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Soccer and politics do not mix well

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Soccer and politics do not mix well

It is impossible to heap enough praise on the United States Women’s Soccer Team.  They have been setting the sport of soccer on fire – and deservedly so.  They are the source of national pride – especially when one considers that soccer has not been initially considered an American Sport.  That has changed in recent years, and the women’s soccer team has advanced that ball big time.

It is a pity that the excitement, respect, and pride of the nation has been diminished by the injection of politics.  That is nothing new, of course.  We have seen it in football.  Unfortunately, tying political activism to a recreational industry takes something away.  It turns away people who would otherwise be fans and supporters.

A large portion of the American public no longer cheering for the hometown team.  We saw that on social media – hundreds of thousands of people rooting for “the other team” solely because of the American players – lead by Megan Rapinoe – used the sports platform and their current fame to engage in acrimonious political rhetoric and activism.

Rapinoe gave premature warning that she would not accept a traditional ceremonial invitation to be honored by the White House.  Others followed suit until it was announced that the entire team would not accept a yet unextended invitation.  It was a moment to set politics aside and allow the President of the United States express a nation’s pride and congratulations – one of the moments of national unity that is constantly called for by the left but never something in which they will engage.

No conservative would ever limit a person’s right of free speech, but there is a time and place.  If Rapinoe wants to express her dislike for President Trump, be my guest.  But I do not like embroiling it with the sport and a non-partisan and traditional ceremonial event.

As if to underscore their hardline partisan effort, Rapinoe proudly told a CNN interview that she and the team are happy to accept invitations from New York Mayor and presidential candidate Bill de Blasio, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and even from freshman Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The fact that the entire team is going along with this partisanship is a disgrace.

The politics is more than Trump hatred. The team is focusing on the income disparity between the male and female soccer players – a disparity that exists in every sport.  In this effort, at least the team is talking about something sports related, but tangentially of a political issue.

The mantra is equal pay for women and men athletes.  That sounds fair enough on the surface but is utter nonsense if you look at real-world facts.

Mika Brzezinski – co-host of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” and uber left-wing feminist – has a campaign directed at women with the theme “know your worth.”  That is a good starting point when discussing sports salaries.  In most cases, athletes and teams are compensated based on an evaluation of their worth.  The determination is usually made over the negotiating table with owners on one side and sports attorneys on the other.

Even athletes on the same team can have far different salaries.  The worth of a team when being sold is subjected to in-depth evaluation.  The value of both teams and individuals players vary widely.  While it is a complex evaluation, it is fundamentally based on how much money a team or player draws at the box office, from advertising revenues, broadcast rights, and other income streams.

There is a major problem that prevents the concept of equal pay being applied to sports – a fatal problem.  Who would guarantee equal pay?  Even if the owners wanted to establish an equal pay standard, they could not.  The economics of sports would not allow it.

For many, there is an assumption that somehow the government would regulate it by law.  If such a law was passed – and do not hold your breath for that one – it would be the end of women’s sports.  That’s right. Gone. Finito.

Why do you ask?  It is because women’s sports do not draw anywhere near the same amount of money as men’s sports.  You can say that is unfair, but it is a fact.  Team owners and sponsors would not pull in enough money to pay women athletes the same as the men across the board.

As Brzezinski points out, a person needs to know their value – and in sports, value is easily measured in dollars.  If women’s sports become more popular – produce more revenue – the players’ salaries will increase.  But no placard-waving demonstrations will make that happen any sooner.

Ironically, the politicization of women’s soccer may have the same effect it had on NFL football.  It decreased revenues.  If that occurs with women’s soccer, the owners will have even less money to put into player paychecks.

It is a pity that the ladies of soccer did not allow the American people an uncompromised opportunity to cheer their victory by keeping politics off the field.

So, there ‘tis.

13 COMMENTS

  1. I will not support a bull dyke who cannot grow up and think she’s relevant to everyone. I was hoping they would lose. RapinHOE need to realize men and women are not alike or equal. But sHE would have to think.

    • Jim, I agree with you 100%. In addition, I cannot support this freak of nature who hates God.

      • I am not normally a person that uses foul language. But Rapinoe makes Dennis Rodman look like a school teacher. Okay, the word Super Bitch comes to mind. And just go the phh ff no, its f away please. Nobody cares but other hateful people.

  2. That lead player might be a good athlete, but she is a bad human being full of hate and very un-American. Wouldn’t follow or support her for any amount of money. If her team members feel the same they can all go suck and egg!!!!

    • Dee say :
      They’re actually represented far left liberals , self inflicted of troubles , radically rejecting our country’s flags and bidding principles with disrespect actions to the President , also just playing football a ambitions to wins mostly for themselves is truly Un-American’s is Terrorist acts are total losers ! to stand with the wrong sides groups of invisible clowns likes a bunches dark powers criminals and this kind of action is unjustified and we don’t care about the win or not ! respects Justice is only things we really cares now !!

  3. I’m sorry and sad that this person who ever she is stole glory away from me and other Americans because she s protesting for whatever it is she is against.

  4. You have to give credit to Megan Rapinoe for standing up to that narcissistic, dictator,bully, piece of garbage who were stuck with as a president. My hat is off to her.

  5. Was cheering for them until some actions turned me off then did not even watch last 2 games. Stomping on the flag wwas final act for me . If they are not happy here MOVE TO ANOTHER COUNTRY WHERE THEY WILL BE HAPPY

  6. Again, we see the LBGTQ crowd showing their immaturity and fraudulent philosophy. If you saw any of the NYC World Pride Parade on the news this past month, you would have seen a bunch of immature adults acting like children, dancing around like idiots with their pants on fire and dressed in garrish outfits. These people are not mentally stable and have remained immature into their adult lives. This groups should be referred to as the LBGTQMICKEYMOUSE crowd.

  7. Bud, a transgender, hmmmm. I’m waiting for God to lose his patience with a repeat of Sodom and Gomorrah.

  8. Women’s soccer is a nothing sport and the USA women’s team is a disgrace. Hoping they have won their last match.

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