‘Raise The Stakes’: NWSL, Partners Increase Compensation For Players
Thursday, June 22, 2023 at 08:16PM By Barry Janoff
June 22, 2023: Stating that players “deserve to have their compensation grow and reflect their excellence on the field,” the NWSL today unveiled increases to bonus pool payouts for the 2023 NWSL Championship and 2023 NWSL Shield presented by CarMax.
The NWSL said these increases were “prompted by the league’s decision to reevaluate bonus pools relative to the record-breaking $1.1 million prize pool announced for the 2023 UKG NWSL Challenge Cup, furthering its commitment to increasing player compensation.”
“It’s our incredible athletes who make our league compelling — they deserve to have their compensation grow and reflect their excellence on the field,” NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman said via the league.
“Our 2023 bonus pool increases, inspired by UKG’s historic $1.1 million investment in our players, are once again breaking records set in 2022. We’re thrilled to be in position to raise the stakes in support of our athletes, thanks, in part, to our purpose-driven partnerships with UKG and CarMax.”
NWSL said its 2023 NWSL bonuses also “represent an increased focus on challenging the gender wage gap in women’s soccer.”
At the upcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand (July 20-Aug. 20), in which many players from NWSL teams will be participating, FIFA said players and their respective national associations would receive stares of a Women’s World Cup record purse is $110 million.
Of that, $4.290 million is for the champion club. During the 2019 Women’s World Cup, total purse was $30 million and the U.S. champions took in $4 million total.
Total prize money at the FIFA 2015 Women’s World Cup was $15 million.
By comparison, total prize money awarded at the 32-team FIFA 2022 Men's World Cup in Qatar was $440 million.
FIFA said its total investment in the Women’s World Cup 2023 is budgeted to exceed $500 million
According to NWSL, “In an effort to radically increase equity and financial impact for all NWSL athletes competing for a cut of the highly anticipated $1.1 million 2023 UKG NWSL Challenge Cup prize pool, players will be eligible to earn a bonus for every match they appear in, with approximately $300,000 and $200,000 awarded to the top two teams competing in the Sept. 9 final, and a maximum of $13,400 available to winning players.”
The bonus pool for the 2023 NWSL Shield presented by CarMax, awarded to the club with the best record at the conclusion of the regular season on Oct. 15, will increase from $10,000 to $15,000 per player.
The 2023 NWSL Championship bonuses include $15,000 awarded to players from the championship team, $11,250 awarded to finalists, $7,500 awarded to semi-finalists, and $3,750 awarded to quarter-finalists.
“The best part of the UKG $1.1 million investment is that it will benefit all NWSL players competing in the 2023 Challenge Cup,” Pat Wadors, UKG chief people officer said via the HR, payroll, and workforce management solutions firm.
“We all must do our part to help close the gap, and we’ll go further and make more noise if we do it together That’s what our partnership with the NWSL is all about: shining a light on our Close the Gap Initiative, waving our flag, and encouraging more organizations to make equitable pay a reality for all.”
According to Sarah Lane, CarMax vp-marketing, via the company, “The NWSL and its players have continued to raise the bar of competition and excellence on and off the field and we’re proud to be on this journey with them
“CarMax is proud to continue elevating women’s sports and these efforts help advance our shared goal of leveling the playing field for current and future generations of women athletes.”