Andi Sullivan knows all of the work that led to Tuesday night, which means the U.S. national team midfielder will savor the moment just a little bit more.
After the USWNT plays Nigeria in a friendly at Audi Field, the team will sign its historic collective bargaining agreement (CBA) that was agreed with U.S. Soccer back in May.
Several luminaries will be present for the on-field ceremony, including USWNT players past and present, U.S. Soccer president Cindy Parlow Cone and several members of the United States Congress, among others.
“I can’t wait for that to happen,” Sullivan told reporters on Monday. “There has been so much work to get this done for generations of players.
“It’s an historic moment, and we’re going to enjoy it on the field together. I think it’ll be a really, really special moment.”
The new CBA was agreed to jointly with the U.S. men’s national team, achieving the long sought-after goal of equal pay.
In addition to equal bonuses, working conditions and commercial revenue sharing, the USWNT and USMNT agreed to equally split World Cup prize money from FIFA.
That goal was particularly notable because it was the first time any men’s and women’s national team agreed to equalize World Cup prize money, which FIFA heavily tilts in favor of the men.
Sullivan knows that the CBA could not have happened without the struggles of countless USWNT players of the past, many of whom will be present in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday.
“There have been so many people over the years who have led us to this moment, and we can’t forget their impact and their legacy,” Sullivan added.
“So it’s really cool that some people are able to come — obviously, not everybody — but some people are able to come and we recognize that it’s more than just the 11 players on the field or the 23 players in the camp at the time. It’s everybody and we all have had a huge role in it.”
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