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Disparity Women's national team coach makes far less than men's
Posted: Thursday March 09, 2000 04:34 PM
SAN DIEGO (AP) -- The man who coached the United States to the 1999 Women's World Cup championship made $315,686 less last year than his counterpart with the U.S. men's national team. Tony DiCicco earned $167,166, while men's coach Bruce Arena made $482,852, not counting a $133,927 signing bonus he received in late 1998, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported in Wednesday's editions, citing federal tax records it obtained. Arena coached the men in 13 games last year, winning seven and finishing third at the Confederations Cup. DiCicco coached the women in 29 games, winning 25, including a sweep through the World Cup that captivated the country. DiCicco's base salary was about $100,000, with the remainder of his 1999 pay coming in bonuses, the Union-Tribune reported. Four administrators with U.S. Soccer, the sport's national governing body, made more than DiCicco. "I'm not surprised by that," said DiCicco, who resigned as national coach last fall with a 103-8-8 record. "I think that reflects society. It's certainly not just happening in soccer. It's just the reality of where we are right now in society. Those things need to be corrected. "Do I think it's too far of a separation? Absolutely. Do I think it should be exactly equal? Probably not." New women's coach April Heinrichs is believed to make an amount similar to DiCicco's, according to the newspaper. The U.S. women, who boycotted three games earlier this year, agreed to a deal in February that for the first time gives women on a national team the same salary as men. The women also would get part ownership of a league planned to start in April 2001, the first such arrangement for any major pro sport in the country. "It's an apples to oranges comparison," said Richard Motskin, Arena's agent. "A more relevant comparison is what Bruce is making vis-a-vis other men's national coaches in the top 25 in the world, and in that regard I believe Bruce is fairly compensated. "With regard to Tony's situation, I applaud his accomplishments and think he did a great job with the women's team. Whether or not he was fairly compensated is an issue for others, not for me or Bruce." A spokesperson said U.S. Soccer wouldn't comment on individual salaries. "Why wouldn't U.S. Soccer hire a $500,000 coach for the women?" said Donna Lopiano, executive director of the Women's Sports Foundation. "There isn't a marketplace of soccer coaches who only coach men's soccer. They're soccer coaches, period. "It's saying to me that U.S. Soccer isn't going to get as good a coach for the women as for the men because they don't want to spend $500,000."
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