A Rare Inside Look at How U.S. Soccer Players Organized for Better Pay

Episode 4

It's hard to envision a time before soccer was a big business in the United States. But until a few decades ago, U.S. national team players weren't even paid. 

That’s where Mark Levinstein came in. Mark is a legendary sports lawyer who has represented USMNT players as head of the U.S. National Soccer Team Players Association since its formation in the mid-1990s. 

In this episode of Sports Solidarity, Mark joined Harry for a rare public conversation to share the inside story of this union, from its fledgling days in the ‘90s to the bright lights of the World Cup today. He also gave a behind-the-scenes peek at how the USMNT players helped the women’s team secure equal pay and offered some thoughts on a range of other issues, including the possibility of collective bargaining at the college level and his charity Athletes for Hope. 

It’s a fascinating story about how a grassroots effort that began in the mid-1990s continues to deliver for players on the global stage today. Catch the full episode now.

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