KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Thursday marks the 50th anniversary of Title IX, a federal civil rights law that protects people from discrimination based on sex in education programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance.
The National Women's Soccer League is in its 10th season. Commissioner Jessica Berman says the league continues to take off with teams like the KC Current setting standards for women's sports.
Just this week, KC Current unveiled its new state-of-the-art training facility. Berman believes the investments the Current owners — Angie Long, Chris Long and Brittany Mahomes — have made in the team are an example of how all investors should be funding female sports.
"People are talking about Kansas City because the Longs have really invested in this team, the way all investors should be investing in any business that they see growth opportunity," Berman said.
Earlier this year, the United States Soccer Federation agreed to a collective bargaining agreement to achieve equal pay within the sport. Berman says her league agreed to a similar agreement which further opens the doors for athletes within the NWSL.
"The NWSL recently signed a collective bargaining agreement that's really a first opportunity for the league to have a contract that sets the terms and conditions of employment for all players for the next five years," Berman said. "The owners are investing an incremental $100 million in player compensation, and so between that and U.S. Soccer's recent settlement, not just to establish equal pay but on a go-forward basis, the players on the U.S. Women's National Team, whether they're playing for their country or their clubs in the NWSL, they can expect to receive the compensation they deserve."
