As a professional soccer player for over a decade, Ali Krieger is an expert on not only soccer but also the disparities between women’s and men’s sports. From the salary disparities to the gaps in merchandise, Krieger has seen it all – and she’s speaking up about it.
“I’m tired of people assuming that the facts aren’t there behind people watching women’s sports and the reason why we should get paid what we deserve for the same amount that we endure physically, mentally, emotionally as our male counterparts,” Krieger tells SheKnows.
“It is apparent and it is noticeable,” Krieger says of the disparities. “I’m tired of people saying, ‘Well, no one watches,’ or ‘No one goes,’ or ‘They’re not good enough.’ It’s all just like smoke and mirrors. The facts are there, and the numbers are there.”
As a result, the two-time World Cup winner, who is currently playing for the Orlando Pride, partnered with Klarna and the Sports Innovation Lab in their first-of-a-kind report on the disparities between women’s and men’s sports merchandise. Among their crucial findings, are that for every nine pieces of men’s sports merchandise women’s sports have just one and that 79% of respondents reported that they would purchase more women’s sports merchandise if more options were available to them.
To mend that gap, Klarna and the Sports Innovation Lab collaborated with TOGETHXR, a sports commerce company co-founded by athletes Alex Morgan, Chloe Jim, Simone Manuel and Sue Bird, to release a limited-edition merchandise collection. In the collection, the phrase “A movement, not a moment” will be printed on T-shirts and tote bags.
“It is a movement,” Krieger says of the phrase. “We’ve been playing at this level for so long, and I’ve been a professional player for 18 years, we’ve been here. We’ve been, you know, in the moment, starting a movement.”
“I think that what it means to me is that this isn’t going to end,” she continues. “It’s only going to get better and better and better. And so if you’re not along for the ride now you’re going to definitely be missing out in the future.”
As for what motto or song has carried her through her career, Krieger remembers “Firework” by Katy Perry. “I think that would be one of my favorites because it’s such great memories tied to that,” Krieger says as she reminisces singing to that song when she won her first World Cup in 2015.
In addition to the new collection with TOGETHXR (which is already available on their website and Klarna’s official page!), Krieger’s also looking forward to seeing women’s sports and female athletes at the top of their game at the 2024 Olympics.
“I think it’s it’s going to be incredible to see a whole team USA come together in all sports, rather than just one specific sport at their own tournament, like a World Cup,” Krieger says, adding she’s most looking forward to watching swimming, gymnastics, track and field, and, of course, women’s soccer. “Don’t get me wrong, the World Cup is the best tournament in the world, but in the Olympics, you’re a part of something bigger than just your team.”
“That’s what’s so attractive about the Olympics, too, because you feel that much more support from all the other athletes, and that you’re a bigger team, and you kind of just have your small puzzle piece of a sport, and then kind of all come together in a powerful way,” Krieger says. “And I think that’s what’s really, really fun and about the experience there.”
Before you go, click here to see the celebrity women who are proud owners of sports teams.
