Perhaps the big storylines surrounding the U.S. Women’s National Team in recent years has been their fight for equality and equal pay. After a string of impressive performances in France that yielded U.S. Soccer its second consecutive FIFA Women’s World Cup trophy, the U.S. women have gained the backing of Proctor & Gamble in their fight for equal pay.
Proctor & Gamble, partners of U.S. Soccer for less than two years, has vocalized their support and are urging the Federation to “be on the right side of history.” P&G’s announcement comes following a full-page ad in the Sunday edition of The New York Times.
Support in action
Beyond announcing support for the fight for equal pay, how does P&G’s support become a tangible and measurable action? According to P&G, they are also making a donation of $529,000 to the players’ association. Why that amount? In a symbolic gesture, the company said it will donate $23,000 for each of the 23 members of the FIFA Women’s World Cup winning roster.
We’re taking action to help close the @USWNT gender pay gap by giving $529K ($23k x 23 players) to the @USWNTPlayers. #WeSeeEqual #EqualPay #PayThem #USWNT #USWNTPA #DontSweatFairPay #ASNS pic.twitter.com/g9Mf5zOtgb
— Secret Deodorant (@SecretDeodorant) July 14, 2019
All aboard
In today’s polarizing world, brands are beginning to take public stances on certain political movements. As a result, brands like Luna Bar are taking sides in things like the fight for equal pay in soccer. Additionally, Visa, announced a five-year sponsorship that requires at least half of it investment be directed towards the U.S. women and other women’s programming.
P&G joins the fight and becomes the first of U.S. Soccer’s official partners to openly side with the U.S. women. With mediation between the two sides on the horizon, does P&G and a growing list of brands who have taken similar stances put pressure on U.S. Soccer? We’ll find out soon enough.
Categories: Sponsorship, U.S. Soccer, Women's World Cup