U.S. Women’s Rugby Sevens Team Receives $4 Million Donation Following Historic Olympic Medal Win
The U.S. women’s rugby sevens team made history this week, earning their first-ever Olympic medal. This victory signals a significant turning point for the women’s sport, which has been consistently overlooked for decades. The team’s success has also sparked a wave of investment, with a $4 million donation from Michele Kang, owner of several women’s soccer clubs, highlighting the growing potential of women’s rugby in the U.S.
Key Takeaways:
- Historic Win: The U.S. women’s rugby sevens team won their first Olympic medal, signifying a turning point for women’s rugby in the U.S.
- Major Investment: Michele Kang, a prominent women’s sports investor, donated $4 million to the U.S. Rugby Sevens team, fostering growth and development.
- Gender Inequality: The donation addresses a historical disparity in funding between women’s and men’s rugby in the U.S., with women often having to pay to play.
- Bright Future: The team’s success and increased investment signal a promising future for women’s rugby, with the potential to become a major sport in the U.S.
A Long History of Disparity and a New Era of Equality
The U.S. women’s rugby sevens team has overcome a long history of financial inequality, battling for resources and recognition alongside their male counterparts. Former U.S. women’s rugby sevens team player and World Rugby Hall of Fame inductee, Phaidra Knight, witnessed this reality firsthand: "We’ve always wanted to be included, right at the table. And the men would shut the door."
Knight started playing for the U.S. National Rugby union team in 1999, a time when the women’s program faced severe financial constraints. "I oftentimes had to pay to play with the U.S. I had to pay [a] camp fee and also would most times have to pay for my travel, for my flight, and obviously had to take time off work," she reveals. "There was no per diem or any sort of supplement provided, so that was a tough burden to bear for all of us."
In stark contrast, Knight observes that the U.S. men’s rugby teams "at least did not have to pay to play. The USA Rugby budgeted more money to them. It was just that much of an inequity."
The Power of Philanthropy and a Shift in the Landscape
The landscape for women’s rugby is finally starting to shift. Organizations like the Golden Eagles have been instrumental in championing increased funding for the women’s game, and USA Rugby has been working diligently to address the historically imbalanced funding structure.
As a result, players on the women’s U.S. Rugby sevens team now receive salaries, allowing them to focus on rugby full-time. They no longer face the financial barriers that have hindered generations of female athletes. However, Knight points out that "they haven’t had to pay to play. But, historically, in the beginning, even with the Olympics, some of these players had to work. They had to work jobs," she says. "Now, I think they’re at a point where they don’t. But are they making the money that other professional athletes in other sports make? No."
A Sleeping Giant Awakens: Women’s Rugby on the Rise
The pay inequities in rugby mirror the disparities faced by women athletes across various sports, including the WNBA. However, the recent Olympic success and Kang’s substantial investment offer a glimmer of hope for women’s rugby, mirroring the attention the WNBA has received following the emergence of players like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese.
Knight believes that with continued investment and sponsorship, women’s rugby is poised to capture the attention of the American sports market: "There’s been this talk for the last 10 plus years, maybe a decade or two, about America being the sleeping giant of rugby," she says. "And when this sleeping giant awakes, oh my God it’s going to be crazy because of the sports market in America and how lucrative it is."
With the U.S. set to host the 2031 Rugby World Cup, the stage is set for women’s rugby to truly flourish. Knight concludes: "Most of the people that are in charge and making these decisions were men, and they hung their hats on the fact that men’s fifteens was that sleeping giant that would awaken, and all of this greatness would happen," she adds. "But the sleeping giant, in fact, is women’s rugby."
The recent surge in investment and recognition for the U.S. women’s rugby sevens team signals the beginning of a new era where equality and opportunity prevail. As the sport continues to gain traction, we can anticipate the emergence of a new generation of female rugby stars, ready to inspire and compete on the global stage.
