The NWSL's Reign FC drew a "club-record crowd" of 7,479 for yesterday's loss to the Chicago Red Stars at Tacoma's Cheney Stadium, marking the venue's "highest-attended event this year." Before the match, the Reign recognized its World Cup players. Fireworks "rocketed from the stadium after the introduction" of USWNT stars Megan Rapinoe and Allie Long. Rapinoe "was given a key to the city of Tacoma from Mayor Victoria Woodards and an 'Equal Pay' chant began in response." She sat out the game "due to an injured Achilles tendon and exhaustion" (SEATTLE TIMES, 7/29). Prior to the match, Rapinoe walked onto the field "wrapped in an American flag." The stands were "lined with Rapinoe's No. 15 national team and Reign jerseys" (N.Y. TIMES, 7/29).
Before heading to Cheney Stadium yesterday, Rapinoe met with U.S. Sens Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), "advocating for equal pay not just in women's sports, but in the country as a whole." They discussed "needing to pass a federal law to help close the gender pay gap" in the U.S. and about the Paycheck Fairness Act, a bill "proposed and sponsored by Murray and Cantwell that would help close loopholes in the Equal Pay Act" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 7/28).
