The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) has figured out something that professional leagues world wide have been dreaming about for hundreds of years. They will employ unpaid amateurs and still charge fans for tickets during the Women's World Cup.
"We took our hint from the NCAA, but asked ourselves if it would be possible to do this in a setting where nearly every player was a professional and the fans have expectations. The NWSL has been working towards trying to create the ultimate profit margin and have finally figured it out. If we employ amateur players, don't pay them, and still charge our fans for admittance It will allow us to really make some money in the women's game." said director of Public Relations for the NWSL, Anita Wolden.
"It's very possible that during the Women's World Cup, we will create such a high profit line that our teams will be able to actually exist for a few more months. After the World Cup is over, when some of our stars pull out and go to Europe, we will still have our meager fanbases that will pay money to see our amateurs until this league implodes into a spectacular blow out. It's a win win for everyone except the fans and the players!"
TNN asked the host family of professional soccer player Caroline Delpuy if they could have permission to speak to her at their residence in east Rochester. After receiving an ok with a conditional bedtime for Delpuy and strict rules against profanities, we asked Delpuy about the situation.
"Well, I'm considering my options of playing in Sweden, playing in Spain or making more money than the NWSL will pay me by panhandling on the streets of Rochester. I mean at this point, I could probably sell Scentsy and make more money. I get that they want the league to grow, but it is hard for the players to watch the league try to succeed by financially screwing all the non-national team players who are supposed to play 'for the love and growth of the game'."
TNN asked Portland Thorns owner Merritt Paulson about this situation and he released the following statement "I've got 12,000 people coming in every game. I can pretty much do anything I want at this point."
Delpuy had one more thing to say, "I love this game, I'd do anything for this game, but I can't pay rent and I don't have an apartment. I'm a broke, 26 year old player with slight knee pain living in a room with a 55 year old couple in Rochester and I am working two jobs in the offseason that both individually pay me more money than I make the entire season in the NWSL. The love of the game only gets you so far."