US Women’s National Hockey Team to play at World Championships after agreement with USA Hockey
It seems the feud between the US Women’s National Hockey Team and USA Hockey may be coming to a close.
According to reports from across hockey Twitter, including Kevin Allen of USA Today, the players have voted in favor of a tentative deal, and are set to defend their gold medal in the 2017 IIHF Women’s World Championship.
Done deal. US women have a new contract and will play in World championships. Story coming
— Kevin Allen (@ByKevinAllen) March 28, 2017
Financial terms of the new agreement made between the national team and USA Hockey have not yet been disclosed, but players are apparently satisfied with the deal, which will apparently grow support for the women’s national team program over the next four years.
USA Hockey’s press release notes that a Women’s High Performance Advisory Group will be formed to facilitate the growth of women’s hockey at all levels. The agreement apparently has provisions to improve marketing and promotion for the women’s game.
The players for the women’s national team announced last Wednesday that they would boycott this year’s international competition, demanding livable wages and equality of resources among other things.
In a statement released by American players when the protest was announced, USA Hockey was called upon to provide fairer treatment for female athletes with regards to “financial compensation, youth team development, equipment, travel expenses, hotel accommodations, meals, staffing, transportation, marketing and publicity.”
US WNT will not play in 2017 World Championship due to stalled negotiations over fair wages and support from USA Hockey #BeBoldForChange pic.twitter.com/qEXVyoKE6y
— Hilary Knight (@HilaryKnight) March 15, 2017
The accusations against USA Hockey have ranged from failing to pay players adequately, to refusing to recognize their 1998 gold medal on the 2014 Olympic team’s jersey.
Since news of the boycott broke, USA Hockey has reportedly been working to put together a team to play at the World Championships, which will be hosted in Michigan. However, stories have flooded in across the country of players at the U22, U18, and even U16 level refusing to cross the picket line and instead opting to stand by the protest.
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The World Championships begin on Friday in Plymouth, Mich., as the Americans take on rival Canada in their opening game. This year’s competition has an extra layer of significance, too, as players fight for spots on the Olympic team to compete in 2018 in Pyeongchang, South Korea.