U.S. Soccer: Cindy Parlow Cone is your winner

The GIST: In a closely fought election, former USWNT player Cindy Parlow Cone was reelected as U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF) president. She won 52.9% of the weighted vote over Carlos Cordeiro. If that margin seems tight, that’s because it is — it’s the closest margin of victory in federation history.

• Cone will serve her first full four-year term after being thrust into the role in 2020. She replaced Cordeiro following his resignation over the USSF’s sexist defense of the USWNT’s equal pay lawsuit.

The details: Cone had two major arguments in her favor — she resolved the longstanding equal pay battle with the women’s team and several sponsors preferred her over her opponent. The federation’s treatment of the USWNT during Cordeiro’s two-year spell as president remains a red flag and possible deterrent for sponsors, including Deloitte.

• Another strike against Cordeiro: the federation’s mishandling of sexual misconduct cases under his leadership. Several prominent USWNT players criticized him for it last month, and endorsed Cone on Friday.

• One group that didn’t back Cone? The grassroots soccer community of youth and amateur organizations. They felt “marginalized” by Cone’s focus on the federation’s public battles during the pandemic.

Zooming out: The election results reveal an American soccer community bringing competing priorities to Cone’s new term. USSF’s business interests seem aligned, though — sponsors want to back an organization that isn’t mistreating female athletes.

• Like we mentioned on Friday, values-based marketing is significantly guiding where companies place their dollars. Consequently, brands are finally recognizing that female athletes — and the organizations that support them — can reap major business rewards. It's about time.