Just create separate federations for the women and men. Separate tv contracts, separate operations, separate jersey sponsors. Done. Nothing for the women to whine about.
The basic problem seems to be that while the players think they're worth one amount, the market (NWSL) won't or can't pay that amount. So the Fed is expected to pay what the market won't pay for some perceived greater good. This is tail-wagging-dog logic. Club football pays you, period, and NT ball is just a side thing.
(1) virginia slims, who wanted cigarettes to be associated with healthy/fit women, and (2) an early cbs contract helped significantly, i think, and (3) i think billie jean was reasonably sure that the women could draw crowds for their regular tournaments. these world class soccer players, unfortunately, don’t have any of those 3 things for weekly woso. it’s gonna be tough.
If your saying the women can't find a sponsor or sponsors to pony up for their league, that says a lot about who should be paid what. If you're saying that there is no network that wants to pay any money to broadcast NWSL matches, that says a lot about who should be paid what. (I say this as a guy who has watched several NWSL matches on youtube). Granted, BJK was/is a cultural icon. The fact that after getting a ton of publicity for 20 years, there is no one that approaches BJK's stature ...... says a lot. But, the women disagree with you. The women say that they are subsidizing the men. If they feel that strongly about it, let there be 2 Feds. Or, at least 2 separate divisions w/in the Fed. They should put their money where their mouth is. They should be demanding a separate Fed.
Tennis is far more of a niche sport compared to the economic juggernaut that is soccer, but it's an interesting example where the Women athletes mostly earn the same amount of money as their male counterparts. The only major differences occur at the top end of the spectrum. https://www.tennisworldusa.org/tenn...ey-graphics-show-the-differences-between-pay/ Female athletes have the LPGA too, another highly-successful, niche sport. But in this case the PGA far and away out-earns the LPGA. https://www.golfmagic.com/golf-news/pga-tour-v-lpga-tour-crunching-stats-behind-golf-gender-pay-gap I would bet a lot of money that a split of the federations would result in a situation that is more akin to the PGA/LPGA than it is the WTA/ATP.
So be it. Then we'd quit hearing the women griping about subsidizing the men and Carli would get the requisite belly laugh when demanding to be paid like Messi. Bottom line, the women say they bring in more money. Let them have all the money they earn.
If you read between the lines a bit, you'd see that we're in agreement. Very few mainstream Women's sports succeed up against male competition. Basketball, softball, hockey, etc.