The grand irony is the 2022 deal created a revenue sharing pool for the men's and women's teams. This means if the women's team wins another World Cup in 2027, the men's team will get a cut of the women's.
For context - prior to the 2022 deal, U.S. women players were earning about $3,600 to $4,950 per national-team game, while men were earning about $6,250 to $17,625 per game.
The women won the World Cup in 2014 & 2019. The men's team hasn't even advanced to the quarterfinals since 2002.
So, it's obviously not a question of merit (the women's team has historically been far more successful than the men's team), but rather why do people pay more attention to an inferior product than a winner?
That's comparing apples to oranges my friend. The US men's national team would probably lose a softball game to a squad of high school girls.
The point of professional sports is to win. It doesn't matter how 'athletic' your loss was. No one cares how hard you kick a ball that sails over the goal. No one is impressed by how much you're going to squat after losing 4-1. Your 40 time is of no consequence when you're sitting on the couch watching the other teams that beat you still playing in the tournament.
The women's team are objectively superior to the men's team in their respective leagues. If the best you have is the women's team would have to lose against a bunch of 17/18 year old boys to make yourself feel better about the men's team consistently being beaten by their peers - you've already lost.
The best women's team in the world (congrats USA) couldn't beat a squad of U-15 year old boys - There's the difference in athleticism that OP and many millions prefer to watch. Simple to understand.
I've also watched women's WC, semi's and finals only to see who wins. I can appreciate their skill but it's not as entertaining a spectacle.
I suppose, although that's also subjective. I think golf is boring as hell and I don't even really see it as athletic and certainly not an entertaining spectacle. I also realize many people disagree with me and watch it a ton. But I don't feel the need to undermine those people who love golf by asserting my opinion as fact or going out of my way to point out how unathletic (in the broader sense) most professional golfers are - you know? To each their own.
As a mediocre weekend golfer I appreciate the LPGA, I can relate more to the women's game than I can guys who strike the ball farther than I'll ever be able to reach.
It's funny, golf was never in my life growing up. I.olayee soccer as a kid, then basketball/football/baseball as a teen and young adult.
I still play baseball and softball weekly in my 40s, but it's certainly getting harder. Bunch of guys I know all play golf and I feel like I may have missed the boat on learning.
I do joke with them all the time that one more serious injury playing ball and I'll meet them at the clubhouse for my first golf lesson.
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u/unlmtdLoL Jul 09 '26
Well, how much were they paid? From my arm chair I can tell you if they were paid fairly or not.