Daily Issue

The Women's World Cup kicks off Friday in France, and the 24-team field for the tournament is the "deepest and most talented ever," according to Kevin Baxter of the L.A. TIMES. An event "long dominated by a small number of well-supported elites ... is now wide open" and "one big reason is money." Corporate sponsors, national federations and individual clubs have "spent heavily in the women's game, expanding domestic leagues and investing in training facilities and grassroots programs." At the same time, women's soccer has "gained unprecedented recognition." The size of corporate investments that have "poured into the women's game often amount to a rounding error compared to what is spent on the men's side, but for a sport that has long been starved for resources, a tiny amount can make a big difference." The investment in the women's game "shows little sign of slowing." FIFA said that the global audience for this summer's tournament "could top one billion for the first time, which has advertisers rushing to cash in." However, not everything has "gone perfectly." The USWNT " <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2019/03/08/Leagues-and-Governing-Bodies/USWNT.aspx" target="_blank">sued U.S. Soccer</a> twice in the last three years charging gender discrimination in pay and working conditions," while Nigeria's players "staged a sit-in at their hotel over unpaid salaries and bonuses" after winning the '16 African Women's Cup of Nations. The challenge now will be to "manage the unprecedented growth of the women's game while also maximizing opportunities to close the gender equality gap" ( <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.latimes.com/sports/soccer/la-sp-women-world-cup-soccer-worldwide-growth-20190603-story.html" target="_blank">L.A. TIMES, 6/5</a> ).