Australia is quickly becoming a more progressive country after years of extreme conservatism. One proof of concept for their progressive growth is the fact that the Australian Women’s National Football Team will now make the same paygrade as their male counterparts. These women will also be eligible to receive an equal split for commercial revenues. This comes after the Australian National Football League signed a new deal with these women. Historically, it’s been reported multiple times that the Australian Men’s National Football Team has earned significantly higher sums of money than female players. Before this deal, women weren’t allowed any commercial revenues either. Subsequently, this new agreement is a significant leap forward for Australia’s progressive growth.
The Football Federation of Australia oversaw this agreement. The FFA required that all female players accept the deal in principle. However, these women demanded documents proof of the agreement or that they would go on public strike. Considering the FFA couldn’t afford the backlash in the “Me To” era, they backed off from their bullying tactics and allowed for equal status of pay. Surprisingly, the Professional Football Australia Union hasn’t made any public statements regarding this deal. Sports analysts agree that this is because the FAU was left out of the proceedings. Gender Equality in Sports has grown to become a significant issue in Australia, which could also be with the FAU has opted out not to comment. Anything said today could be misperceived as unfavourable.
Women’s Uprise
An informal spokesman with the Football Federation of Australia revealed this announcement to sports reporters. The issue came to light in Australia after the United States National Women’s Soccer Team sued their governing body for gender discrimination. It became a worldwide new story that has prompted multiple other female sporting associations to demand the same level of equality. When the United States ignored these female soccer players, the lawsuit was implemented. Ultimately these women won $4 Million for their gender discrimination case and later went on to win the championship, earning $30 Million. This was the first time they’d won a championship title in years, proving that their victory in court helped them gain their success on the field.
It’s unknown how the Australian Men’s National Rugby Team has reacted to this news. Considering this team is known for their conservative views, it’s anticipated that they aren’t happy with the results and are opting out not to comment publicly. The next step for these women is to combine both leagues into one association, which will create a severe backlash from their male counterparts. We will update our readers as this drama unfolds publicly.