Soccer: Kang you believe?

The GIST: The women’s soccer world giveth, the women’s soccer world taketh away. Here’s one up and one down from the business side of the beautiful game.

U.S. Soccer: Let’s start with the down. The U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF) released a letter yesterday announcing that the USWNT and USMNT had not yet committed to a unified pay structure.

• ICYMI: In September 2021, the USSF offered identical contracts to both squads with the goal of aligning under a single collective bargaining agreement (CBA). The USMNT’s CBA has already expired while the USWNT’s CBA expires on March 31st.

• The problem? The USSF’s offer is largely considered a publicity stunt. Rather than fairly increasing the women’s income (what a concept), they appear to be cutting down on the men’s to meet in the middle.

• USWNT star Alex Morgan has said the squad will look at the USSF’s proposal of identical contracts, but that if it’s not “to the value that we are, then we still consider that to be not good enough.” As they should.

NWSL: Okay, now for the up…and it’s a big one! In the midst of a power struggle in the Washington Spirit front office, co-owner Y. Michele Kang has reportedly seized majority control of the club.

• For context, players and fans have called for co-owner Steve Baldwin — who resigned as CEO in October following reports of harassment and toxicity within the team — to sell his shares of the team to Kang.

• Despite Kang’s higher offer, Baldwin was looking to sell the team to an ownership group led by businessman Todd Boehly. Ahh, the patriarchy.

• But Kang threw down a UNO reverse card yesterday. By gaining support from investors formerlyaligned with Baldwin, Kang now holds majority control and can vote on governance issues, such as the sale of the club. We have no choice but to stan.