'Jerry Maguire' agent says US women put federation in 'a very difficult bargaining position' amid equal pay fight
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Is it time to show them the money?
The U.S. women's soccer team's blockbuster performance in the World Cup puts the United States Soccer Federation in a tough spot amid criticism of the sport's gender pay gap, according to super agent Leigh Steinberg.
The American team's players are great ambassadors for both women and the sport itself, Steinberg told Harris Faulkner on "Outnumbered Overtime," before discussing potential financial implications for the sport overall.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"What they did yesterday was transcendent," Steinberg, who inspired Tom Cruise's character in the 1996 film "Jerry Maguire," said.
"It turned into American patriotism. They are fresh-faced, hyper-athletic, wonderful representatives of this country. They just put the federation in a very difficult bargaining position."
Additionally, the agent said the team would be a dream client for him.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I would love to have this case, because who wants to be in the position of telling these women they shouldn't be paid the same as the men when they are now world champions?" he asked.
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"Now you will see the celebrity-making machine go to work and they will be on late-night talk shows. Some of the stars -- Megan Rapinoe, Alex Morgan -- they will be on television. They will be ubiquitous."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}However, Steinberg predicted the case is not likely to escalate to the courtroom.
"I think that all gets settled. It never gets to court," he said.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I think it gets negotiated out with the federation."
While some stars of the U.S. team have delved into politics in recent weeks, Steinberg claimed such a development shouldn't hurt their ability to broker for more equal pay.
"You would say, just for the negotiation, you would rather that Megan had not said anything about a presidential visit," he said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"At the same time, it's 'U-S-A, U-S-A -- these are fresh-faced, wholesome, non-scandal women who went out and beat the world. That's how they will be in a great negotiating position,"
"This is their chance to burst forward and create a groundswell for American women's soccer."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Recently, FIFA -- the sport's governing body -- has faced criticism for its pay gap between men and women’s soccer. Prize money for the Women’s World Cup was $30 million, while the men’s prize purse was set at $400 million at last year's competition in Russia.
Rapinoe had called out FIFA on the pay disparity ahead of the final.
“It certainly is not fair,” she said. “We should double it now and use that number to double it or quadruple it for the next time. That's what I mean when we talk about, 'Do we feel respected?'”
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., on Monday invited the women's team to visit the Senate, and called for fair wages. "Something—something— needs to change here. What the U.S. women did was extraordinary, and they deserve to be compensated fairly. All women need to be compensated fairly. Period. And we ought to pay attention to this not just once every four years during the World Cup, but year-in and year-out."
On the 2020 campaign trail, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y. echoed the sentiment, telling reporters in New Hampshire the women's team, "is on fire," and should be treated as such.
"They win more than the men's team," she said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"They should be paid at least equal pay for equal work and based on performance, I’d actually consider paying them more."
The Democratic hopeful called the current difference in pay, "an outrage."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fox News' Chad Pergram, Stephen Sorace and Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.