Good PR Can Save The U.S. Soccer Federation: But, They Need To Listen Up

Image Source: Getty/Alika Jenner [no copyright infringement is intended]

Over the past week, we've seen how the U.S. Soccer Federation put themselves under scrutiny and into an existential crisis which led to a tailspin of formal apologies, angry sponsors, lots of tweets, the resignation of the organization’s president, and then the promotion of a new president (who is a woman and former player). 

Let’s Recap What Went Down:

For the past year, the USSF has been in a very high-profile legal battle where the US Women’s Team is seeking $66 million under the Equal Pay Act and the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Last Monday, March 9th, the USSF’s lawyers filed a legal brief (a summary motion of judgement) where they asked the judge to rule against the U.S. Women’s National Team’s equal pay lawsuit, because despite them being Olympians and World Cup victors – they are paid less compared to the Men’s National Team – who try really hard (and they aren’t the bad guys in this scenario). Before we get into it, just know that the USSF played themselves hardcore. They scored an epic goal on themselves – true poetic justice.

Most likely, this will become a case study and I CAN’T WAIT to unfold – only true legal PR and Comms nerds will understand my excitement. 

Please keep in mind that all of this took place in March, which is women’s history month. Anyway, USSF’s legal team’s defense basically said that the women players  have less responsibilities, because they aren’t heckled as much as the men, and that they require less physical abilities and skills. 

The public, twitter, and all media outlets erupted in the matter of hours of this legal filing. Within 24 hours, major corporate sponsors like Coca Cola and Volkswagen wanted a sit-down.

Nothing is scarier than when your major corporate sponsors want to meet about your moral actions. Be afraid. Be very afraid...

But, as we all know, money moves the ball – literally.

On Wednesday, the president (at the time) Carlos Cordeiro apologized saying he and his team never read the legal arguments. He blamed the lawyers, added new lawyers, and that the organization completely stands behind the women players,  and views them equal to men. (Ok, great, then where’s the equal pay?)

Even the scientist, who’s study the USSF’s legal team used to justify their science-y argument, wrote a Washington Post op-ed saying that the lawyers read the study wrong. No one is surprised.

Then on Thursday, Carlos Cordeiro, resigned his post as the president, making way for Cone, a former USWNT player and World Champion, to take the top spot as the new president.

By Friday, Cone denounced the legal arguments. 

Fast forward to today, Tuesday, March 17th, under Cone’s leadership, the new legal team has removed the sexist language from the legal filing, which means that the USSF officially rejects the previous language, argument, and message. They have even re-structured their internal processes to ensure that irreparable things like this don’t happen again.

Don’t Play Yourself:

All of this happened in the span of ONE week. A crisis can always spiral out of control, but smart and decisive actions can contain it from getting even worse. Now, these aren’t extraordinary measures by any means – they are however very normal measures that any organization who cares about their public image would take. With that said, the USSF historically has always taken extraordinary measures to affront on every front. At this point any small gesture of goodwill will seem like a grand gesture.

It’s extremely important for organization’s leaders to involve their PR team at the start of any legal process. You can tell that the USSF’s PR team was not involved from the beginning. Because, if they were, I guarantee their eyebrows would have raised off their foreheads and flown out the window, as they freaked in a panic, screaming, “umm...how about we don’t say that!” Yes, PR litigation specialists exist for this very reason, to help an organization understand the reputational damage and risk your legal arguments can put you in.àAs a litigation public relations expert, I have seen a lot of legal arguments take down company’s just in the manner of how they were trying to defend themselves, and not take into account their customers -- their second judge and jury. Remember, you are fighting in two courts, legal court and public opinion. This rings true for both parties -- the plaintiff and defendant.

Now if you’re asking W.W.A.D [What Would Andréa Do]:

If I was in charge of their PR team I would advise them to focus on stories about USSF’s women leaders, spotlight social causes, and players’ social causes. However, USSF, you need to ensure that all of this is authentic. If you don’t change the culture from within and re-focus on what is true to the new leadership, the public will see right through you.