Judge deals blow to U.S. women's soccer team's equal pay suit

An equal-pay lawsuit brought by the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team received a major blow on Friday after a judge ruled that a history of salary negotiations indicated that the suit itself was without much merit. 

The lawsuit, filed last March against the United States Soccer Federation, alleged that the men's national team was paid more than the women's. The plaintiffs argued that the federation had violated both the Equal Pay Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. 

The federation had pointed out that the women's team has actually been paid more than the men's team overall, though the plaintiffs claimed that was simply because they had played more games. 

The judge, R. Gary Klausner, disputed that assertion, also pointing out that the team's history of collective bargaining negotiations suggests they themselves willingly chose the rate of pay which they are now arguing against.

The women’s team, Kaluser wrote, “rejected an offer to be paid under the same pay-to-play structure” as the men’s team, choosing instead to “forgo higher bonuses for other benefits, such as greater base compensation and the guarantee of a higher number of contracted players.” 

The men's and women's teams "bargained for different agreements which reflect different preferences,” with the women’s team “explicitly reject[ing] the terms they now seek to retroactively impose on themselves,” Klausner added.

The trial will now move forward significantly narrowed in scope, though the women's team can appeal the decision, and a spokeswoman for the team has vowed that they will do so.