How much money do the ladies make

Discussion in 'USA Women: News and Analysis' started by Crazyhorse, Jun 21, 2008.

  1. Crazyhorse

    Crazyhorse Member

    Dec 29, 2007
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    on the national team?
     
  2. GIRLS CAN PLAY

    GIRLS CAN PLAY New Member

    Dec 12, 2005
    Raleigh
  3. luvdagame

    luvdagame Member+

    Jul 6, 2000
    a scholarship.
     
  4. leviathan

    leviathan Member

    Mar 5, 2008
    cheap seats
    Club:
    --other--
    Right, a scholarship from their college, but how much (if any) compensation can they get from the Fed? I would assume that Lauren Cheney, Tobin Heath, and Amy Rodriguez cannot receive professional pay and still suit up for their college teams. Is this assumption true? If they indeed can't accept pay, are they still eligible to receive housing stipends and moving subsidies?
     
  5. luvdagame

    luvdagame Member+

    Jul 6, 2000
    oops. that's obviously the question being asked.

    i think you're right. the moment they accept any compensation, monetarily or otherwise, they'll lose their college eligibility.

    i would not be surprised if one or more of them choose to take the $$ now that they have made the team. especially since they most likely will be almost automatic choices for the new wps teams right after the olympics.

    it probably depends on whether the pittance the wps will be paying is more than the scholarship they are getting.
     
  6. cpthomas

    cpthomas BigSoccer Supporter

    Portland Thorns
    United States
    Jan 10, 2008
    Portland, Oregon
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Since not everyone is looking at the early entries on this thread, here is the information about the compensation structure for the team (excluding the college players who want to keep playing college soccer). The information is from an article for which there is a link near the beginning of this thread. The compensation structure appears to first have been in place for 2006, so the annual escalation factor appears to have applied starting with 2007. The agreement apparently runs through the upcoming Olympics as well as the 2011 World Cup and the 2012 Olympics.

    "The highlights of the women's agreement, according to a U.S. Soccer spokesman:

    "* A minimum of 14 players with earn a base salary $70,000 a year. A minimum of six players will make $50,000 a year and up to four more will earn $30,000.

    "* Players will get $50,000 apiece for finishing first or earning a gold medal in either the WWC or Olympics, $20,000 for second place or a silver medal and $10,000 for a bronze medal.

    "* If the U.S. wins the WWC or in the Olympics, they will have a 10-game victory or celebration tour in which the 20 players will split $1.2 million ($60,000 per player). If the U.S. finishes second, three games will be played for a total of $3,600 per player. If the Americans take third, a three-game tour will follow, which each performer getting $3,333.

    "* Each player will receive $10,000 for qualifying for either tournament and another $10,000 if they make the roster.

    "* Players will make $1,000 per win for all non-World Cup and Olympic games

    "* Depending on the team’s performance, there will be a minimum increase of 20 percent a year or a maximum hike of 27 percent.

    "* There will be a residency camp every year for the next three years. The camp will not exceed six total months.

    "* There also will be a housing allowance and stipend for moving expenses.

    "* If the Women's United Soccer Association returns or a Division I caliber league is launched during the course of the contract, U.S. Soccer would pay a reduced fulltime salary."

    I haven't done the math, but according to the article, a player could earn as much as $200,000 in a World Cup or Olympic year.
     
  7. RUfan

    RUfan Member

    Dec 11, 2004
    NJ
    Club:
    Sky Blue FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Does anyone know the US Soccer policy for players wanting to leave college early? No player as far I know has left early to go pro at least for the US. If the policy is not to sign early, could a player challenge in court such a rule? And what would be new pro league’s policy be?
     
  8. yellowdog

    yellowdog New Member

    Jun 3, 2008
    I'm fairly certain that Abby Wambach left college early to join the WUSA. She did her 4 seasons of soccer but didn't actually finish Spring semester and graduate on time. I think she graduated later. I remember at the time her saying something to the effect of "who knows how long this opportunity will be around..." or something like that.

    Incidentally, she was the highest drafted Gator ever for any sport, men or women. :)
     
  9. Bonnie Lass

    Bonnie Lass Moderator
    Staff Member

    Lyon
    Norway
    Oct 20, 2000
    Up top
    Club:
    Olympique Lyonnais
    I think it will be up to the players whether to skip out on college eligibility and go pro. I really don't see the league having any say over what players choose to do with their college careers.
     
  10. suncraver03

    suncraver03 New Member

    Oct 3, 2003
    Club:
    Chicago Red Stars
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Leaving college without graduating after fulfilling your eligibility is not "leaving college early". I think what the poster meant was leaving while a player still had eligibility left. These women know the facts: they will have to get a real job someday so they are going to get their education. It might be harder to resist in a year like this, because the next big competition is (after this year) is three years away, so those $10,000 paydays for making a team will be quite away off. With the league just a year away, there might be more of an incentive to leave early, also.

    There was nothing in that article about maternity leave. The players get 50% of whatever they were making when they took it. I'm not sure how long of a time they are paid for leave, but that's another peice of the puzzle.
     
  11. kool-aide

    kool-aide Member+

    Feb 1, 2002
    a van by the river
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I would be VERY surprised if any of the players w/ college eligibility chose to forgo it for the WPS. Regardless of the wage structure for the WPS, NCAA soccer is still tops for women in the US. The league hasn't started, the money isn't guaranteed, and for their entire playing careers NCAA play has been their goal. The question in my mind is whether players redshirt or not.

    Well, the WNBA, the NBA, the NFL, and MLB all have rules regarding leaving (or not) school early (or age requirements). I can see the WPS doing something similar.
     
  12. luvdagame

    luvdagame Member+

    Jul 6, 2000
    it's just a different way of "leaving college early", but it counts. i know the last few posts are focusing on just the athletic scholarship part of it.

    that's because there hasn't been a viable pro league around. a poor student might be tempted now that the league is about to start up again. the wage structure does have a lot to do with it. and as the league gets established, ncaa soccer will lose some of its appeal.
     
  13. kool-aide

    kool-aide Member+

    Feb 1, 2002
    a van by the river
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I think league viability of the sort that "lures" elite women's college soccer players into leaving school early is far, far off. The WUSA, with what we all assume had higher salaries than the WPS will, did not see players leaving school w/ eligibility left.

    Again, much like the WNBA (and other men's leagues), I think WPS will have (or should have) rules regarding athletes' eligibility (age/college eligibility). We won't know either way for a while, though.
     
  14. htide

    htide Member

    Jul 28, 2007
    I think what people forget is there is also a much stronger drive for women to stay in school and get a degree. The men can take that risk in most professional sports because the pay out is so high. There is a pressure to leave because by staying they risk injury in college which could prevent them from getting that financial windfall from a professional career. Even with decent salaries I do not think there is the same "payoff" for women to drop out their junior or senior year. I just do not see many players being willing to do that.
     
  15. RUfan

    RUfan Member

    Dec 11, 2004
    NJ
    Club:
    Sky Blue FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Got an answer to my question from a player’s parent (not one of the college)- the US Soccer does not sign players with college eligibility left.
     
  16. luvdagame

    luvdagame Member+

    Jul 6, 2000
    a player with college eligibility left wouldn't want to sign with ussoccer. not enough money.
     
  17. pasoccerdad

    pasoccerdad Member

    Mar 17, 2008
    KOP
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    College players can be compensated with Housing, Food and travel expences... It is not oncommon for a player to get more money than is needed for such things. for example if a player does an appearance or camp for a team, they can get paid for travel and given 25 dollars for lunch, spending less than 10 on lunch and pocketing the remaining. It is not much more than pocket money but that is how NCAA rules can be bent.
     
  18. StarCityFan

    StarCityFan BigSoccer Supporter

    Aug 2, 2001
    Greenbelt, MD
    Club:
    Washington Freedom
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The WUSA had similar rules.
     
  19. gkeck

    gkeck Member

    Apr 5, 2002
    Southern California
    wowsers...we have come a long way. When the WNT was formed in 1985, they got $10 a day, a free pair of shoes, wore 2nd hand uniforms, the men's practive uniforms that did not match, had to sew the letters USA on their shirts the night beofre they left....
     
  20. ironduke2010

    ironduke2010 Member

    Mar 18, 2005
    A2, MI USA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    it seems like there is an increasing (but still tiny) number of male american soccer players willing to bypass college for the cutthroat overseas market, probably because if they manage to make it there, there is a payout that's got a good chance of being better than entry level mls.

    how much earning potential is there in the various women's leagues around the world? and do they even have the development programs (and contracts) that men's teams have?

    come to think of it, it seems like training quality may be another reason for women to stay in the college game.
     

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