down the middle with 586 00:36:51,640 --> 00:36:55,560 Speaker 1: some space and some help Already this season Louisville seems 587 00:36:55,560 --> 00:36:58,440 Speaker 1: to be getting what they paid for. Here's McDonald in 588 00:36:58,480 --> 00:37:03,880 Speaker 1: their first match back. The Kaiser racing Loball strikes first. 589 00:37:04,560 --> 00:37:07,879 Speaker 1: In their second match, Now the shot, Oh the goal. 590 00:37:08,520 --> 00:37:13,680 Speaker 1: Jess McDonald their first Racing louis Ball. In their fourth match, 591 00:37:14,360 --> 00:37:18,719 Speaker 1: McDonald turns the corner, stop Den racing louill along the 592 00:37:18,800 --> 00:37:23,760 Speaker 1: road opens the scoring. That kind of movement between nws 593 00:37:23,840 --> 00:37:26,560 Speaker 1: L teams for veterans like Jess could soon become far 594 00:37:26,640 --> 00:37:31,680 Speaker 1: more common. Recently, the nws L Players Association ratified their 595 00:37:31,680 --> 00:37:35,200 Speaker 1: first ever collective bargaining agreement with the league. The mission 596 00:37:35,239 --> 00:37:38,000 Speaker 1: of this c b A has been to turn the 597 00:37:38,000 --> 00:37:41,760 Speaker 1: tide from going backwards. We met Megan Burke in earlier episodes. 598 00:37:42,520 --> 00:37:44,640 Speaker 1: She was part of the first two failed women's professional 599 00:37:44,680 --> 00:37:48,080 Speaker 1: soccer leagues and has ultimately become the executive director of 600 00:37:48,120 --> 00:37:52,480 Speaker 1: that nws L Players Association. Burke was instrumental in negotiating 601 00:37:52,480 --> 00:37:55,120 Speaker 1: that cb A. You know, while the US women have 602 00:37:55,239 --> 00:37:58,160 Speaker 1: won four World Cup and have rightly fought for equal pay, 603 00:37:58,239 --> 00:38:01,319 Speaker 1: there's still this huge gap, you know, with the rest 604 00:38:01,360 --> 00:38:03,840 Speaker 1: of the player pool and in our domestic professional league. 605 00:38:04,280 --> 00:38:06,120 Speaker 1: This is the year that we turned the tide and 606 00:38:06,160 --> 00:38:09,400 Speaker 1: we start moving forward into the future. We improve standards, 607 00:38:09,440 --> 00:38:12,880 Speaker 1: we increase the minimum, We make this experience a truly 608 00:38:12,920 --> 00:38:15,200 Speaker 1: professional experience that is worthy of the players in it. 609 00:38:15,960 --> 00:38:18,560 Speaker 1: As part of that cb A, the dbsell players will 610 00:38:18,600 --> 00:38:23,000 Speaker 1: see increased minimum salaries from two dollars last year to 611 00:38:23,040 --> 00:38:26,759 Speaker 1: thirty five thousand dollars this year. Players are also guaranteed 612 00:38:26,760 --> 00:38:30,360 Speaker 1: free agency, eight weeks of parental leave, and the legal 613 00:38:30,400 --> 00:38:34,520 Speaker 1: institute a host of increased player safety measures. Top priorities 614 00:38:34,600 --> 00:38:37,799 Speaker 1: player health and safety. Without a question, I think we 615 00:38:37,840 --> 00:38:40,680 Speaker 1: now understand what we really mean by player health and 616 00:38:40,680 --> 00:38:44,160 Speaker 1: safety and how deep that goes, and I frankly think 617 00:38:44,239 --> 00:38:47,200 Speaker 1: it's not something we should have to negotiate over. We 618 00:38:47,200 --> 00:38:50,360 Speaker 1: would contend that the structural power and balance in a 619 00:38:50,440 --> 00:38:54,120 Speaker 1: cell is partly what leads us to the stories you hear. 620 00:38:54,600 --> 00:38:57,720 Speaker 1: When I say fair contracts, I'm specifically meaning the ability 621 00:38:57,760 --> 00:39:00,759 Speaker 1: of a player to have some agents see over her 622 00:39:00,800 --> 00:39:03,799 Speaker 1: in Altonomey, over her career, for her rights to not 623 00:39:03,920 --> 00:39:05,800 Speaker 1: be held hostage by a club, for her to be 624 00:39:05,840 --> 00:39:08,040 Speaker 1: able to get out of a situation if she's unhappy, 625 00:39:08,160 --> 00:39:12,560 Speaker 1: or and say, Jess told me that the allegations involving 626 00:39:12,560 --> 00:39:16,000 Speaker 1: her former coach Paul Riley, didn't especially factor into her 627 00:39:16,040 --> 00:39:20,080 Speaker 1: wanting to leave the Courage. At the same time, memories 628 00:39:20,120 --> 00:39:22,279 Speaker 1: of her time playing for him in Portland, a key 629 00:39:22,320 --> 00:39:24,640 Speaker 1: location where Riley's a legend misus conduct was said to 630 00:39:24,680 --> 00:39:27,879 Speaker 1: have occurred. I've clearly stuck with her, and I can't 631 00:39:27,880 --> 00:39:30,080 Speaker 1: imagine the chance for a fresh start hurt anything. Now. 632 00:39:30,880 --> 00:39:33,400 Speaker 1: Of course, I witnessed, you know, a lot of the 633 00:39:33,480 --> 00:39:37,320 Speaker 1: verbal abuse. I knew better. I knew I should have 634 00:39:37,320 --> 00:39:42,279 Speaker 1: spoken up for some teammates, and I didn't. And I 635 00:39:42,320 --> 00:39:45,120 Speaker 1: feel really bad because I feel responsible for it almost, 636 00:39:45,360 --> 00:39:47,719 Speaker 1: you know, just being there and not saying anything or 637 00:39:47,760 --> 00:39:50,720 Speaker 1: doing anything. And as female athletes, we do have voices, 638 00:39:51,000 --> 00:39:54,920 Speaker 1: you know, we do have platforms. We do have the 639 00:39:55,000 --> 00:39:58,880 Speaker 1: fight within us nowadays, and so it's nice to see 640 00:39:59,160 --> 00:40:02,960 Speaker 1: people kind of speak ing up and speaking about their experiences. Now. 641 00:40:03,640 --> 00:40:05,920 Speaker 1: This is where that bravery is going to come from, 642 00:40:06,040 --> 00:40:09,239 Speaker 1: for our youth girls who were going to climb up 643 00:40:09,280 --> 00:40:12,239 Speaker 1: the ladder into the pros or into college and knowing 644 00:40:12,280 --> 00:40:14,880 Speaker 1: that these things aren't okay and it's okay to speak 645 00:40:14,960 --> 00:40:21,400 Speaker 1: up now. Back in Arizona, Jess's grandmother, Abby McDonald, her 646 00:40:21,440 --> 00:40:24,480 Speaker 1: aunt and uncle Laurie and Kevin McDonald and the rest 647 00:40:24,520 --> 00:40:27,200 Speaker 1: of her extended family still watch every one of Jesse's 648 00:40:27,239 --> 00:40:30,880 Speaker 1: games that they can. Just told me her relationships with 649 00:40:30,920 --> 00:40:34,200 Speaker 1: her parents are more of a work in progress. There 650 00:40:34,239 --> 00:40:36,879 Speaker 1: are emotional wounds from our difficult upbringing that may never 651 00:40:36,920 --> 00:40:40,120 Speaker 1: fully heal. But Jess also believes that so much of 652 00:40:40,120 --> 00:40:43,319 Speaker 1: her athletic success is a product of her family. That's 653 00:40:43,360 --> 00:40:47,680 Speaker 1: true genetically and in other ways. Without my journey that 654 00:40:47,760 --> 00:40:50,120 Speaker 1: I had growing up. Anyway, I probably go to be 655 00:40:50,120 --> 00:40:53,360 Speaker 1: where I am today because I got to use, you know, 656 00:40:53,400 --> 00:40:55,720 Speaker 1: all the adversity that I've gone through throughout my life 657 00:40:55,840 --> 00:40:59,080 Speaker 1: and use sport as a coping mechanism with all of that. 658 00:40:59,800 --> 00:41:01,480 Speaker 1: You know, it's not like a grudge I'm going to 659 00:41:01,560 --> 00:41:04,200 Speaker 1: hold against my parents, But it took me, like through 660 00:41:04,280 --> 00:41:07,680 Speaker 1: my adulthood to accept the fact that that's just how 661 00:41:07,719 --> 00:41:11,839 Speaker 1: it was and how it is and it's my mom. 662 00:41:11,960 --> 00:41:15,120 Speaker 1: It's still probably going to linger in the back of 663 00:41:15,160 --> 00:41:19,239 Speaker 1: my mind, of course, I wish it was better between us, 664 00:41:19,920 --> 00:41:23,520 Speaker 1: But I've gotten close with my dad in my adult life. 665 00:41:23,760 --> 00:41:26,239 Speaker 1: It's been kind of amazing getting to know him nowadays. 666 00:41:26,280 --> 00:41:28,520 Speaker 1: He's been helping me out with my son a lot lately, 667 00:41:29,280 --> 00:41:32,279 Speaker 1: and it's just been amazing seeing Jeremiah just develop a 668 00:41:32,320 --> 00:41:38,440 Speaker 1: relationship with him too. For better and worse, those figures 669 00:41:38,440 --> 00:41:42,080 Speaker 1: molded just as past. Okay, so as I mean, where 670 00:41:42,120 --> 00:41:46,920 Speaker 1: do lif gone? But it's clear the person who guides 671 00:41:46,920 --> 00:41:51,200 Speaker 1: her future will be her son, Jeremiah. Okay, so we're 672 00:41:51,239 --> 00:41:59,040 Speaker 1: starting a constant source of joy, sacrifice, motivation and inspiration. 673 00:41:59,760 --> 00:42:06,000 Speaker 1: I to your hand, just told me that's so far 674 00:42:06,000 --> 00:42:10,160 Speaker 1: in Louisville. Jeremiah is doing just fine. We're excited to 675 00:42:10,160 --> 00:42:13,160 Speaker 1: be here. Jeremie loves his new school. He's made new 676 00:42:13,239 --> 00:42:16,279 Speaker 1: friends pretty quickly. He came home his first day of 677 00:42:16,360 --> 00:42:18,520 Speaker 1: school and had a bracelet on him, Like, who is 678 00:42:18,520 --> 00:42:21,040 Speaker 1: that from? Now? Having coming up to your school finding 679 00:42:21,040 --> 00:42:24,640 Speaker 1: a little girl. I'm just kidding, but he has a girlfriend. 680 00:42:24,719 --> 00:42:27,200 Speaker 1: And I know. I'm like, oh my gosh, you already 681 00:42:27,320 --> 00:42:32,879 Speaker 1: meeting girls. My goodness, kids a little charmer. Jess told 682 00:42:32,920 --> 00:42:34,440 Speaker 1: me she knows she's at the tail end of her 683 00:42:34,440 --> 00:42:37,200 Speaker 1: playing career. It's possible her time with the U S 684 00:42:37,280 --> 00:42:40,919 Speaker 1: national team is already done. And so gradually the woman 685 00:42:40,960 --> 00:42:43,759 Speaker 1: who has been a star athlete and a mom is 686 00:42:43,800 --> 00:42:46,759 Speaker 1: considering what our identity will be beyond the game. I 687 00:42:46,800 --> 00:42:50,480 Speaker 1: started public speaking, kind of dabbling into different things, seeing 688 00:42:50,560 --> 00:42:51,960 Speaker 1: you know what I was good at, what I liked, 689 00:42:52,000 --> 00:42:55,160 Speaker 1: and public speaking was one of the things I enjoyed doing, 690 00:42:55,360 --> 00:42:59,160 Speaker 1: and so I got better and better over time. Just 691 00:42:59,360 --> 00:43:01,400 Speaker 1: as long been a to speak to high school assemblies 692 00:43:01,520 --> 00:43:05,040 Speaker 1: and children's groups about soccer. She's a high school champion, 693 00:43:05,480 --> 00:43:11,319 Speaker 1: college champion, pro champion, World Cup champion. But somehow the 694 00:43:11,320 --> 00:43:13,839 Speaker 1: more trophies she's at it, the less jess told me 695 00:43:13,880 --> 00:43:16,360 Speaker 1: she felt like they were the important part of her story. 696 00:43:16,920 --> 00:43:20,840 Speaker 1: I realized the only thing I had talked about was 697 00:43:21,000 --> 00:43:24,800 Speaker 1: literally my sports journey and never giving them who is 698 00:43:24,920 --> 00:43:28,560 Speaker 1: Jessica McDonald. I hadn't done that, and the first time 699 00:43:28,600 --> 00:43:32,160 Speaker 1: I did it was speaking in front of a rotary club. 700 00:43:33,080 --> 00:43:37,680 Speaker 1: But mind you, rotary clubs are all rich, retired people. 701 00:43:38,239 --> 00:43:39,799 Speaker 1: You know what am I going to tell people who 702 00:43:39,840 --> 00:43:43,480 Speaker 1: were three times my age, who have already succeeded. So 703 00:43:43,520 --> 00:43:45,840 Speaker 1: I was like, you know what, screw it, I'm going 704 00:43:45,920 --> 00:43:50,560 Speaker 1: to give them my story, my why, my purpose and man, Alex, 705 00:43:50,600 --> 00:43:54,840 Speaker 1: I was sweating my ass off epeak like I like 706 00:43:55,000 --> 00:43:57,520 Speaker 1: holding the mic in my hand, like I don't think 707 00:43:57,520 --> 00:43:59,800 Speaker 1: I've ever shook you know, in front of an audience 708 00:43:59,800 --> 00:44:02,120 Speaker 1: of her, you know, speaking about it. I'm pretty comfortable 709 00:44:02,120 --> 00:44:05,000 Speaker 1: speaking in front of people, and so kind of gave 710 00:44:05,080 --> 00:44:09,719 Speaker 1: them the rundown of my childhood, me running away in 711 00:44:09,800 --> 00:44:13,640 Speaker 1: high school, junior college, you and see kind of skipped 712 00:44:13,680 --> 00:44:16,520 Speaker 1: the pro part like okay, yeah, I'm a pro. And 713 00:44:17,080 --> 00:44:20,560 Speaker 1: I had this massive line of people after this speech 714 00:44:21,200 --> 00:44:24,839 Speaker 1: thanking me for telling my story because of how much 715 00:44:24,880 --> 00:44:28,360 Speaker 1: they related to me. You know, one man, multi millionaire, 716 00:44:28,440 --> 00:44:31,000 Speaker 1: He's like, my mom was an alcoholic. She left us 717 00:44:31,040 --> 00:44:33,760 Speaker 1: at home for days at a time. You know, another 718 00:44:33,800 --> 00:44:36,279 Speaker 1: story and another story. You know, people coming up to me, 719 00:44:36,320 --> 00:44:39,160 Speaker 1: and I'm like literally on the verge of crying pretty much, 720 00:44:39,160 --> 00:44:41,840 Speaker 1: and I'm like, oh my gosh, people related to my 721 00:44:41,960 --> 00:44:44,560 Speaker 1: story outside of sports, like not everyone is an athlete. 722 00:44:45,480 --> 00:44:48,520 Speaker 1: Hearing just talk about the way people connect with her story. 723 00:44:48,800 --> 00:44:51,200 Speaker 1: I thought back to a moment in her home. I 724 00:44:51,280 --> 00:44:54,480 Speaker 1: was speaking with Jeremiah and he seemed to capture it all. 725 00:44:55,920 --> 00:44:58,720 Speaker 1: What has that been like to watch your mom play 726 00:44:58,800 --> 00:45:02,919 Speaker 1: on the weekends, her games. I felt like she's won 727 00:45:02,960 --> 00:45:07,440 Speaker 1: a lot of games and now she's becoming a legend. Well, 728 00:45:07,520 --> 00:45:11,520 Speaker 1: would you say she's becoming a legend? Because the whole 729 00:45:11,560 --> 00:45:16,520 Speaker 1: world thinks she's that important. What Oh my gosh, kid, 730 00:45:17,800 --> 00:45:25,640 Speaker 1: I'm gonna cry round him. I'm Alexandreev. This has been 731 00:45:25,680 --> 00:45:29,920 Speaker 1: long shot season two Payback. It's a production of The 732 00:45:29,960 --> 00:45:33,880 Speaker 1: Charlotte Observer, The News and Observer, McClatchy Studios, and I 733 00:45:33,960 --> 00:45:38,480 Speaker 1: Heeart Radio. Payback was produced by Cotta Stevens, Casey Toth, 734 00:45:38,920 --> 00:45:43,040 Speaker 1: Julia Wall, and Davin Coburn. The executive producer for iHeart 735 00:45:43,120 --> 00:45:46,279 Speaker 1: Radio is Sean ty Toone. Rain of Cash is the 736 00:45:46,280 --> 00:45:50,000 Speaker 1: executive editor of The Charlotte Observer, Bill Church is the 737 00:45:50,000 --> 00:45:53,160 Speaker 1: executive editor of the News and Observer, and Cynthia de 738 00:45:53,239 --> 00:45:56,440 Speaker 1: Bow's is mcclatchy's vice president of Audience Growth and Content. 739 00:45:58,160 --> 00:46:03,320 Speaker 1: Special thanks to Matt Stevens, Scott Sharp, Gabby McCall, Eddie Alfarez, 740 00:46:03,880 --> 00:46:09,399 Speaker 1: j Pillgreen, Kyle Dorsey, Travis Long, Anna Latis So, Hail 741 00:46:09,440 --> 00:46:13,720 Speaker 1: Al Jamia, and David Wasserman and Kurt Garn at iHeart Radio. 742 00:46:14,800 --> 00:46:17,240 Speaker 1: For lots more on the story and to sport journalism 743 00:46:17,360 --> 00:46:21,799 Speaker 1: like this, visit Charlotte Observer dot com slash payback or 744 00:46:21,880 --> 00:46:26,000 Speaker 1: News Observer dot com slash Payback and for more podcasts 745 00:46:26,040 --> 00:46:30,200 Speaker 1: from my heart Radio, visit the iHeart Radio app, Apple podcasts, 746 00:46:30,719 --> 00:46:32,360 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.