How U.S. Women Reached Wage Deal With USA Hockey To End World Championship Boycott

The U.S. women’s national hockey team ended their boycott of the IIHF Women’s World Championship on Tuesday night after reaching a four-year deal with USA Hockey, their governing body, regarding compensation.

U.S. Women’s Hockey Team Reach Wage Deal, End Boycott

According to Craig Custance of ESPN, the U.S. women will practice in Plymouth, Michigan on Thursday. The tournament begins there on Friday with a game against rival Team Canada.

No financial terms of the agreement were released. However, Custance revealed there are ‘major increases in compensation, travel and insurance benefits and a committee to give women more of a voice in USA Hockey,’ all benefits to make them more equal to their male counterparts.

The women’s team captain, Meghan Duggan, and 22 of her teammates announced their boycott on March 15, citing frustration with the lack of a deal granting them adequate compensation. Duggan told USA TODAY Sports that she called 500 other American players to ask for their help in thwarting USA Hockey’s plan to create a replacement team.

“We said this was about family,” Duggan said. “We are all a family, a family of hockey players of all ages, from the past to the present to the future. This process, without everyone involved, didn’t have a chance if we didn’t stick together.”

The players will reportedly earn around $70,000 each per year, and possibly more than $100,000 in Olympic years if they win gold, according to people familiar with the deal who are not authorized to release the figures told USA TODAY Sports.

“Girls and women hockey players across the country stood united,” Duggan said. “You can’t have a success of this magnitude without that type of support, but this was much than just (better benefits) for the 23 girls on this roster.”

Here is an excerpt of the joint press release issued by the women players and USA Hockey:

“Today reflects everyone coming together and compromising in order to reach a resolution for the betterment of the sport,” said Jim Smith, president of USA Hockey. “We’ll now move forward together knowing we’ll look back on this day as one of the most positive in the history of USA Hockey.”

“Our sport is the big winner today,” said Meghan Duggan, captain of the U.S. Women’s National Team. “We stood up for what we thought was right and USA Hockey’s leadership listened. In the end, both sides came together. I’m proud of my teammates and can’t thank everyone who supported us enough. It’s time now to turn the page. We can’t wait to play in the World Championship later this week in front of our fans as we try and defend our gold medal.”

“We look forward to the future with great anticipation,” said Dave Ogrean, executive director of USA Hockey. “This process has, in the end, made us better.”

“I’m glad we could come together and reach an arrangement that will have a positive and lasting impact,” said Hilary Knight, veteran forward of the U.S. Women’s National Team. “This is an inspirational time and we’re excited to get back on the ice and represent our country.”

“The action taken today is an important statement of USA Hockey’s commitment and support of our women’s national team program and female hockey overall,” said Donna Guariglia, treasurer of USA Hockey and former chair of USA Hockey’s Girls’ and Women’s Section.

The turning point in the negotiations came when around 70 of USA Hockey’s 92 members of the board of directors met for a conference call Monday.

Duggan is one of the directors. She recused herself from voting, but asked and answered questions. Former U.S. women’s players were also on the call as directors.

Ogrean believed the presence of the women’s players on the call helped the process.

“It was really good for a lot of board members to hear from the players and really good for the players to hear from the board members,” Ogrean said. “At the end, the board got it. They told the executive committee go forward and do what you think needs to be done responsibly.”

The U.S., who have won six of the past seven women’s world championships, will begin arriving in Plymouth on Wednesday afternoon.

“We are excited and Team USA is excited that the original team selected to play in for Team USA will be on the ice in Michigan,” Duggan said. “We are 100% ready.”

SOCHI, RUSSIA – FEBRUARY 20: Hilary Knight #21 of United States and Meghan Agosta-Marciano #2 of Canada in action during the Ice Hockey Women’s Gold Medal Game on day 13 of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at Bolshoy Ice Dome on February 20, 2014 in Sochi, Russia. (Photo by Martin Rose/Getty Images)

Article by Pablo Mena