SALT LAKE CITY – As Utah Royals FC kicks off their season, a new contract will help improve opportunities for women in the sport.
“I think while it’s important to have a major women’s soccer league, it’s also important to treat the players the way they should be treated,” says Katie O’Kane, a soccer player at the University of Utah.
The National Women’s Soccer League and the Players Association have agreed on a new contract with new terms to increase player salaries and be competitive with foreign leagues.
“Ever since I was little and people asked me what I wanted to do with my life, I said, ‘Play professional football,'” O’Kane said. “I like that it’s an aggressive sport and you put everything you have on the field.”
And now she feels like her dream of becoming a professional soccer player may be a step closer to realizing it – after the NWSL and the players’ association agreed to an agreement that would nearly increase players’ minimum annual salaries: from $48,500 in 2025 to $82,500 in 2030.
This would also give players more control over the teams they sign with by removing the need for players to go through drafts and requiring them to agree to the team’s choice. Additionally, there would be more parenting, childcare and mental health benefits and there would be a year-round schedule.
“When I was younger, I thought, oh yeah, pursue your goals, try to play soccer professionally, but you might need a part-time job,” O’Kane explained. “I’m sure the players in the NWSL know that even in college, it’s difficult to have a part-time job because it takes up 99 percent of our time. So it’s great to be able to do what you love and know that you’re actually going to be supported financially.”
I hope this is just the beginning of investing in women’s sport.
“I think it’s important to highlight how hard we work and how important this is to us personally and as a community,” O’Kane added.
